Power Plays Unleashed: Corporate Clashes, Street Fights, and Global Gambits
Power Plays Unleashed: Corporate Clashes, Street Fights, and Global Gambits
By Paul Truesdell – Explore the relentless rivalries from CEOs to gang leaders, Democrats vs. Republicans, and U.S. factions over Ukraine—culminating in savvy wealth strategies that balance risk like a pro. Empower your decisions today!
0:00
Good morning, good afternoon or good evening. Welcome to another edition of the Paul Truesdell podcast. Why do we call it the Paul Truesdell podcast? Because I got to tell you, Stan stanachowski, that podcast name is already taken, and my name is not Stan stanachowski, so I thought I would use, well, Paul Truesdell seemed to make sense. Did you laugh? Good? If you laughed, you're on my side of the table. If you said that was silly, I don't want to listen to this. Thank you. Bye, bye. See you later. Look in this episode, we're going to cover the hidden battles that shape our world, from corporate boardrooms, where manufacturing and technology clash with sales and service over well control of the office and position of Chief Executive Officer, we're going to talk about street gangs like the black Vipers and the red claws fighting over turf to America's political divide between, well, Democrats and their coastal Alliance and Republicans in their Heartland coalition all vying for swing states like, for example, Wisconsin. We'll scale up to geopolitical issues. We're going to explore us factions, the tug and war over Ukraine, amid scandals and defiance. We're going to draw parallels with Vietnam and Afghanistan, and the thing that they have unbreakable spirits. Now throughout I'm going to shift between first person third person perspectives, I'm going to embody a chief executive officer, an international diplomat and President of the United States, even a street drug gang leader, all to highlight the unifying ebb and flow of human engagement and power struggles. So drive with me. Dive in with me. Be with me as we uncover all of these dynamics that mirror investment advice and management and what we do here at Truesdell wealth balancing portfolios, things like stocks and bonds, just like rival factions. Frankly, I think this should be eye opening, empowering and actionable and give you some real good clarity is the way the world really works. So let's build together. I like that. Let's build together. So next, let me get this disclaimer out of the way. I'll be right back and well, give me one minute.
2:14
You are listening to the Paul Truesdell podcast sponsored by Truesdell wealth and the other Truesdell companies. Note, due to our extensive holdings and our clients always assume that we have a position in all companies discussed and that a conflict of interest exists. The information presented is provided for entertainment and informational purposes only. Truesdell wealth is a registered investment advisor.
2:40
The boardroom hums with tension, a silent battlefield where ambition and loyalty collide. As the Chief Executive Officer of our sprawling publicly traded corporation, I've witnessed the relentless tug of war between two factions, manufacturing and technology versus sales and service, our bylaws dictate a mere four year term for the CEO, a rule meant to foster fresh perspectives, but instead breeds a vicious cycle of political infighting behind closed doors. The struggle for control isn't just a game, it's a high stakes drama that saps our company's strength, erodes trust and threatens our bottom line. The manufacturing and technology faction often dubbed the innovators, prides itself on precision and progress. They're the ones pushing for cutting edge automation, streamline production and data driven efficiencies. Their vision is a company that dominates through innovation, where every process is optimized, every product is a technological marvel. They speak in metrics, timelines and R and D budgets, their arguments cloaked in a promise of long term dominance, but their arrogance can blind them to the human element, dismissing the grit of face to face deals or the nuance of customer relationships on the other side, sales and service, the closers thrive on charisma and connection. They're the heartbeat of revenue, the ones shaking hands, sealing contracts, ensuring clients feel valued. Their world is one of relationships, intuition and adaptability, where a well timed smile can outweigh a spreadsheet. They argue that without their ability to move product and maintain loyalty, the innovators gadgets would gather dust and warehouses, yet their short term focus on quotas and commissions can undermine strategic investments, leaving us vulnerable to competitors who innovate faster the CEO process.
5:00
This is where this divide turns toxic, very toxic. Every four years, the boardroom becomes a chessboard, with each faction maneuvering to crown their champion. The Innovators push candidates who speak their language, engineers or tech visionaries with resumes stacked with patents and process improvements the closers well, they counter with charismatic deal makers, leaders who can charm investors and rally sales teams. Neither side trusts the other and the by laws meant to ensure fairness only deepen the roof, the board split evenly between the factions becomes a deadlock machine with votes cast not on merit but on allegiance. Behind the scenes, the politicking is relentless, whispered alliances form in corner offices with promises of promotions or budget increases traded for support, data gets cherry picked, prop up one's faction's candidate while discrediting the other. I've seen brilliant strategies shelved because they came from the wrong side, and I've watched talented executives burn out caught in the crossfire of petty vendettas. Last year, a promising tech upgrade stalled for months because sales withheld critical data during it would bolster manufacturing's case for the next CEO, while competitors gained ground, our stock dipped 3%
6:41
a price paid for ego, not economics. The human cost is worse. Employees caught in the middle grow cynical, teams that should collaborate hoard resources, guarding their turf like rival nations. Morale erodes as gossip about the latest Power Play overshadows actual work. I've lost count of the late night calls from department heads venting about sabotaged projects, leaked memos. This isn't leadership. It's bureaucratic nonsense, a self inflicted wound that distracts us from our mission. The irony, both factions want the company to succeed. The Innovators dream of a legacy built on breakthroughs. The closers brave the thrill of market victories, but their refusal to compromise turns strength into weaknesses. As my term nears in I see the next battle looming. The board is already drawing lines and whispers have begun. I can only hope the next CEO can bridge this divide before our company pays an even steeper price for our internal wars. This corporate battlefield finds its echo in a darker, more primal struggle on streets, the streets where power is won, not with votes, but with blood. Now picture two powerful gangs, the black Vipers and the red claws, locked in a savage struggle over a crumbling neighborhood held by a weaker crew the gray dogs. These are not Comic Book Villains with tech labs or smooth talking deal makers. They're raw street hardened crews fighting for turf power and the right to call the shots. Vipers in the claws are evenly matched, each inching and itching to put their own leader in charge of a new territory, a position that shifts every four years or so by street code. You see, it's a relentless beef with each other, full of betrayals, ambushes, straight up disrespect, drive by shootings, Chicago style, gangster carnage. It bleeds them dry, leaving the gray dogs room to fight back and threatening to sink both games and their gangs in their well complete chaos. The black Vipers are known for their hustle. They cook a better product. They cut corners and dark basements to churn out dope that what keeps buyers loyal, their strength is in numbers. Their Street Soldiers. Well, they'll throw down in any alley, any street, any corner, no questions asked, they move with a predator's instinct, claiming blocks with graffiti tags and drive bys the red claws, though just as fierce, they're the kings of distribution, slinging product from corner to corner, always knowing which cop to pay off and which rival to intimidate. The reputation Well, it's built on fear and loyalty with runners who would rather die than.
