My name is Jonathan.
I help people build assets.

I’ve spent more than 20 years analyzing and forecasting ideas across the global economy. Work that’s covered deals in public and private equity, real estate, and commodities. Today, that work helps business leaders leverage financial data and market insights to drive sustainable value.

about me

This is my journey.
Here’s the story so far…

Born β™“ and raised in the south, moved across 3 states, 2 major cities, and 6 schools in 18 years. Three sport πŸ€ 🎾 🏌 letter athlete in high school, studied computer science in college, and went into finance summer of 2001.

By November, I was a series 7 licensed broker making 300+ πŸ“ž cold calls a day, finding and pitching deals to HNW investors, and spending nights learning strategies and best practices of top money managers.

Got really good at finding the right stocks and writing reports. Built positions in NXTL, WMB, AAPL, and CHKP. However, it didn’t take long to become disenchanted with industry norms (IYKYK) and after Hurricane Wilma destroyed my office 🏒 decided to start a research service for DIY investors. This was well before newsletters were in vogue.

Spent the next decade picking winners across the capital markets and managing private assets for a select group of clients. By 2015, I had begun working more with entrepreneurs and executives – turning investment strategies into models for better business development.

From 2002 to 2018, my research handily outperformed the S&P 500 with close to 75% accuracy. Subscribers included affluent investors, family offices, and financial professionals with total assets under management reaching well into the billions.

During that run, I helped to create and write the premium newsletter at GuruFocus and have since published over 600 πŸ“ articles, many seen on major financial news sites. Along the way, coached 20+ executives, 2 from the Fortune 1000, and wrote a book πŸ“– on better investing.

In 2018, I decided to close my research service in order to focus on building a membership for business development, designed mostly for SMEs. Then my grandmother passed, the Covid-19 pandemic happened, my wife gave birth our first child all in successive years.

Fast forward to 2026 and I’m back…Β still helping people like you drive profit and progress. I wasn’t Ivy League educated or groomed by a major Wall Street Bank, and I’ve given away billions of $$$$ worth of advice in the last 2 decades. Check the resume. It doesn’t matter what industry or market your business is in, you can improve quality, value, and impact.

Proof is in the pudding…
Socials
Personal Stuff
  • Scratch golfer when playing regularly
  • Big fan of English football, $MANU
  • Had a ~40” vertical in college, can probably still dunk
  • Avid (albeit average) chess player

Learn More

What is Fandom? Jonathan Poland

What is Fandom?

Fandom refers to the subculture that develops around particular popular culture series or formats, such as films, television shows, characters,…

Concentration Risk Jonathan Poland

Concentration Risk

Concentration risk refers to the risk that a specific investment or group of investments could pose a threat to the…

BATNA Jonathan Poland

BATNA

BATNA, or best alternative to a negotiated agreement, is the course of action that a party in a negotiation would…

Risk Capacity Jonathan Poland

Risk Capacity

Risk capacity is the maximum level of risk that an organization or individual is able to withstand in order to…

What Is Management? Jonathan Poland

What Is Management?

Management is the process of overseeing and coordinating the activities of an organization in order to achieve its goals. This…

Business Verbs Jonathan Poland

Business Verbs

Business verbs are action words that are commonly used in business communication to describe goals, plans, and achievements. These verbs…

What is Dumping? Jonathan Poland

What is Dumping?

Dumping refers to the act of selling a product or service in a foreign market at a lower price than…

Law of Demand Jonathan Poland

Law of Demand

The law of demand is a fundamental principle in economics that states that, all other factors being equal, the quantity…

What is Fractional Reserve Banking? Jonathan Poland

What is Fractional Reserve Banking?

Fractional-reserve banking is a system in which banks are only required to hold a fraction of the deposits they receive…