Advertise on podcast: 15 Minutes of Finance

Markets are facing another wave of uncertainty as inflation remains elevated, Treasury yields move higher, and investors try to figure out what the Federal Reserve may do next. In this episode of 15 Minutes of Finance, James and Brandon break down the latest market action, what higher interest rates could mean for stocks and the economy, and why the 10-year Treasury yield moving back toward 5% has investors paying attention. They also discuss absolute return, why some pension funds and endowments may be overly diversified, and how excessive consumer borrowing could eventually create problems for households, banks, and the broader economy. The conversation also touches on artificial intelligence, corporate profit margins, and whether the benefits of AI can spread beyond major technology companies. Finally, James discusses when it may make sense to take profits, build cash, and stay disciplined during periods of market volatility without trying to perfectly time the market. Invest Early. Invest Often. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, CFP® co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

In this episode of 15 Minutes of Finance, we break down what it really takes to build wealth in the stock market and why time may be the single biggest advantage an investor can have. We talk about the difference between building wealth through broad market index funds like the S&P 500 versus investing in individual companies with the potential for outsized growth. While index investing can be an incredibly powerful long-term strategy, we also discuss why many of the wealthiest investors eventually build meaningful positions in individual businesses they believe can drive the next generation of progress. I also walk through the three biggest things I personally look for when evaluating a company: a strong competitive moat, consistent revenue growth, and improving profit margins. These are some of the factors that can help separate a great story from a company that may actually have the fundamentals to compound over time. From there, we get into what is happening in the markets right now, including the latest jobs report, Treasury yields, Bitcoin, interest rates, and expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve. We also discuss an important misconception: lower interest rates do not automatically mean the stock market or economy is in trouble. Ultimately, successful investing does not need to be overly complicated. Understand what you own, focus on long-term trends, stay disciplined through volatility, and give your investments enough time to work. Invest early. Invest often. And always understand where your money is going.

The market is back at all-time highs, but investors are STILL nervous. In this episode of 15 Minutes of Finance, we break down why that may actually be a good thing for long-term investors and why we believe the biggest impact from the AI investment boom may still be ahead of us. We talk about: • Why fear is still hanging over the market even near record highs • Why a 10% or 15% pullback wouldn’t change the long-term thesis • The massive amount of money companies are investing into artificial intelligence • Why investors should start watching for AI spending to translate into higher revenue, better margins and stronger earnings • What weaker retail sales and changing economic data could mean for markets• Why trying to perfectly time the market is usually a losing game • One of the worst technology predictions ever made and what it can teach investors today • Why you should never bet against long-term progress One of the biggest lessons from previous technological revolutions is that people often underestimate how dramatically new technology can change businesses and the economy. The internet was once dismissed as something that might have no more economic impact than the fax machine. Today, that prediction looks ridiculous. Could investors be making the same mistake with AI? Our view is simple: short-term volatility will happen, but long-term wealth is usually created by owning great assets, staying invested and allowing technological and economic progress to work in your favor. If you don’t have the time, knowledge or desire to manage your investments yourself, make sure you’re working with someone with the experience and qualifications to help build a long-term plan. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The markets are doing well, major indexes are near record highs, and earnings season has produced plenty of beats and raised forecasts. But whether stocks are soaring or falling, investors should remember one important lesson: this too shall pass. Negative headlines can make investors feel like they need to sell when prices are falling or chase stocks when prices are rising. Palantir is a perfect example. When PLTR was trading just above $100, negative articles were everywhere. After crushing earnings this week, the stock has now gained nearly 40%. The July employment report showed that the U.S. lost 23,000 jobs when economists expected more than 80,000 jobs to be added. While that is concerning for the economy, weaker employment data may also reduce the likelihood of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates soon. SpaceX’s first lockup period also expired, making more than 900 million additional shares eligible for public trading. Many investors expected heavy selling pressure, but SpaceX shares finished the week up approximately 23%. AI continues to be another major theme. Palantir is producing real growth, semiconductor stocks moved higher, and Airbnb showed how AI agents can improve customer service, increase productivity, and reduce operating costs. Airbnb shares jumped more than 17% after earnings. Now imagine similar efficiency improvements being adopted across companies such as UPS, Amazon, Home Depot, and thousands of other businesses. We believe the AI buildout is still early, and companies are already demonstrating that the technology can produce meaningful financial results. The long term plan remains the same: stay invested, stop trying to time every market move, dollar cost average, and trust the process. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

James Discusses market news, behavior psychology, and investing with or against progress... and progress always wins.