10:00
Snitch. Both crews want the same thing. They want to run the gray dog's turf, a maze of tenements and back streets perfect for pushing product and dodging raids. The gray dogs barely, well, they're barely holding on. They're out gunned but, man, they're scrappy. They're hitting back with cheap pistols and homemade Molotovs. The real war, though, is between the Vipers and the claws. Again, it's about every four years or so that the streets demand Well, a new shot caller for the territory just seems to be the ebb and flow. Each gang pushes their own well leader who will flood the block with product, turning every corner to a well crack house, den of meth or bed of fentanyl, the claws back, a smooth talking Hustler, someone who can win over locals and turn rival dealers into allies. Neither trusts the other, and the streets hum with their schemes, meetings and abandoned lots turn into shouting matches. Guns and knives are pulled over. Who's going to claim the crown? The stabbing and the back stabbing is relentless. Last week, the Vipers torched the claws stash house, blaming it on the gray dogs, which sparked a raid. The claws hit back, snitching on the Vipers dropping while the cops busted them, costing them a kilo or two and a couple of their soldiers. I've seen runners getting jumped for picking up the wrong side. They picked the wrong side. The loyalty is questioned in the blood. A deal with the supplier fell apart when the claws spread. The word of the Vipers were skimming product pure lies, but it cost the Vipers a connection. Meanwhile, the gray dog slipped through the cracks, picking off the stragglers and stealing cash, while the big dogs, they just keep fighting it out. Treats are a mess. Typical urban burned out cars, tagged walls and crews, well, they become so doggone paranoid they don't trust each other. Cost is pretty heavy. Those young runners, barely 1615,
12:13
1412, they get caught in the crossfire loyalty gangs that don't care no real mama or daddy. The OGS spend more time watching their backs than building their empires. Every betrayal, every snitch, every ambush, it chips away at the respect that holds these crews together Vipers than the claws they could crush the gray dogs and own the turf they just worked as one. Instead, they war with each other, a war within a war within a war, and war hands advantage to every two bit crew waiting to pounce. In essence, it's a vote as the next shot caller vote looms. The streets stay pretty bloody Vipers and claws keep providing the real enemy. Well, it ain't the ain't each other, it's the gray dogs, but Well, it's just actually each other. You've been listening to Paul Truesdell, and now you have a fantastic opportunity to meet Paul and members of Team Truesdell in person by attending a casual cocktail conversation right here in Central Florida. The next casual cocktail conversation will be held at the StoneWater club in Stone Creek located in Ocala Florida, this Friday, the 25th of July, at 6:30pm
13:35
Paul will tackle foggy financial flim flams. That's right, foggy financial flim flams. This is a must attend discussion, especially if you enjoyed today's talk. Paul will walk us through a laundry list of red flags that retirees often miss and expose the tactics of high pressure sales people. Paul will show us how to spot scams and make smarter decisions, tying the conversation directly to this conversation, everyone can participate, ask questions and learn in a relaxed, engaging setting. Reservations are required to reserve your spot for all casual cocktail conversations, so call or text team Truesdell at 352-612-1000,
14:27
that's 352-612-1000,
14:31
space is limited, so don't wait. Our casual cocktail conversations are a great way to connect with Paul members of Team Truesdell and get your questions answered while enjoying an evening with like minded folks over a few cocktails also in August, Paul will be speaking in the afternoon of Sunday the 24th of August. We'll have mimosas, Bloody Marys and croissants and the topic.
15:00
Back. I'm glad you asked. It's called True Viola. Yes, true Viola. And this one is utterly amazing, as Paul will knock your socks off with what every retiree must absolutely know about income, generation, true Viola. Now that's something you won't forget, call or text now, and that number again is 352-612-1000,
15:33
well, the corporates and street wars I have described, where factions and gangs tear each other apart over control find their echo in the political arena where the stakes are no less brutal. In the United States, a house divided, yep, United States is a house divided with republicans, democrats locked in a relentless struggle for dominance. Picture, the Democrats has the coastal Alliance, rooted in the urban strongholds of the east and west coasts, their influence radiating from city centers like New York and Los Angeles. Republicans, the heartland coalition, old sway in the Midwest suburbs and sprawling south, with their base in places like Ohio, small towns and Texas's rural counties. Each side has pockets of influence in the other's territory, blue dots and red states and red strongholds and blue ones. The real battleground, let's say, is in well, we'll pick a state. Let's pick Wisconsin. And let's say Wisconsin is split, 5050,
16:42
where voters just want to live their lives. They're no longer interested in the political warfare. They don't want to drown in it. Yet Wisconsin holds the key to the presidency, and as people, it cannot escape the crossfire of a nation's obsession with power, the coastal Alliance thrives on urban energy, progressive ideas, tech hubs, diverse communities push policies for systemic change, from climate action to social equity, believing, believing their vision will reshape the nation. The Heartland coalition, grounded in tradition, champions individual liberty, economic pragmatism and cultural roots. They argue their values, hard work, faith and local control are the backbone of America. Both sides want to lead, but their fight isn't just about ideas. It's about who gets to claim the White House, a prize that shifts every four or eight years, and Wisconsin's electoral votes are, let's say, the linchpin. Wisconsin's people. They're just plain exhausted. They're factory workers, teachers, small business owners, and they're desperate to tune out the ads, the robo calls the door knockers flooding the state. They're not apolitical. They vote. They're just sick and tired of being pawns in a national power grab. Their state, evenly split, is a microcosm of America's divide, and neither side will let them rest. The Coastal Alliance floods Milwaukee and Madison with rallies promising jobs and green energy, the heartland coalition, they Canvas rural counties preaching tax cuts, cultural pride, both sides sling mud, misleading ads, leaked scandals, social media, conspiracies, each trying to tip the scales behind the scenes. The infighting is vicious. The Coastal lion sabotages itself when East Coast elites clash with West Coast progressives over messaging, one side pushing moderation, the other, demanding bold reform. A leaked email last month showed a coastal strategist trashing a rival's plan, costing them a key donor. The Heartland coalition fares no better. Midwest pragmatists bicker with Southern firebrands over whether to double down on cultural wars or focus on economics. A viral video of a southern operative mocking a suburban Canada's soft stance on guns tanked a winnable district. Both sides manipulate data, cherry pick poles and spread rumors to undermine their own moderates, all while claiming or fighting for Wisconsin. Soul cost is crippling. Volunteers burn out, delusioned by internal betrayals in the list of idiotic county chairs is endless. Voters, well bombarded by lies, grow cynical. Some swearing off the polls entirely. Last week, a Wisconsin diner told me she.
20:00
Had enough of both sides screaming matches. Blogger on her TV, she said the state's economy stalls as businesses hesitate, unsure of the political outcome. The coastal Alliance and the heartland coalition could unite around shared goals, jobs, infrastructure, security, but instead they're too busy knifing each other to notice Wisconsin is slipping away as the election nears, the backstabbing intensifies, with each side plotting out maneuver the other, not just in Wisconsin, but across the nation.
