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Michael Taylor, a professional trader and author, joins James to break down why most finance gurus are full of it. They discuss the red flags of get-rich-quick trading schemes, how brokers make money when you lose, and why Forex attracts scammers. Michael explains the difference between real investing and fake lifestyles, the dangers of blindly following trading signals, and why most people fail at currency trading. Whether you're thinking about investing in your 20s or deciding between paying off your mortgage versus building wealth through stocks, this conversation cuts through the BS and gives you real talk about money.

THIS PODCAST IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE

Timestamps

00:00 Finance Gurus and Lamborghini Scams

00:12 Professional Trader Michael Taylor Interview

00:24 Casino Risk Management vs Trading

01:07 Problems with Fake Finance Influencers

02:32 Chauffeur Knowledge and Information Replication

03:55 Broker Commission Models Explained

05:06 Red Flags in Trading Education

06:13 Forex vs Stock Market Fundamentals

09:04 Why Forex Trading Is Dangerously Hard

10:15 Survivorship Bias in Finance Content

11:50 Mortgage Payoff vs Stock Investment

12:16 Calculated Risk and Personal Finance

14:02 Global Equities Beat Interest Rates

15:21 Why People Avoid Financial Education

16:12 Wealthy People Talk About Money Differently

17:44 Taking Responsibility for Your Finances

18:36 James Smith's Investment Journey Begins

19:07 Getting Lucky in the Stock Market

20:54 Borrowing Money to Invest Early

22:33 Finding Your Sweet Spot in Stocks

23:24 Balance Sheet Analysis for Beginners

25:46 Shorting Businesses and Ethics

27:26 Identifying Cash Flow Problems Early

28:40 Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Allocation

31:23 Long-Term Investing vs Day Trading

32:03 Social Media as Interest Savings Account

32:22 2008 Financial Crisis Impact

34:34 Market Crashes Create Opportunities

36:11 Pandemic Trading During Market Chaos

37:45 First Steps for New Investors

39:05 Picking Individual Stocks Strategy

40:25 Emotional Investment Decisions

41:31 Tax-Efficient Investment Accounts UK

44:02 Lifetime ISA Government Top-Up

45:04 State Pension Won't Exist

46:36 Compounding Interest Over Decades

51:04 Warren Buffett Started at 15

52:40 Starting Late at 35

54:20 Inflation Erodes Purchasing Power

55:11 Fiscal Drag and Wage Stagnation

56:00 Property Ladder vs Stock Market

57:06 Stamp Duty Killing UK Stock Market

59:18 IPO Market Decline in UK

01:00:17 Making LSE Attractive for Listings

01:02:07 Class of 2020 IPO Disasters

01:03:35 Reviving the UK Stock Market

01:05:28 Boring Businesses Make Real Money

01:06:03 Newborn Investment Fund Idea

01:07:05 Private School vs Index Funds

01:09:10 Spending Strategy and Fun Money

01:11:02 Business vs Personal Investment Accounts

01:16:03 Main Dos and Don'ts of Investing

01:20:04 Delayed Settlement Promotes Gambling

01:22:17 Intraday Trading Is Mostly Gambling

01:27:25 Supporting Small Businesses Locally

01:33:46 How to Make Six Figures Book

01:35:16 Klarna Buy Now Pay Later Problems

01:37:50 Building Wealth Through Solid Businesses

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Konstantin Kisin joins James Smith to discuss the problem with Net Zero, a quiet crisis where ideological virtue signaling is actively making the West poor, weak, and strategically irrelevant.

Kisin explains how our obsession with carbon metrics functions as a dangerous accounting trick that exports British industry to China while gaslighting citizens into accepting a lower standard of living. They strip back the myths of modern activism to expose a deeper civilizational time bomb: a generation suffering from historical amnesia and a lack of meaning, now being incentivised toward economic suicide by a government that prioritizes "waffle" over the survival of its own industrial base.

