-: I think it's a few things,
the first is to
really be sure that you understand
how different pieces fit together.
So a lot of the critical thinking skills that is,
that are present in Pomona Class rooms
are really essential to our work.
And what makes someone particularly excellent
at being a Portfolio Manager,
doing the type of work I do
and when I look at my role models,
it's being able to take little pieces
from a lot of different things you read
or conversations you have
or perspectives you've heard
and weave them together into something
that makes more sense.
And so if someone was interested in doing this work,
I think it would really be like study up,
make sure that you're exposing yourself
to a lot of different inputs.
But then be sure that you're also taking the time
to take a step back and say:
Where are things agreeing?
Where are they contradicting one another?
What does that mean?
And try to be able to see the forest from the trees.
So for me it was really kind of the smaller class size
or the seminar style classes.
Of learning kind of how do you engage
or participate in a group of people
who are having a conversation.
In a lot of those classes,
in some ways don't feel that different
from meetings that I have today at work.
Of trying to figure out when does it make sense
to share a half formed idea
versus when should you really make sure
that you kind of have all your ducks in a row
and have a strong thesis behind what your about to say.
So I'd say those like really heavy engagement,
class participation type courses are the ones
that have undoubtedly have helped me most in my career.
I try as much as I can to read the Economist every week.
I essentially never get all the way through,
but it's a good goal.
I'm always kind of checking headlines on New York Times
and Wall Street Journal just to make sure
I understand what's happening.
And then I'm also try to take the time to
pick a different topic kind of every month or quarter
and go really in depth.
So currently I'm really fascinated by what's happening
in the interest rate market
and I'm trying to take a step back and in some way apply
from what I learned in Macro 101
to remember how the markets work
and what that will mean
for each underlined investment in my clients portfolio.