20:36
Tragedy is their war for control loses the very prize they seek. A country's at tired of games. That's what's going on. The Corporate gang and the political power plays I've described all share a common thread, factions tearing at each other for control, blind to the bigger picture. Now let's scale this to the global stage, where the United States, fractured by internal rivalries and shadowed by past administrations, grapples well for influence over a key piece of geography, geopolitical territory. It's called Ukraine. Two camps dominate this fight. Call them the Biden Democrats, tied to the legacy of Clinton and Obama and Trump. Republicans fueled by skepticism and a desire to rewrite the rules. They're not just battling for Ukraine's allegiance, but for dominance in a world well, in a world order where every move is scrutinized Ukraine like a weary bystander just wants stability, freedom, independence, but it's caught in the crossfire of America's political vendettas and allegations of corruption and betrayal and well poisoning The fight the Biden Democrats rooted in the establishment's globalist vision. See Ukraine as a linchpin against Russia. They've poured billions in aid and weapons and diplomatic muscle to prop up Zelensky, framing it as a defense of democracy, but whispers of scandal. Yeah, scandal. Oh. Hunter Biden comes back around. Continues to dog them. Allegations that Hunter Biden's deals with Ukrainian and Chinese entities
22:31
tied to the family and foreign cash, they just don't go away. These claims true overblown, or you can scream at the top of your lungs. They're not true. They paint a target on their backs. It fuels allegations of hypocrisy and self interest the Clinton and Obama eras with their own Ukrainian ties. Well, think of Hillary Clinton's Department of State pushing reset buttons with Russia selling uranium to the Russians, what adds layers of baggage, making every move look like a calculated play to protect old allies Trump. Republicans, meanwhile, approach Ukraine with a mix of distrust and opportunism, burned by what they see as foreign manipulation, they point to Hunter Biden's deals in the 2016
23:24
murky ties to Kiev as proof of a rigged system. Trump's camp hesitates to back Zelensky, wary of being suckered into another establishment quagmire, a scaled back aid at times, citing depleted us stockpiles or Russian disinformation only to pivot when public pressure mounts, like recent moves to send weapons after months of stalling, their faction is driven by a need to look strong, not just for voters, but to counter the narrative of being outplayed on the world stage, Ukraine, battered by war and desperate for peace, wants no part of this American feud. They don't. Its people are craving rebuilding, not being a pawn in a superpower's family drama. Yet both us factions need Ukraine's cooperation to secure their global Well, credibility, global cred. Huh? Democrats needed to prove their moral high ground. Republicans to show they're not Russia's dupes. The infighting is ruthless. Biden's team leaks stories of Trump's cozy Kremlin calls and paid him as naive Trump's allies flood x with memes tying hunter to oligarchs, keeping that scandal alive as it should be. Last month, a congressional hearing on Ukraine aid derailed the.
25:00
Republicans grilled a Biden official on Chinese connections while DRAM well Democrats countered with old Trump Russia emails result a stalled $2 billion aid package, leaving Ukraine hanging. Yes, hanging, hanging in the wind. The cost is staggering us. Credibility wanes as allies question America's reliability. Ukraine soldiers, short on ammo, lose a little bit of ground while Congress bickers at home. Voters grow numb to the noise. Polls now show that 60% of Americans want Americans want less involvement abroad. They're fed up with the drama. Both sides could unite to stabilize Ukraine, countering Russia and China, but instead, they're too busy digging up dirt on each other. Biden Democrats and Trump Republicans, like rival gangs or corporate cliques sabotage their own goals with every cheap shot as the global stage tilts China, they're sitting back watching Russia. They're grinning. The real loser is America's ability to lead squandered in a petty war over who gets to hold the flag. That, unfortunately is a fact. Now let me make one thing perfectly clear. I'm a hardcore, traditional Republican, fiscally conservative, leaning, leaning more towards libertarian, but I understand the need for global intervention and taking care of our allies, and I like what Trump's doing, while some say he's all over the board, I see it nothing more than typical trump the art of the deal.
26:46
And so the infighting of corporations, gangs and political parties mirrors a larger and more primal struggle, but nothing captures the raw defiance of a people under siege like Ukraine's fight for its soul like North Vietnam, which endured relentless bombing yet unified under a fierce nationalism to become Vietnam or Afghanistan, where empires from Alexander to the Soviets met their match in a rugged, unyielding spirit, Ukraine's well. Ukraine stands resolute. Its people, from farmers to coders, have forged a singular cry, this is our land. Get out. Their unbreakable will, fueled by a shared identity, faces a Russian war machine that's shifted well to a wartime economy, but it's cracking under its own weight. The United States and Western Europe waking to Russia's empty promises are now well. They're now pouring advanced weapons into Ukraine, testing technology in real time combat and reshaping the future of warfare, especially through the rise of drones. Yet this global clash where lies and power plays collide provides well, it proves that while the world changes, the fight for survival remains timeless. Ukraine's Defiance is a force of nature, like the Vietnamese who rebuilt under napalms Shadow, or Afghans who thrived in chaos, Ukrainians have turned their homeland into a fortress. Civilians wheeled Molotov. Soldiers manned trenches, tech experts hack Russian systems, all united by a refusal to bend Russia under the dictator Putin has bet everything on his war, converting his economy to churn out tanks and shells, but it's a house of cards. Sanctions bite, oil revenues shrink in conscripts. Conscripts, they falter. They don't want to be there. Putin's bluster about nuclear weapons rings hollow. His red lines have crumbled as Ukraine fires us supplied himar rockets and British Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory without retaliation, the world would survive a nuclear gamble, no doubt about it, but Russia's economy won't Outlast Ukraine's resolve or the West's resources. Now in the West, the awakening is seismic, after years of hesitation fearing escalation the US and Europe have unleashed a flood of advanced weaponry. Ukraine now fields javelins, the anti tank missiles, which shred Russian armor with pinpoint precision. The Patriot systems, though less effective against Russia's.
30:00
Low tech drones are amazing. A real game changer again, is drones cheap, agile, devastating. Ukrainian engineers have turned commercial drones into kamikaze weapons, sinking Russian ships, hitting oil depots. This is a
30:20
basically a war in a live lab, and is teaching the West how to counter swarms of Iranian made to read drones while redefining AI driven targeting. The US has quadrupled artillery shell production since 2022
30:39
but Ukraine's appetite for ammunition exposes gaps. Only 15% of aid involves critical systems like patriots and Abrams, tanks requiring heavy training, they oftentimes sit unused still. 85% of the gear is surplus, dusty relics from the 90s, costing the United States very little, but buying Ukraine time and leverage this crucible is reshaping warfare. Drones, costing pennies compared to million dollar missiles, are rewriting tactics. Ukraine's success with $500 drones has US manufacturers scrambling to scale production, signaling a future where swarms of drones dominate battlefields and skies. Now this shift will ripple into civilian life. Drone technology is already eyeing logistics, agriculture and surveillance, but the human cost is grim. Ukraine. Cities burn, people die, yet they fight on their nationalism is a shield no bomb can break. Russia's lies fed to leaders like Trump, who briefly paused aid to look strong have unraveled, exposing a desperate Kremlin. The US and Europe, despite internal squabbles, are doubling down their weapons and technology, giving Ukraine an edge like Vietnam or Afghanistan. Ukraine's spirit proves you can't bomb people into submission when their hearts scream, this is ours. The world watches, learning that power shifts, technology evolves, but the will to survive always endures. And the key word here is nationalism, a word the woke and the left have turned into a pejorative. It's a word that needs to come back. Battles. I've described corporations clawing for CEO control, gangs fighting over turf, politicians wrestling for electoral dominance and nations vying for global influence share a common thread, rival factions locked in a power struggle, a struggle for power, often at the expense of their shared goals. As
33:08
an investment and wealth advisor and manager at Truesdell wealth, I see these same dynamics play out in portfolio construction, where the push and pull of competing priorities mirrors the chaos of boardrooms, streets and well geopolitics, whether it's the tension between stocks and bonds, short term gains versus long term growth, or the emotional undercurrents of family dynamics, building wealth is as much an art As it is a science, just as Ukraine's unyielding spirit of or a gang's territorial obsession shapes their fight, the choices we make in balancing risk and reward and relationships well, they all define the success, our success as advisors. The key is understanding these forces, local politics, family rivalries, global shifts, weaving them into a strategy that endures, much like a family navigating blended chaos. Think of Yours, Mine and Ours, where Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda and later on, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton, or as unity from complexity in portfolio construction, the central battle often pits equities against bonds, ownership versus loanership or debt. Equities, like the aggressive manufacturing and technology faction in a corporation or the black Viper gang chases down dominance. Stocks promise high returns, but come with volatility, much like a gang's risky turf war bonds, akin to the cautious sales and service team or the red claws, deal making offer stability and predictable income, prioritizing safety over flash clients like board.