We cover:

⬛ Why Net Zero is an accounting trick that exports emissions and imports poverty

⬛ The "Status Game" behind climate activism and doomsday narratives

⬛ How the welfare state traps young men in a cycle of dependency and video games

⬛ Why mass immigration is used to conceal the reality of a shrinking economy

⬛ The urgent need to prioritize cheap, reliable energy over ideological virtue signals

Timestamps:

00:00 Net Zero's Economic and Geopolitical Failures

05:42 Energy Prices and Carbon Accounting Illusions

07:18 Why Ideologies Appeal to Lost Generations

10:00 Status Games Drive Activist Movements

12:22 Greta Thunberg and Incentive Structures

15:13 Personal Branding and Business Mentorship

16:21 Historical Amnesia and Educational Gaps

19:03 Travel Exposes Western Privilege and Safety

22:30 Direction of Travel Matters More Than Absolutes

25:03 Parasites Need Problems to Solve

31:33 Soviet Subversion and Western Self-Destruction

34:38 Israel-Palestine Through an Ideological Lens

37:53 Ukraine Support and European Weakness

41:03 National Pride Erosion and Military Service

45:00 Podcast Success Takes Years of Investment

51:34 Welfare Dependency Traps Young Men

58:01 Video Games Cannot Replace Real Life Achievement

1:02:15 Long-Form Conversations Change Political Discourse

1:09:06 Police Officers Make Split-Second Life-Death Decisions

1:23:25 Economic Solutions: Energy, Taxes, and Growth

1:28:30 Illegal Immigration and British Values

1:34:21 Integration Over Diversity Politics

1:39:50 Wealthy Brits Leaving Due to Cultural Hostility

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Ffion Davies joins James Smith to reveal the problem with women in jiu-jitsu, a sport often gatekept by a "sausage fest" mentality and dangerous myths about self-defense. Davies, a six-time world champion, exposes why the current narrative is failing women and how the lack of equal pay is a quiet crisis threatening the sport's growth. They confront the reality of the "big strong dude" syndrome, the biological discrepancies in training, and the high-stakes battle for financial respect in elite competition.

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Ffion Davies on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ffioneiradaviesbjj

Ffion Davies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ffiffipengtinginlondon

We cover:

⬛ Why the "Self-Defense" Narrative is a Dangerous Lie

⬛ Equal Pay, ADCC & The Battle for Financial Respect

⬛ Why Athleticism is a Trap for Beginners

⬛ The Truth About Skin Infections & "Ballgate"

⬛ Why You Should Learn from Purple Belts, Not Just Legends

Chapters:

00:00 Breaking Barriers for Female Grapplers

2:56 Challenges Facing Women in the Sport

6:33 Building Trust and Community in Training

10:02 Reframing Motivation for Jiu-Jitsu

15:19 Realistic Expectations for Beginners

17:23 First Experiences and Gym Challenges

22:53 Judo vs Jiu-Jitsu Training Differences

29:35 Judo People Are Unique Athletes

36:05 Gi vs No-Gi: Technical Differences

45:56 Skin Infections and Training Hygiene

52:26 Armor Gym: A New Training Environment

59:56 Seminar Dynamics and Rolling Etiquette

1:01:57 Competing in Adult Divisions

1:04:06 Encouraging New People to Try Jiu-Jitsu

1:09:44 The Global Jiu-Jitsu Community

1:12:36 Fion Davies' Current Projects

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Max Olesker joins James Smith to discuss the problem with following your passion. Why an unstructured life can lead to an intellectual and spiritual vacuum if you aren't prepared for the consequences. Olesker explains that pursuing a calling without a strategy is a dangerous gamble that often ends in physical and financial ruin.

We cover:

⬛ Why "Follow Your Passion" is a Strategic Dead End

⬛ The Brutal Reality of Pro Wrestling & Performative Pain

⬛ Navigating the Rigorous Path to Orthodox Conversion

Chapters:

0:00 The Problem With Passion

5:40 The "Yes Man" Lifestyle

9:13 The Cost of the Ring

16:13 Wrestling & Social Media

26:36 The Comedy Flow State

36:07 The Creativity Grind

40:45 Identity & Heritage

47:12 Rigorous Conversion

1:08:19 The Shabbat Detox

1:15:16 The Surgical Finale

1:36:23 Making The Cut

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Property expert and investment strategist Ravi Sharma joins James Smith to reveal the problem with the global housing market.