This week’s Market Friday recap covers IPOs, ADRs, international investing, crypto regulation, geopolitical risk and the continued AI industrial revolution. Our term of the day is IPO, which stands for initial public offering. SK Hynix was already publicly traded in South Korea, but the company completed a massive U.S. public offering of American Depositary Receipts and began trading on the Nasdaq. An ADR, or American Depositary Receipt, is a U.S. traded security that represents shares of a company based outside the United States. ADRs make it easier for American investors to invest in foreign companies through U.S. markets and in U.S. dollars. SK Hynix is one of the largest memory chip companies in the world and a major supplier of the high bandwidth memory needed to power AI data centers. The stock jumped roughly 13% during its first day of U.S. trading, showing just how much investor demand remains for companies connected to the AI buildout. South Korea is also home to major global companies such as Samsung and LG, although not every foreign company is available to U.S. investors through the same ADR structure.International stocks do not always move in the opposite direction of U.S. stocks. However, owning companies across different countries can provide diversification because different economies and markets may lead at different times. International stocks outperformed U.S. stocks during 2025, but during a major global crisis, correlations often increase and markets around the world can fall together. We also explain the Peter Lynch term “ten bagger,” which describes an investment that grows to ten times its original value. Investors who select individual companies are searching for exceptional long term winners, but they also accept greater company specific risk. Investors who purchase an S&P 500 index fund are instead relying on the long term growth of hundreds of major companies without needing to identify the next ten bagger. Circle also received approval to establish a national trust bank. This does not mean Circle is becoming a traditional consumer bank with checking accounts, loans or rewards for depositing crypto. The new bank will initially focus on digital asset custody and strengthening the regulated infrastructure supporting USDC. Finally, we discuss renewed conflict involving the United States and Iran. Markets did react during the week, but they continued to show impressive overall resilience. Investors appear focused on whether the conflict becomes a larger and more lasting economic event, particularly through oil prices, inflation and the Strait of Hormuz. Barring a major escalation in global conflict, 2027 could be an incredible year for businesses, technology and the markets. The AI industrial revolution is no longer something coming in the future. It is already here and happening now.Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The market was closed Friday for the 250th anniversary of American independence, but investors still had plenty to digest from a surprising week. Blue chip stocks finally came alive as companies like Apple, McDonald’s, Walmart, and Johnson & Johnson gained ground. Technology and memory chip stocks struggled, while the Dow extended its winning streak to four consecutive weeks. Despite the rotation, all three major indexes finished the week higher. James breaks down the June jobs report, the drop in the unemployment rate, changing expectations for Federal Reserve interest rates, falling oil prices, Bitcoin trading near $60,000, and why strong corporate earnings could continue supporting the market. The episode also explains why falling technology stock prices may create long term opportunities, why share prices can behave like a voting machine in the short term but a weighing machine over time, and why consistently investing in the S&P 500 may be the most reliable path for the average investor. Quote of the Day: “Everyman is my superior that I may learn from him or her”.Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

“A rising tide lifts all ships” means that when the overall stock market is moving higher, many individual stocks tend to rise along with it. But can the current technology-driven rally continue, or are investors becoming too dependent on a small group of major companies? In this episode, we discuss Kevin Warsh’s first interest-rate decision as Federal Reserve chair and why we believe keeping rates unchanged was the right move. Warsh delivered a disciplined message, explaining that the Fed has a plan but does not want to make unnecessary projections about an uncertain future. His decision to move away from traditional forward guidance may be good for long-term investors who want markets to operate on economic fundamentals, but more difficult for short-term traders looking for clues about the Fed’s next move. Warsh also announced expert task forces that will examine major issues facing the Fed, including communication, inflation measurement and the quality of economic data. We also discuss Hillary Clinton’s surprising support for President Trump’s Gaza plan, the difference between headline CPI and core CPI, what fiat currency actually is and whether the broader market can continue benefiting from the strength of technology stocks.Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