35:00
Members or street lieutenants often lean towards one side. A tech entrepreneur might demand an equity heavy portfolio eyeing the next big market surge while a retiree they cling to bonds for steady cash flow. My job, my job is to bridge this divide, crafting a portfolio that balances both, just like a CEO or Kingpin, must unite warring factions for a common cause. This balance requires navigating the same dynamics we see elsewhere. Take local, state or national politics, much like the Democrats coastal Alliance and Republicans Heartland coalition fighting over Wisconsin, tax policies, trade deals, infrastructure spending can shift markets overnight. A new tariff from a Trump administration could tank tech stocks while a Biden era green energy push, God, let's hope we never see that again. Might boost renewable ETFs. I track these like a gang watches rival moves adjusting allocations to hedge against policy swings. For instance, when political gridlock stalled a $2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill last year, we made adjustments towards defensive sectors. Those are things like, well, utilities, you might want to avoid, construction, stocks, they happen to drop during this period, you see family dynamics adds another layer, echoing the blended family chaos of Yours, Mine and Ours, a client's second marriage like Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda merging their broods can spark conflicts over wealth distribution. One spouse might push for aggressive stock investments to grow the family legacy, while the other demands income, income to secure their retirement a step child's trust fund or whatever I've seen estate plans derailed when someone leaks confidential information that should not have been leaked to a child who eyes their future tied to an inheritance, the same child who hopefully will take care of the parents when they are in need of dependent care. All of this mirrors corporate sabotage and well, ganglin, gangland murders and snitching. It's all the same. My role is to mediate, aligning portfolios with shared goals, finding those shared goals, facilitating those shared goals, cementing those shared goals, and ensuring that everything is minimizing and maximizing time, effort, aggravation and money appropriately. Globally, the Ukrainian conflict offers a real, Stark lesson here, just as Ukraine's nationalism defies Russia's war machine, vicious, murdering, raping child, abducting war machine, investors have to hold firm against market panic. You can't throw the towel in every time something bad happens. It's a recipe for buy high and sell low. Russia's wartime economy now, 70% geared towards military production, is crumbling under sanctions with gross domestic product, the growth of their GDP is projected to stall at 1%
38:51
next year in 2026
38:53
yet Ukraine's resilience fueled by Western weapons Like Javelin missiles and drones, for example, shows how adaptability wins in portfolios. This translates to appropriate, low cost diversification, efficient and effective. I've advised clients to allocate a certain amount of their portfolio to defense stocks, very specifically our military procurement portfolio, yes, companies like Lockheed, Martin, Boeing, Oshkosh and you know, Ukraine's drone innovations when they hit the headlines. And it's amazing, but that's not the whole story. Income, income weathers, geopolitical shocks. Income can be structured in a way where you reduce your risk to all types of local, national and geopolitical shocks, shock waves that could take place.
40:00
At a time when you don't need them and you might not have the time to recover from them. Now look the rise of drones, these $500 units taking out $2 million tanks, that has sparked an amazing manufacturing boom. There are firms in the United States that have gained massive stock price because of warfare, autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, silently moving with Vicious destruction. And to capture this shift, we're retooling, we're reshoring, we're manufacturing, we're muscling up. Rebalancing is where these dynamics can collide, just like gangs recalibrating after a botched deal. What do I do? I reassess portfolios every quarter, a major sit down, and of course, every day, every week, sometimes every hour, you have to look at things depending upon the volatility of the moment, you have to weigh the political, the famil, the global risk. You have to look Is it too heavy in the area of equities? Will a surge in the tech rally expose one to a market correction? Should we trim portfolios? Should we funnel gains into income producing assets? And what happens when a client, well, they start feuding over assets, and it starts to look like a divorce. Not good, not good at all. But that's real you have to look at alternatives to real estate while preserving wealth, diffusing attention global events like Russia's empty nuclear threats, well, they prompt shifts, and all of a sudden people might say, I'm going all into gold, or I'm bury all my money in a box in the backyard.
41:55
Well, when markets wobble, those who stay calm win. Look the art and science of lying, telling falsehoods, pure propaganda we've all now seen, is what the news is generally all about for many of these major quote, unquote news but they're propagandist organizations, clients like warring factions can be their own worst enemies. Again, the tech mogul chasing crypto fads, ignoring a 30% drop in Bitcoin because, well, I'm young and I've got time, and if everybody isn't following my way of doing things, they're crazy, then you have the risk averse widow retired facing the inevitable, who hoards cash, missing every rally out there and the inevitable death doesn't take place next year. It takes place 20 years from now, when inflation has taken that cash into the tank. I guide my clients like a diplomat navigating corporate coup gang truces and well, I use data, historical returns, volatility, metrics, and, frankly, a lot of empathy to align goals to encourage like a sheep dog, a herding dog. You don't nip and bite. Sometimes you got to bark a little bit, but just guiding into the right direction that they're not seeing. They know, but their antics are keeping them from doing the right thing. You might have a situation, here's a good one, where you have children or grandchildren and you want to fund their college education. You've recently remarried and you really want to put some more money into a business venture that you continue to keep your hands in, involved in. You got to find some peace there. You got to find some compatibility working through a discussion. Again, the art and science. I use Monte Carlo simulations all the time to stress test the things I've been talking about. I talk about withdrawal percentages. My calculation that I've used and reused and analyzed for decades hasn't changed political risks like contested elections, they spark, well, they spike, volatility, and some people doom and gloom. It's all over. Go all into cash. Losers. Look globally. Ukraine's war has driven oil prices up periodically, and then they come down. So everything is about risk. You can't gain something without giving something. So here at Truesdell wealth, we excel because, well, we see these dynamics, corporate, gang, political within the family as part of the human saga, the human struggle. It goes back to.
45:00
Cain and Abel and Adam and Eve. Our family office approach is one where we treat every client the same way, like a family office approach doesn't make any difference what the size of the portfolio is, what the net worth is, what we're doing is helping navigate internal battles, just like stocks versus bonds, short versus long term gains, and it's the same care we bring to the well, the blended family, the geopolitical chessboard, analyzing shifts, evolutions, revolutions, personal rivalries, building portfolios that endure for the individual and family as we get older, income is far more important than growth, but it cannot be
45:52
ignored. You have to have some growth because of longevity. Now, most importantly, we only work with nice people. I've said this for more than a few decades now, going back to the mid 80s, we work with Well, our clients are those who value transparency, perdition and trustworthiness over ego and division. Our strategies don't just survive chaos and chaotic markets. They actually thrive because delivering peace of mind and prosperity in a world where conflict is constant. Well, to me, it's an opportunity that's endless, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is my word. And as Paul Harvey would say the rest of the story. So with that said, Tippecanoe and Tyler too, I'm out here later. Bye.
46:49
This concludes the Paul Truesdell podcast. However, before you go see the show notes for this podcast, for special offers in person and online events and a variety of booklets on a wide variety of investment, income, estate, risk and overall wealth issues. To schedule a conversation with Team Truesdell, text or call, 352-612-1000,
47:14
the Paul Truesdell podcast is available on nearly all podcast players, such as Apple, Google, Spotify, as well as on Paul's personal website, Paul truesdell.com
47:26
Visit truesdellwealth.com
47:29
that's truesdellwealth.com
47:32
Truesdell wealth is our primary sponsor for the Paul Truesdell podcast. Please like comment and and share this podcast with family, friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers, past and present. It is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. You.