This is no longer just a hurdle for first time buyers; it is a systemic time bomb that is stripping away financial agency and threatening the future of social mobility. The quiet crisis of skyrocketing prices is not an accident of the market, but the result of a rigged system that prioritizes corporate incentives over human survival.

Ravi Sharma's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/PersonalFinancewithRaviSharma

We cover:

⬛ Why Housing Affordability is a Global Crisis

⬛ Property, Pensions and the Rigged System

⬛ The Truth About Mortgages and Wealth Building

⬛ Renting for Freedom vs Buying for Status

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0:00 Housing Market Reality Check

0:36 Housing Affordability: A Persistent Challenge

1:56 Personal Journey in Property and Renting

7:06 Landlord Perspectives and Property Investment

12:05 Mortgage Strategies and Wealth Building

19:16 Overcoming Financial Anxiety and Fear

23:11 Property vs. Other Investment Options

28:04 Challenging Traditional Financial Advice

34:01 Leveraging Offset Mortgages Strategically

40:24 Emotional vs. Rational Property Decisions

45:05 Property Investment Process Explained

49:52 Breaking Free from Emotional Financial Traps

54:35 Ethical Considerations of Property Investment

59:36 Advice for Younger Generations

1:02:24 Renting as a Path to Personal Freedom

1:07:54 Financial Decisions and Life Constraints

1:10:16 Investment Strategies for Different Scenarios

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In this episode, George Horne (known online as @thetinmen) joins James Smith to confront the uncomfortable reality of The Problem with Men’s Mental Health. Beyond the surface-level "men need to talk" slogans, George reveals a quiet crisis of structural failings that range from biased family courts to a suicide rate that continues to climb despite increased awareness.

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The Tin Men on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCpIPgsoOjI8dgQ9fOlmc7TQ

Follow The Tin Men on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetinmen

We cover:

⬛ Why Structural Issues Trump "Talking" for Men

⬛ Family Courts & The Fatherlessness Epidemic

⬛ Why Men Need Shoulder-to-Shoulder Therapy

⬛ The Biological Necessity of Roughhousing & Combat

Timestamps:

00:00 The Problem With Mental Health

03:52 What We Miss About Men

07:37 Mental Health Beyond The Brain

09:21 Obesity As Mental Health Analogy

12:04 Status, Identity, And Fatherhood

14:16 Custody Battles And Male Suicide

17:07 Domestic Violence Misconceptions

21:30 Why Men Don’t Leave Abuse

25:15 Bad Research And False Narratives

30:27 Hiring Bias Against Men

35:53 The Motherhood Pay Gap Explained

40:55 Representation And Media Stereotypes

44:34 Fatherhood As Mental Health Anchor

49:26 Masculinity And Meaning

52:08 Community As Mental Health Treatment

56:06 Movement, Touch, And Men

01:00:16 Why Jiu Jitsu Builds Purpose

01:05:51 Boys, Violence, And Discipline

01:10:10 Fatherlessness And Gangs

01:15:13 Why Fathers Aren’t At Home

01:22:19 Rethinking Solutions For Men

01:29:04 Men’s Charities And What’s Next

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Adam McDonald joins James Smith to reveal the uncomfortable truth about the problem with hydration, electrolytes and why the $100 million hydration industry is selling a dangerous lie that is creating a quiet crisis in cardiovascular health. McDonald explains how modern marketing has convinced healthy individuals to consume toxic levels of sodium under the guise of "optimisation" while ignoring the actual biological requirements of the human body.

