hello

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 ♓ and raised in the south, moved across 3 states, 2 major cities, and 6 schools in 18 years. Three sport 🏀 🎾 🏌 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+ 📞 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 📝 articles, many seen on major financial news sites. Along the way, coached 20+ executives, 2 from the Fortune 1000, and wrote a book 📖 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 to our first child… all in successive years.

Fast forward to 2026 and even if I haven’t hit commercial success, I’m still helping people drive profit and progress and still giving away millions of $$$ worth of insights each year.

Proof is in the pudding…
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Message Framing Jonathan Poland

Message Framing

Message framing is the way in which information and communications are constructed and presented. The way a message is framed…

Practical Thinking Jonathan Poland

Practical Thinking

Practical thinking is a type of thinking that focuses on finding timely and reasonable solutions to problems. This type of…

Overchoice Jonathan Poland

Overchoice

Overchoice, also known as the “paradox of choice,” is a phenomenon in which having too many options or choices can…

Austrian Economics 101 Jonathan Poland

Austrian Economics 101

Austrian economics is a school of economic thought that originated in Austria in the late 19th century with Carl Menger,…

Relative Advantage Jonathan Poland

Relative Advantage

Relative advantage refers to the extent to which a company’s product, service, or offering is superior to those of its…

Program Risk Jonathan Poland

Program Risk

Program risk refers to the likelihood of a program failing to achieve its goals due to potential outcomes. This type…

Analysis Paralysis Jonathan Poland

Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis, also known as “paralysis by analysis,” is a phenomenon that occurs when individuals or groups become so focused…

Risk Culture Jonathan Poland

Risk Culture

Risk culture refers to the values, attitudes, and behaviors related to risk management that are inherent in the culture of…

In-Store Marketing Jonathan Poland

In-Store Marketing

In-store marketing refers to the use of physical retail locations, such as stores and showrooms, as a platform for marketing…