By Paul Truesdell – Explore the relentless rivalries from CEOs to gang leaders, Democrats vs. Republicans, and U.S. factions over Ukraine—culminating in savvy wealth strategies that balance risk like a pro. Empower your decisions today!
0:00
Good morning, good afternoon or good evening. Welcome to another edition of the Paul Truesdell podcast. Why do we call it the Paul Truesdell podcast? Because I got to tell you, Stan stanachowski, that podcast name is already taken, and my name is not Stan stanachowski, so I thought I would use, well, Paul Truesdell seemed to make sense. Did you laugh? Good? If you laughed, you're on my side of the table. If you said that was silly, I don't want to listen to this. Thank you. Bye, bye. See you later. Look in this episode, we're going to cover the hidden battles that shape our world, from corporate boardrooms, where manufacturing and technology clash with sales and service over well control of the office and position of Chief Executive Officer, we're going to talk about street gangs like the black Vipers and the red claws fighting over turf to America's political divide between, well, Democrats and their coastal Alliance and Republicans in their Heartland coalition all vying for swing states like, for example, Wisconsin. We'll scale up to geopolitical issues. We're going to explore us factions, the tug and war over Ukraine, amid scandals and defiance. We're going to draw parallels with Vietnam and Afghanistan, and the thing that they have unbreakable spirits. Now throughout I'm going to shift between first person third person perspectives, I'm going to embody a chief executive officer, an international diplomat and President of the United States, even a street drug gang leader, all to highlight the unifying ebb and flow of human engagement and power struggles. So drive with me. Dive in with me. Be with me as we uncover all of these dynamics that mirror investment advice and management and what we do here at Truesdell wealth balancing portfolios, things like stocks and bonds, just like rival factions. Frankly, I think this should be eye opening, empowering and actionable and give you some real good clarity is the way the world really works. So let's build together. I like that. Let's build together. So next, let me get this disclaimer out of the way. I'll be right back and well, give me one minute.
2:14
You are listening to the Paul Truesdell podcast sponsored by Truesdell wealth and the other Truesdell companies. Note, due to our extensive holdings and our clients always assume that we have a position in all companies discussed and that a conflict of interest exists. The information presented is provided for entertainment and informational purposes only. Truesdell wealth is a registered investment advisor.
2:40
The boardroom hums with tension, a silent battlefield where ambition and loyalty collide. As the Chief Executive Officer of our sprawling publicly traded corporation, I've witnessed the relentless tug of war between two factions, manufacturing and technology versus sales and service, our bylaws dictate a mere four year term for the CEO, a rule meant to foster fresh perspectives, but instead breeds a vicious cycle of political infighting behind closed doors. The struggle for control isn't just a game, it's a high stakes drama that saps our company's strength, erodes trust and threatens our bottom line. The manufacturing and technology faction often dubbed the innovators, prides itself on precision and progress. They're the ones pushing for cutting edge automation, streamline production and data driven efficiencies. Their vision is a company that dominates through innovation, where every process is optimized, every product is a technological marvel. They speak in metrics, timelines and R and D budgets, their arguments cloaked in a promise of long term dominance, but their arrogance can blind them to the human element, dismissing the grit of face to face deals or the nuance of customer relationships on the other side, sales and service, the closers thrive on charisma and connection. They're the heartbeat of revenue, the ones shaking hands, sealing contracts, ensuring clients feel valued. Their world is one of relationships, intuition and adaptability, where a well timed smile can outweigh a spreadsheet. They argue that without their ability to move product and maintain loyalty, the innovators gadgets would gather dust and warehouses, yet their short term focus on quotas and commissions can undermine strategic investments, leaving us vulnerable to competitors who innovate faster the CEO process.
5:00
This is where this divide turns toxic, very toxic. Every four years, the boardroom becomes a chessboard, with each faction maneuvering to crown their champion. The Innovators push candidates who speak their language, engineers or tech visionaries with resumes stacked with patents and process improvements the closers well, they counter with charismatic deal makers, leaders who can charm investors and rally sales teams. Neither side trusts the other and the by laws meant to ensure fairness only deepen the roof, the board split evenly between the factions becomes a deadlock machine with votes cast not on merit but on allegiance. Behind the scenes, the politicking is relentless, whispered alliances form in corner offices with promises of promotions or budget increases traded for support, data gets cherry picked, prop up one's faction's candidate while discrediting the other. I've seen brilliant strategies shelved because they came from the wrong side, and I've watched talented executives burn out caught in the crossfire of petty vendettas. Last year, a promising tech upgrade stalled for months because sales withheld critical data during it would bolster manufacturing's case for the next CEO, while competitors gained ground, our stock dipped 3%
6:41
a price paid for ego, not economics. The human cost is worse. Employees caught in the middle grow cynical, teams that should collaborate hoard resources, guarding their turf like rival nations. Morale erodes as gossip about the latest Power Play overshadows actual work. I've lost count of the late night calls from department heads venting about sabotaged projects, leaked memos. This isn't leadership. It's bureaucratic nonsense, a self inflicted wound that distracts us from our mission. The irony, both factions want the company to succeed. The Innovators dream of a legacy built on breakthroughs. The closers brave the thrill of market victories, but their refusal to compromise turns strength into weaknesses. As my term nears in I see the next battle looming. The board is already drawing lines and whispers have begun. I can only hope the next CEO can bridge this divide before our company pays an even steeper price for our internal wars. This corporate battlefield finds its echo in a darker, more primal struggle on streets, the streets where power is won, not with votes, but with blood. Now picture two powerful gangs, the black Vipers and the red claws, locked in a savage struggle over a crumbling neighborhood held by a weaker crew the gray dogs. These are not Comic Book Villains with tech labs or smooth talking deal makers. They're raw street hardened crews fighting for turf power and the right to call the shots. Vipers in the claws are evenly matched, each inching and itching to put their own leader in charge of a new territory, a position that shifts every four years or so by street code. You see, it's a relentless beef with each other, full of betrayals, ambushes, straight up disrespect, drive by shootings, Chicago style, gangster carnage. It bleeds them dry, leaving the gray dogs room to fight back and threatening to sink both games and their gangs in their well complete chaos. The black Vipers are known for their hustle. They cook a better product. They cut corners and dark basements to churn out dope that what keeps buyers loyal, their strength is in numbers. Their Street Soldiers. Well, they'll throw down in any alley, any street, any corner, no questions asked, they move with a predator's instinct, claiming blocks with graffiti tags and drive bys the red claws, though just as fierce, they're the kings of distribution, slinging product from corner to corner, always knowing which cop to pay off and which rival to intimidate. The reputation Well, it's built on fear and loyalty with runners who would rather die than.