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They Cover:

⬛ Why Electrolyte Supplements Are The New BCAAs

⬛ How Excess Sodium Fuels The Silent Killer of Blood Pressure

⬛ The Myth of Morning Dehydration and Salt Water Rituals

⬛ Why Glucose Outperforms Salt for Real World Hydration

⬛ The Psychological Trap of Wearable Data and Health Anxiety

00:00 Hydration Myths Explained

01:09 Why Electrolytes Get Hyped

03:04 The Real Hydration Problem

06:36 Sodium Vs Table Salt

07:55 Do BJJ Athletes Need Electrolytes?

10:35 Why You Can’t Replace Sweat

12:58 When Hyperhydration Helps

13:08 Water Loading And Peeing

15:56 Electrolytes For Multi-Match Days

17:54 Morning Salt Myth Debunked

20:13 Sugar Fear In Sports Drinks

23:29 Flavor Beats Fancy Formulas

28:07 Blood Pressure Tracking Basics

32:04 Health Anxiety From Metrics

33:49 Eight Sleep Worth The Money

37:05 Falling Asleep To Podcasts

39:58 How Powerful Placebo Is

42:27 Mouth Taping Reality Check

45:17 Sleep Stack That Helps

49:47 Peptides And Injury Recovery

52:38 GLP-1s And Fat Loss Ethics

57:09 Food Noise Relief On GLP-1s

59:37 Hair Loss Drugs And Transplants

01:08:37 Biohacking Hype Calling Out

01:11:41 Why Marathoners Spit Drinks

01:13:51 Greens Powders Under The Microscope

01:18:14 Proprietary Blends Exposed

01:21:07 What A Better Greens Mix Needs

01:22:43 Coaching, Research, And Perfectionism

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Lara Acosta joins James Smith to discuss the problem with personal branding. While millions of entrepreneurs chase the "influencer" dream, a quiet crisis of ego and AI-generated slop is destroying genuine market value. This obsession with being interesting rather than useful is a dangerous lie that is threatening the future of human agency and business growth in 2026.

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Follow Lara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraacostar

We cover:

⬛ Why Introverts Will Win Personal Branding In 2026

⬛ How High Ticket Pricing Creates A Halo Effect

⬛ Why Writing Is The Ultimate Skill For Manipulation

⬛ What Happens When You Stop Chasing Vanity Metrics

⬛ How To Reinvent Your Identity Through Radical Change

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:59 The Problem With Personal Branding

02:28 How Lara Built LinkedIn

03:49 Be Useful, Not Interesting

05:29 Ego Is Slowing Growth

08:52 Retrospective Storytelling Wins

12:07 Hooks Plus Visual Hooks

15:15 Ghostwriters And AI Slop

20:09 Turning Attention Into Income

24:24 How To Raise Prices

31:06 Why High-Ticket Works

36:41 Message Beats Equipment

40:09 Mastering Problem Awareness

52:17 The Cost Of Visibility

58:10 Why 2026 Belongs To Writers

71:18 SMPB + 4321 Framework

77:38 Email Lists Beat Platforms

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Elliot Bewick joins James Smith to reveal the problem with Gen Z. This generation is currently trapped in a quiet crisis where skyrocketing anxiety rates and plummeting fertility are threatening the future of social stability. Bewick explains why modern connectivity has become a dangerous trap that trades genuine competence for manufactured authenticity.

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He explains:

◼️ Why skyrocketing suicide and anxiety rates are destroying mental health

◼️ How Instagram turned human connection into a predatory and exhausting status game.