Most small business owners spend almost all of their time working in the business, but not enough time working on the business. In this episode, we sit down with Sam Slater, a former Google executive with over a decade of experience in design strategy, to talk about how entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs can get clear, identify the real problem, and create a plan for moving forward. Sam helps small businesses turn chaos into a clear, linear process by asking the right questions: who, what, why, and how. Through his in-person workshops and Clarity Clinic, he helps business owners address challenges around growth, client communication, client retention, operations, and more. We also talk about why business owners often struggle to step back, prioritize, and address problems head on, and how a 30, 60, 90 day roadmap can help create real momentum. Learn more about Sam and his work: Sam Slater Consulting samslaterconsulting.com Instagram: @the_clarityclinicHosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The stock market had a rough week, with all three major indexes finishing lower despite a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report. The economy added 172,000 jobs, unemployment remained steady at 4.3%, and investors immediately began reassessing the outlook for interest rates. Why would a strong jobs report hurt stocks? In this video, James explains how stronger employment can keep inflation concerns alive and increase the likelihood that interest rates stay higher for longer. We also discuss the recent rise in the 10-year Treasury yield, why markets are now pricing in a greater chance of higher rates, and what that means for investors. We also cover the latest developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the conflict involving Iran, why the economy and the stock market are not the same thing, and how concerns about inflation and stagflation continue to impact investor sentiment. Finally, we look ahead to what could become three of the biggest IPOs in history: SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic. If these companies join the Nasdaq, index funds may be forced to buy shares, potentially creating significant shifts in market flows and valuations. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The stock market is back at all-time highs, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closing at new records. The S&P 500 also posted its 9th straight week of gains, but as exciting as this moment feels, it is important to remember: this too shall pass. In this Friday market recap, James breaks down why investors should avoid getting too emotional when markets are up or down, how the AI revolution is still driving this market cycle, and why this moment could be compared to major periods of innovation like the railroad, the internet, and other major technology shifts. We also cover the big moves of the week, including Snowflake’s huge gains, Costco’s decline, weakness across most of the Magnificent 7 outside of Microsoft, crude oil moving lower, and the 10-year Treasury yield closing lowering to around 4.4% helping investors take a more risk on approach to the market. James also discusses whether it may be time to take profits in major winners like Western Digital, SanDisk, and Micron, plus what massive potential IPOs like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic could mean for the market. If these companies go public, money has to come from somewhere, and that could create a major shift in where investors are allocating capital.The AI story is still the main driver of this market, but record highs can also bring new risks, new emotions, and the possibility of a pullback. The key is staying disciplined, investing in progress, and understanding that markets are always moving in cycles. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The Dow closed at a record high today while the S&P 500 wrapped up its 8th straight week of gains, showing just how strong momentum has been despite constant concerns about inflation, interest rates, and global uncertainty. Nvidia once again crushed earnings, raised its dividend to $0.25 per share, and announced an $80 billion share buyback program. Even though the stock dipped after earnings, these moves are often viewed as bullish signs for long term investors and reinforce Nvidia’s critical role in powering the AI buildout. At the same time, the 10 year U.S. Treasury yield nearly touched 4.7% earlier this week before falling back below 4.6% by Friday’s close. For investors looking for stability or less market exposure, earning close to 4.7% backed by the U.S. government is becoming an increasingly attractive option. Gold futures also moved lower as investors continue weighing inflation expectations, interest rates, and broader market sentiment. We also discuss Michael Burry’s latest warning that the stock market has “jumped the shark,” what that phrase actually means, and why some investors are questioning his repeated bearish calls over the years. Plus, we cover Kevin Warsh stepping in as the new Fed Chair, what history tells us about markets testing new leadership, and why AI may reshape jobs and productivity over the next decade rather than simply replace workers. As always, our goal is to help you cut through the headlines and focus on what actually matters for long term investing. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

“In the short run, the market is a voting machine. In the long run, it is a weighing machine.” – Benjamin Graham Markets had a strong week but closed Friday in the red. Was it headlines, politics, or the Middle East? Maybe partly. But the bigger story may be interest rates and Treasury yields staying elevated, making lower-risk investments like Treasuries more attractive than stocks in the short term. James breaks down the latest market news, China trade talks, oil prices, the Fed outlook, and why long-term investors may need to stay focused on the bigger picture. Volatility is normal, cash can create opportunity during dips, and AI could still be one of the biggest growth stories ahead.Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

The market just hit a new all time high, with the S&P 500 pushing toward 7400 and the Nasdaq closing its 5th straight week of gains. So what happens next… are we heading for a melt up or a pullback? In this video, we break down: Why the market feels great right now… and why that can change fast. The latest jobs report and what it means for the economy. How AI is driving massive spending and earnings growth. Why the next 12 to 24 months could be one of the biggest investing opportunities we have seen. The “risk off to risk on” shift and why cash on the sidelines could flood back into the market. The truth is, nobody knows exactly what happens next. But staying even keeled and trusting the process matters more than trying to time every move. If you are investing right now, this is a conversation you need to hear. Hosted by James Walters, CIMA®, CRPC®, and Brandon West, CPA, co-owners of West & Walters Tax and Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and tax firm based in Carlsbad, California. Our goal is to share market insights, investing tips, tax strategies, and straightforward financial education to help viewers make smarter financial decisions. All Information is educational in its intent and distribution! Please do not consider this personal financial advice. We believe all clients have unique situations and thus require unique advice.

James discusses news for the week, current conditions for the market, and an anecdote about emotional investing consequences.