10:00
Snitch. Both crews want the same thing. They want to run the gray dog's turf, a maze of tenements and back streets perfect for pushing product and dodging raids. The gray dogs barely, well, they're barely holding on. They're out gunned but, man, they're scrappy. They're hitting back with cheap pistols and homemade Molotovs. The real war, though, is between the Vipers and the claws. Again, it's about every four years or so that the streets demand Well, a new shot caller for the territory just seems to be the ebb and flow. Each gang pushes their own well leader who will flood the block with product, turning every corner to a well crack house, den of meth or bed of fentanyl, the claws back, a smooth talking Hustler, someone who can win over locals and turn rival dealers into allies. Neither trusts the other, and the streets hum with their schemes, meetings and abandoned lots turn into shouting matches. Guns and knives are pulled over. Who's going to claim the crown? The stabbing and the back stabbing is relentless. Last week, the Vipers torched the claws stash house, blaming it on the gray dogs, which sparked a raid. The claws hit back, snitching on the Vipers dropping while the cops busted them, costing them a kilo or two and a couple of their soldiers. I've seen runners getting jumped for picking up the wrong side. They picked the wrong side. The loyalty is questioned in the blood. A deal with the supplier fell apart when the claws spread. The word of the Vipers were skimming product pure lies, but it cost the Vipers a connection. Meanwhile, the gray dog slipped through the cracks, picking off the stragglers and stealing cash, while the big dogs, they just keep fighting it out. Treats are a mess. Typical urban burned out cars, tagged walls and crews, well, they become so doggone paranoid they don't trust each other. Cost is pretty heavy. Those young runners, barely 1615,
12:13
1412, they get caught in the crossfire loyalty gangs that don't care no real mama or daddy. The OGS spend more time watching their backs than building their empires. Every betrayal, every snitch, every ambush, it chips away at the respect that holds these crews together Vipers than the claws they could crush the gray dogs and own the turf they just worked as one. Instead, they war with each other, a war within a war within a war, and war hands advantage to every two bit crew waiting to pounce. In essence, it's a vote as the next shot caller vote looms. The streets stay pretty bloody Vipers and claws keep providing the real enemy. Well, it ain't the ain't each other, it's the gray dogs, but Well, it's just actually each other. You've been listening to Paul Truesdell, and now you have a fantastic opportunity to meet Paul and members of Team Truesdell in person by attending a casual cocktail conversation right here in Central Florida. The next casual cocktail conversation will be held at the StoneWater club in Stone Creek located in Ocala Florida, this Friday, the 25th of July, at 6:30pm
13:35
Paul will tackle foggy financial flim flams. That's right, foggy financial flim flams. This is a must attend discussion, especially if you enjoyed today's talk. Paul will walk us through a laundry list of red flags that retirees often miss and expose the tactics of high pressure sales people. Paul will show us how to spot scams and make smarter decisions, tying the conversation directly to this conversation, everyone can participate, ask questions and learn in a relaxed, engaging setting. Reservations are required to reserve your spot for all casual cocktail conversations, so call or text team Truesdell at 352-612-1000,
14:27
that's 352-612-1000,
14:31
space is limited, so don't wait. Our casual cocktail conversations are a great way to connect with Paul members of Team Truesdell and get your questions answered while enjoying an evening with like minded folks over a few cocktails also in August, Paul will be speaking in the afternoon of Sunday the 24th of August. We'll have mimosas, Bloody Marys and croissants and the topic.
15:00
Back. I'm glad you asked. It's called True Viola. Yes, true Viola. And this one is utterly amazing, as Paul will knock your socks off with what every retiree must absolutely know about income, generation, true Viola. Now that's something you won't forget, call or text now, and that number again is 352-612-1000,
15:33
well, the corporates and street wars I have described, where factions and gangs tear each other apart over control find their echo in the political arena where the stakes are no less brutal. In the United States, a house divided, yep, United States is a house divided with republicans, democrats locked in a relentless struggle for dominance. Picture, the Democrats has the coastal Alliance, rooted in the urban strongholds of the east and west coasts, their influence radiating from city centers like New York and Los Angeles. Republicans, the heartland coalition, old sway in the Midwest suburbs and sprawling south, with their base in places like Ohio, small towns and Texas's rural counties. Each side has pockets of influence in the other's territory, blue dots and red states and red strongholds and blue ones. The real battleground, let's say, is in well, we'll pick a state. Let's pick Wisconsin. And let's say Wisconsin is split, 5050,
16:42
where voters just want to live their lives. They're no longer interested in the political warfare. They don't want to drown in it. Yet Wisconsin holds the key to the presidency, and as people, it cannot escape the crossfire of a nation's obsession with power, the coastal Alliance thrives on urban energy, progressive ideas, tech hubs, diverse communities push policies for systemic change, from climate action to social equity, believing, believing their vision will reshape the nation. The Heartland coalition, grounded in tradition, champions individual liberty, economic pragmatism and cultural roots. They argue their values, hard work, faith and local control are the backbone of America. Both sides want to lead, but their fight isn't just about ideas. It's about who gets to claim the White House, a prize that shifts every four or eight years, and Wisconsin's electoral votes are, let's say, the linchpin. Wisconsin's people. They're just plain exhausted. They're factory workers, teachers, small business owners, and they're desperate to tune out the ads, the robo calls the door knockers flooding the state. They're not apolitical. They vote. They're just sick and tired of being pawns in a national power grab. Their state, evenly split, is a microcosm of America's divide, and neither side will let them rest. The Coastal Alliance floods Milwaukee and Madison with rallies promising jobs and green energy, the heartland coalition, they Canvas rural counties preaching tax cuts, cultural pride, both sides sling mud, misleading ads, leaked scandals, social media, conspiracies, each trying to tip the scales behind the scenes. The infighting is vicious. The Coastal lion sabotages itself when East Coast elites clash with West Coast progressives over messaging, one side pushing moderation, the other, demanding bold reform. A leaked email last month showed a coastal strategist trashing a rival's plan, costing them a key donor. The Heartland coalition fares no better. Midwest pragmatists bicker with Southern firebrands over whether to double down on cultural wars or focus on economics. A viral video of a southern operative mocking a suburban Canada's soft stance on guns tanked a winnable district. Both sides manipulate data, cherry pick poles and spread rumors to undermine their own moderates, all while claiming or fighting for Wisconsin. Soul cost is crippling. Volunteers burn out, delusioned by internal betrayals in the list of idiotic county chairs is endless. Voters, well bombarded by lies, grow cynical. Some swearing off the polls entirely. Last week, a Wisconsin diner told me she.
20:00
Had enough of both sides screaming matches. Blogger on her TV, she said the state's economy stalls as businesses hesitate, unsure of the political outcome. The coastal Alliance and the heartland coalition could unite around shared goals, jobs, infrastructure, security, but instead they're too busy knifing each other to notice Wisconsin is slipping away as the election nears, the backstabbing intensifies, with each side plotting out maneuver the other, not just in Wisconsin, but across the nation.