◼️ What happens when there are no incentives to work

◼️ How the West has become obsessed with victimisation

Timestamps

00:00 The Crisis Facing Gen Z

03:15 The Problem With Content Ideation

05:07 The Reality of Gen Z Mental Health

07:56 How Young People Climb Status

09:39 The Impact of COVID on Gen Z

12:37 Modern Social Media Status Hierarchies

17:02 The Trap of Manufactured Authenticity

20:48 The Ethics of Steroid Disclosure

25:09 Why Jiu-Jitsu Cures Body Dysmorphia

31:25 Performative Difficulty vs True Hardship

39:58 The Looming Loneliness Epidemic

43:51 Why Modern History Was Worse

48:10 The Trench Visualization for Perspective

54:26 The Practice of Secular Grace

59:51 Hard Work vs Generational Privilege

01:01:51 The Global Housing Crisis Reality

01:05:01 The Pending Depopulation Crisis

01:07:08 Why Men Are Losing Purpose

01:11:18 The Rise of Masculinity Outlaws

01:16:00 Modern Career Opportunities for Gen Z

01:19:17 How to Build a Legacy

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In this episode of The Problem With Podcast, James Smith sits down with Damien Jordan, the voice behind the hugely popular YouTube channel Damien Talks Money, for a no-nonsense conversation about money, taxes, investing, and the uncomfortable truths most people ignore.

Damien breaks down why the average person feels poorer despite “doing everything right,” how inflation and fiscal drag quietly erode wealth, and why property, pensions, and taxes are stacked against younger generations. From inheritance tax and housing shortages to crypto hype, market timing fears, and whether moving abroad actually solves anything. This episode challenges how you think about money and the system around it.

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We cover:

⬛ Why Inflation & Tax Quietly Kill Wealth

⬛ Property, Pensions & The Rigged System

⬛ Investing Fears, Crypto Hype & Reality

⬛ Living Now vs Chasing Retirement

Timestamps

00:00 Real Returns After Inflation

02:55 Bank Money Creation Explained

06:55 Fiscal Drag Tax Trap

09:06 UK Vs Australia Taxes

11:49 Is Inheritance Tax Fair?

16:10 Untaxed Housing Windfalls

17:15 Why Homes Stay Scarce

21:33 Aging Population Pension Crunch

26:24 Retirement Vs Living Now

35:06 Mortgage Payoff Vs Investing

40:39 Beating Market Timing Fear

43:14 Crypto Hype Vs Bitcoin

47:00 Invest In Business Growth

52:17 HENRY 100K Tax Cliff

56:05 Wealth Tax Reality Check

59:12 Moving To Dubai Debate

65:04 UK Debt And Spending Truth

68:24 Daily Pain Of Commuting

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Demographer and author Paul Morland joins James Smith to reveal the uncomfortable truth about the problem with population collapse - why falling birth rates are creating aging societies, economic decline and a quiet crisis at the heart of the modern world. Morland explains how a lack of children is reshaping nations, destroying communities and threatening the future of humanity itself.

They discuss the myths around “overpopulation,” the cultural shifts stopping people from having families and the real reasons behind the demographic time bomb no one wants to talk about. From housing and technology to feminism and social media, this episode explores how comfort, distraction and misplaced priorities have turned reproduction into a global taboo.

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He explains:

◼️ Why population collapse will bankrupt countries

◼️ How culture and comfort are killing fertility

◼️ Why the “too many people” myth is a dangerous lie

◼️ How governments can (and must) incentivise family life

◼️ What happens when a society stops having children

timestamps

00:00 Why Population Decline Matters

02:00 Korea’s Aging Population Spiral

05:14 Can Earth Support More People?

08:34 Humans As The Ultimate Resource

11:22 Demography Everyone Misunderstands

14:07 The Global Fertility Collapse

18:55 Choice Vs Biological Fertility

22:10 Why People Stop Having Kids

25:33 Housing, Work, And Modern Life

27:07 Incentives Can’t Fix Culture Alone

31:16 Welfare, Taxes, And Family Penalties

34:20 Why Fertility Isn’t Political

36:49 Women, Work, And Family Timing

41:12 How Workplaces Must Change

49:21 Dating Apps And Relationship Breakdown

57:31 Teaching Fertility Earlier

62:44 East Asia’s Status Trap

68:26 Immigration Or National Decline

80:46 What Population Collapse Looks Like

Welcome to "The Problem With" where each week we look into a problem to get a better understanding of it. This podcast has no sponsors, only my businesses and investments. Please check out the links below.

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