20:36
Tragedy is their war for control loses the very prize they seek. A country's at tired of games. That's what's going on. The Corporate gang and the political power plays I've described all share a common thread, factions tearing at each other for control, blind to the bigger picture. Now let's scale this to the global stage, where the United States, fractured by internal rivalries and shadowed by past administrations, grapples well for influence over a key piece of geography, geopolitical territory. It's called Ukraine. Two camps dominate this fight. Call them the Biden Democrats, tied to the legacy of Clinton and Obama and Trump. Republicans fueled by skepticism and a desire to rewrite the rules. They're not just battling for Ukraine's allegiance, but for dominance in a world well, in a world order where every move is scrutinized Ukraine like a weary bystander just wants stability, freedom, independence, but it's caught in the crossfire of America's political vendettas and allegations of corruption and betrayal and well poisoning The fight the Biden Democrats rooted in the establishment's globalist vision. See Ukraine as a linchpin against Russia. They've poured billions in aid and weapons and diplomatic muscle to prop up Zelensky, framing it as a defense of democracy, but whispers of scandal. Yeah, scandal. Oh. Hunter Biden comes back around. Continues to dog them. Allegations that Hunter Biden's deals with Ukrainian and Chinese entities
22:31
tied to the family and foreign cash, they just don't go away. These claims true overblown, or you can scream at the top of your lungs. They're not true. They paint a target on their backs. It fuels allegations of hypocrisy and self interest the Clinton and Obama eras with their own Ukrainian ties. Well, think of Hillary Clinton's Department of State pushing reset buttons with Russia selling uranium to the Russians, what adds layers of baggage, making every move look like a calculated play to protect old allies Trump. Republicans, meanwhile, approach Ukraine with a mix of distrust and opportunism, burned by what they see as foreign manipulation, they point to Hunter Biden's deals in the 2016
23:24
murky ties to Kiev as proof of a rigged system. Trump's camp hesitates to back Zelensky, wary of being suckered into another establishment quagmire, a scaled back aid at times, citing depleted us stockpiles or Russian disinformation only to pivot when public pressure mounts, like recent moves to send weapons after months of stalling, their faction is driven by a need to look strong, not just for voters, but to counter the narrative of being outplayed on the world stage, Ukraine, battered by war and desperate for peace, wants no part of this American feud. They don't. Its people are craving rebuilding, not being a pawn in a superpower's family drama. Yet both us factions need Ukraine's cooperation to secure their global Well, credibility, global cred. Huh? Democrats needed to prove their moral high ground. Republicans to show they're not Russia's dupes. The infighting is ruthless. Biden's team leaks stories of Trump's cozy Kremlin calls and paid him as naive Trump's allies flood x with memes tying hunter to oligarchs, keeping that scandal alive as it should be. Last month, a congressional hearing on Ukraine aid derailed the.
25:00
Republicans grilled a Biden official on Chinese connections while DRAM well Democrats countered with old Trump Russia emails result a stalled $2 billion aid package, leaving Ukraine hanging. Yes, hanging, hanging in the wind. The cost is staggering us. Credibility wanes as allies question America's reliability. Ukraine soldiers, short on ammo, lose a little bit of ground while Congress bickers at home. Voters grow numb to the noise. Polls now show that 60% of Americans want Americans want less involvement abroad. They're fed up with the drama. Both sides could unite to stabilize Ukraine, countering Russia and China, but instead, they're too busy digging up dirt on each other. Biden Democrats and Trump Republicans, like rival gangs or corporate cliques sabotage their own goals with every cheap shot as the global stage tilts China, they're sitting back watching Russia. They're grinning. The real loser is America's ability to lead squandered in a petty war over who gets to hold the flag. That, unfortunately is a fact. Now let me make one thing perfectly clear. I'm a hardcore, traditional Republican, fiscally conservative, leaning, leaning more towards libertarian, but I understand the need for global intervention and taking care of our allies, and I like what Trump's doing, while some say he's all over the board, I see it nothing more than typical trump the art of the deal.
26:46
And so the infighting of corporations, gangs and political parties mirrors a larger and more primal struggle, but nothing captures the raw defiance of a people under siege like Ukraine's fight for its soul like North Vietnam, which endured relentless bombing yet unified under a fierce nationalism to become Vietnam or Afghanistan, where empires from Alexander to the Soviets met their match in a rugged, unyielding spirit, Ukraine's well. Ukraine stands resolute. Its people, from farmers to coders, have forged a singular cry, this is our land. Get out. Their unbreakable will, fueled by a shared identity, faces a Russian war machine that's shifted well to a wartime economy, but it's cracking under its own weight. The United States and Western Europe waking to Russia's empty promises are now well. They're now pouring advanced weapons into Ukraine, testing technology in real time combat and reshaping the future of warfare, especially through the rise of drones. Yet this global clash where lies and power plays collide provides well, it proves that while the world changes, the fight for survival remains timeless. Ukraine's Defiance is a force of nature, like the Vietnamese who rebuilt under napalms Shadow, or Afghans who thrived in chaos, Ukrainians have turned their homeland into a fortress. Civilians wheeled Molotov. Soldiers manned trenches, tech experts hack Russian systems, all united by a refusal to bend Russia under the dictator Putin has bet everything on his war, converting his economy to churn out tanks and shells, but it's a house of cards. Sanctions bite, oil revenues shrink in conscripts. Conscripts, they falter. They don't want to be there. Putin's bluster about nuclear weapons rings hollow. His red lines have crumbled as Ukraine fires us supplied himar rockets and British Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory without retaliation, the world would survive a nuclear gamble, no doubt about it, but Russia's economy won't Outlast Ukraine's resolve or the West's resources. Now in the West, the awakening is seismic, after years of hesitation fearing escalation the US and Europe have unleashed a flood of advanced weaponry. Ukraine now fields javelins, the anti tank missiles, which shred Russian armor with pinpoint precision. The Patriot systems, though less effective against Russia's.
30:00
Low tech drones are amazing. A real game changer again, is drones cheap, agile, devastating. Ukrainian engineers have turned commercial drones into kamikaze weapons, sinking Russian ships, hitting oil depots. This is a
30:20
basically a war in a live lab, and is teaching the West how to counter swarms of Iranian made to read drones while redefining AI driven targeting. The US has quadrupled artillery shell production since 2022
30:39
but Ukraine's appetite for ammunition exposes gaps. Only 15% of aid involves critical systems like patriots and Abrams, tanks requiring heavy training, they oftentimes sit unused still. 85% of the gear is surplus, dusty relics from the 90s, costing the United States very little, but buying Ukraine time and leverage this crucible is reshaping warfare. Drones, costing pennies compared to million dollar missiles, are rewriting tactics. Ukraine's success with $500 drones has US manufacturers scrambling to scale production, signaling a future where swarms of drones dominate battlefields and skies. Now this shift will ripple into civilian life. Drone technology is already eyeing logistics, agriculture and surveillance, but the human cost is grim. Ukraine. Cities burn, people die, yet they fight on their nationalism is a shield no bomb can break. Russia's lies fed to leaders like Trump, who briefly paused aid to look strong have unraveled, exposing a desperate Kremlin. The US and Europe, despite internal squabbles, are doubling down their weapons and technology, giving Ukraine an edge like Vietnam or Afghanistan. Ukraine's spirit proves you can't bomb people into submission when their hearts scream, this is ours. The world watches, learning that power shifts, technology evolves, but the will to survive always endures. And the key word here is nationalism, a word the woke and the left have turned into a pejorative. It's a word that needs to come back. Battles. I've described corporations clawing for CEO control, gangs fighting over turf, politicians wrestling for electoral dominance and nations vying for global influence share a common thread, rival factions locked in a power struggle, a struggle for power, often at the expense of their shared goals. As
33:08
an investment and wealth advisor and manager at Truesdell wealth, I see these same dynamics play out in portfolio construction, where the push and pull of competing priorities mirrors the chaos of boardrooms, streets and well geopolitics, whether it's the tension between stocks and bonds, short term gains versus long term growth, or the emotional undercurrents of family dynamics, building wealth is as much an art As it is a science, just as Ukraine's unyielding spirit of or a gang's territorial obsession shapes their fight, the choices we make in balancing risk and reward and relationships well, they all define the success, our success as advisors. The key is understanding these forces, local politics, family rivalries, global shifts, weaving them into a strategy that endures, much like a family navigating blended chaos. Think of Yours, Mine and Ours, where Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda and later on, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton, or as unity from complexity in portfolio construction, the central battle often pits equities against bonds, ownership versus loanership or debt. Equities, like the aggressive manufacturing and technology faction in a corporation or the black Viper gang chases down dominance. Stocks promise high returns, but come with volatility, much like a gang's risky turf war bonds, akin to the cautious sales and service team or the red claws, deal making offer stability and predictable income, prioritizing safety over flash clients like board.
35:00
Members or street lieutenants often lean towards one side. A tech entrepreneur might demand an equity heavy portfolio eyeing the next big market surge while a retiree they cling to bonds for steady cash flow. My job, my job is to bridge this divide, crafting a portfolio that balances both, just like a CEO or Kingpin, must unite warring factions for a common cause. This balance requires navigating the same dynamics we see elsewhere. Take local, state or national politics, much like the Democrats coastal Alliance and Republicans Heartland coalition fighting over Wisconsin, tax policies, trade deals, infrastructure spending can shift markets overnight. A new tariff from a Trump administration could tank tech stocks while a Biden era green energy push, God, let's hope we never see that again. Might boost renewable ETFs. I track these like a gang watches rival moves adjusting allocations to hedge against policy swings. For instance, when political gridlock stalled a $2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill last year, we made adjustments towards defensive sectors. Those are things like, well, utilities, you might want to avoid, construction, stocks, they happen to drop during this period, you see family dynamics adds another layer, echoing the blended family chaos of Yours, Mine and Ours, a client's second marriage like Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda merging their broods can spark conflicts over wealth distribution. One spouse might push for aggressive stock investments to grow the family legacy, while the other demands income, income to secure their retirement a step child's trust fund or whatever I've seen estate plans derailed when someone leaks confidential information that should not have been leaked to a child who eyes their future tied to an inheritance, the same child who hopefully will take care of the parents when they are in need of dependent care. All of this mirrors corporate sabotage and well, ganglin, gangland murders and snitching. It's all the same. My role is to mediate, aligning portfolios with shared goals, finding those shared goals, facilitating those shared goals, cementing those shared goals, and ensuring that everything is minimizing and maximizing time, effort, aggravation and money appropriately. Globally, the Ukrainian conflict offers a real, Stark lesson here, just as Ukraine's nationalism defies Russia's war machine, vicious, murdering, raping child, abducting war machine, investors have to hold firm against market panic. You can't throw the towel in every time something bad happens. It's a recipe for buy high and sell low. Russia's wartime economy now, 70% geared towards military production, is crumbling under sanctions with gross domestic product, the growth of their GDP is projected to stall at 1%
38:51
next year in 2026
38:53
yet Ukraine's resilience fueled by Western weapons Like Javelin missiles and drones, for example, shows how adaptability wins in portfolios. This translates to appropriate, low cost diversification, efficient and effective. I've advised clients to allocate a certain amount of their portfolio to defense stocks, very specifically our military procurement portfolio, yes, companies like Lockheed, Martin, Boeing, Oshkosh and you know, Ukraine's drone innovations when they hit the headlines. And it's amazing, but that's not the whole story. Income, income weathers, geopolitical shocks. Income can be structured in a way where you reduce your risk to all types of local, national and geopolitical shocks, shock waves that could take place.
40:00
At a time when you don't need them and you might not have the time to recover from them. Now look the rise of drones, these $500 units taking out $2 million tanks, that has sparked an amazing manufacturing boom. There are firms in the United States that have gained massive stock price because of warfare, autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, silently moving with Vicious destruction. And to capture this shift, we're retooling, we're reshoring, we're manufacturing, we're muscling up. Rebalancing is where these dynamics can collide, just like gangs recalibrating after a botched deal. What do I do? I reassess portfolios every quarter, a major sit down, and of course, every day, every week, sometimes every hour, you have to look at things depending upon the volatility of the moment, you have to weigh the political, the famil, the global risk. You have to look Is it too heavy in the area of equities? Will a surge in the tech rally expose one to a market correction? Should we trim portfolios? Should we funnel gains into income producing assets? And what happens when a client, well, they start feuding over assets, and it starts to look like a divorce. Not good, not good at all. But that's real you have to look at alternatives to real estate while preserving wealth, diffusing attention global events like Russia's empty nuclear threats, well, they prompt shifts, and all of a sudden people might say, I'm going all into gold, or I'm bury all my money in a box in the backyard.
41:55
Well, when markets wobble, those who stay calm win. Look the art and science of lying, telling falsehoods, pure propaganda we've all now seen, is what the news is generally all about for many of these major quote, unquote news but they're propagandist organizations, clients like warring factions can be their own worst enemies. Again, the tech mogul chasing crypto fads, ignoring a 30% drop in Bitcoin because, well, I'm young and I've got time, and if everybody isn't following my way of doing things, they're crazy, then you have the risk averse widow retired facing the inevitable, who hoards cash, missing every rally out there and the inevitable death doesn't take place next year. It takes place 20 years from now, when inflation has taken that cash into the tank. I guide my clients like a diplomat navigating corporate coup gang truces and well, I use data, historical returns, volatility, metrics, and, frankly, a lot of empathy to align goals to encourage like a sheep dog, a herding dog. You don't nip and bite. Sometimes you got to bark a little bit, but just guiding into the right direction that they're not seeing. They know, but their antics are keeping them from doing the right thing. You might have a situation, here's a good one, where you have children or grandchildren and you want to fund their college education. You've recently remarried and you really want to put some more money into a business venture that you continue to keep your hands in, involved in. You got to find some peace there. You got to find some compatibility working through a discussion. Again, the art and science. I use Monte Carlo simulations all the time to stress test the things I've been talking about. I talk about withdrawal percentages. My calculation that I've used and reused and analyzed for decades hasn't changed political risks like contested elections, they spark, well, they spike, volatility, and some people doom and gloom. It's all over. Go all into cash. Losers. Look globally. Ukraine's war has driven oil prices up periodically, and then they come down. So everything is about risk. You can't gain something without giving something. So here at Truesdell wealth, we excel because, well, we see these dynamics, corporate, gang, political within the family as part of the human saga, the human struggle. It goes back to.
45:00
Cain and Abel and Adam and Eve. Our family office approach is one where we treat every client the same way, like a family office approach doesn't make any difference what the size of the portfolio is, what the net worth is, what we're doing is helping navigate internal battles, just like stocks versus bonds, short versus long term gains, and it's the same care we bring to the well, the blended family, the geopolitical chessboard, analyzing shifts, evolutions, revolutions, personal rivalries, building portfolios that endure for the individual and family as we get older, income is far more important than growth, but it cannot be
45:52
ignored. You have to have some growth because of longevity. Now, most importantly, we only work with nice people. I've said this for more than a few decades now, going back to the mid 80s, we work with Well, our clients are those who value transparency, perdition and trustworthiness over ego and division. Our strategies don't just survive chaos and chaotic markets. They actually thrive because delivering peace of mind and prosperity in a world where conflict is constant. Well, to me, it's an opportunity that's endless, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is my word. And as Paul Harvey would say the rest of the story. So with that said, Tippecanoe and Tyler too, I'm out here later. Bye.
46:49
This concludes the Paul Truesdell podcast. However, before you go see the show notes for this podcast, for special offers in person and online events and a variety of booklets on a wide variety of investment, income, estate, risk and overall wealth issues. To schedule a conversation with Team Truesdell, text or call, 352-612-1000,
47:14
the Paul Truesdell podcast is available on nearly all podcast players, such as Apple, Google, Spotify, as well as on Paul's personal website, Paul truesdell.com
47:26
Visit truesdellwealth.com
47:29
that's truesdellwealth.com
47:32
Truesdell wealth is our primary sponsor for the Paul Truesdell podcast. Please like comment and and share this podcast with family, friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers, past and present. It is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. You.