Charles’ Observe: At present I’m happy to introduce you to Amber Lancaster, one in all our high funding specialists and the right-hand analyst for Ian King.
Amber has over 20 years of expertise within the monetary analysis world. That features her time at Bloomberg as each a knowledge analyst and a staff chief. She’s additionally labored at premier monetary analysis publications, similar to Weiss Analysis and Daring Income Publishing.
I not too long ago sat down with Amber so you may get to know her — and her investing type.
Try the complete interview under…
Charles Sizemore: Welcome, Amber! To kick off this “attending to know you” interview, I believed readers may like to listen to about your background.
So please, inform us about your self…
Amber Lancaster: Thanks very a lot, Charles!
Effectively, I used to be born and raised in New Jersey, however I now name Florida dwelling.
Throughout my senior 12 months of highschool, I used to be honored to be named an Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar. This was an award granted to New Jersey highschool college students who ranked within the high three of their graduating class.
On the time, award recipients obtained full scholarships to attend most schools and universities within the state of New Jersey. So I used to be courted by many colleges and selected one to attend. I graduated with a bachelor’s diploma in economics.
I later enrolled in graduate college right here in Florida. I earned a Grasp of Enterprise Administration diploma with a focus in finance.
Charles: Fairly a powerful early resume. So, you’re educated as an economist. However what drew you to investing?
Amber: Are you able to imagine it was a university biology class? Let me again up…
I used to be a university sophomore sitting in an honors biology class. At the moment, I wasn’t fairly sure of my faculty main.
I distinctly keep in mind the professor saying: “For at this time’s lecture, we’re going to observe a debate between a biologist and an economist.”
As soon as the controversy started, I listened intently to the dialogue. I used to be enraptured with each phrase the economist mentioned.
I believed: I actually like what this economist is saying. They’re talking my language!
That night I took out my faculty syllabus. I flipped to the again of the syllabus to the index and searched underneath “E” for economics.
All I can say is the remainder is historical past. Quickly after, I turned an economics main.
However what introduced me to investing was after I first bought began in my profession. Simply earlier than commencement, I interviewed for a knowledge analyst place at Bloomberg L.P. I went to the interview within the morning and was employed by the afternoon.
Working at Bloomberg is the place I caught the inventory market investing bug. Throughout my profession there, I used to be promoted to staff chief in its fastened earnings division. My staff and I had been liable for a broad vary of analysis actions. And whereas doing all that analysis, I couldn’t assist however apply it to my very own brokerage account.
Bloomberg set me up for all times within the investing world. However nowadays, I’ve determined to spend my time serving to Foremost Avenue traders relatively than Wall Avenue…
Charles: I used to be nearly to ask: What introduced you to Banyan Hill?
Amber: Effectively, whereas I used to be working at Bloomberg, my mother introduced she was retiring as a social employee and transferring to Florida. So I had to select: keep in New Jersey or relocate to Florida.
Effectively, I like my mother. My dad had handed earlier in my life, and he or she’s my highest buddy. It was a no brainer for me. Florida, right here I come.
My first job in Florida was with one essentially the most outstanding monetary publishers within the U.S., Weiss Analysis. There I led a staff of analysis analysts overseeing monetary and funding analysis. We researched shares and market themes all through the 2000s. That included the 2008 monetary disaster and the next bull market. I’ve been steeped in all issues investing by all sorts of market circumstances.
After a few years, Weiss Analysis was acquired by Banyan Hill Publishing. I met with the CEO and was employed as a senior analysis supervisor. From there, I used to be named director of funding analysis.
Charles: So what’s one key lesson you’ve realized as an investor that you just’ll deliver to Banyan Edge readers?
Amber: One laborious lesson I needed to be taught was based mostly on the very first shares I bought in 1999.
I referred to as my dealer and I needed all-in on expertise shares. I felt on the time that there was a serious shift occurring in communications — and particularly in how we purchased our items.
Within the mid-Nineties, my mother and I bought our first cellphones: Motorolas. It was a complete new world of speaking for us. We had been satisfied cell phones had been the long run.
No have to search for a phone sales space when out and about. These days had been over. I knew I needed to be invested on this rising expertise.
So in 1999, I owned shares in firms like Motorola, Amazon.com, eBay.com, eToys.com and theGlobe.com. However then, as you recognize, in March of 2000, all of it got here crashing down when the dot-com bubble burst.
If I had identified then what I do know now, I wouldn’t have bought my shares in a panic. Sure, a few of these dot-com shares I owned had been empty vessels of firms, like eToys and theGlobe. However others — like Amazon — had been gold mines within the making.
So my recommendation to Banyan Edge readers is to put money into future-forward firms which are not science experiments. Search for firms that make wonderful merchandise now and have sound enterprise fashions that generate income.
And most significantly: Spend money on firms which have future forecasts of accelerating development and money available. This can assist preserve them liquid and viable as they scale up manufacturing.
Most of my time proper now’s dedicated to uncovering firms like these with Ian King, as a part of his Strategic Fortunes advisory.
Charles: And whenever you’re not poring over the Bloomberg terminal and studying trade reviews, on the lookout for the subsequent large funding concept and mega development, what do you do in your spare time?
Amber: I’m an avid traveler and cruiser. I’ve visited 48 of the 50 U.S. states, together with Alaska and Hawaii. Along with cruising the Caribbean and Pacific, I’ve crossed the Atlantic on a month-long cruise to Europe on the Queen Mary 2. I’ve additionally visited a lot of the international locations within the Mediterranean.
Journey is actually a privilege and a complement to life as a result of there’s nothing like seeing a spot in individual. It widens your perspective on life. And it helps you understand there’s an important, large numerous world stuffed with great folks and locales.
And if I’m not touring, I’m singing. I’m a educated soprano classical vocalist. I sang with an opera firm in New Jersey for 5 seasons in productions like Die Fledermaus, Faust and Un Ballo in Maschera. And I’m a recurrently featured vocalist in oratorios and live shows in South Florida.
Once I’m not singing, I’m poring over all issues vehicles as a result of I’m big gear-head. I’ve beloved vehicles and auto racing since I used to be child, beginning with my first subscription to Motor Pattern journal.
Charles: Fascinating… You’re an actual renaissance girl, Amber!
And only one extra query, Amber. What’s your final purpose for Banyan Edge readers who take your funding steering?
Amber: That our readers can purchase not simply monetary features, but additionally investing information.
Data is energy. And there’s no higher feeling than being empowered to make sound investing choices that profit you and your family members’ monetary future.
Charles: Thanks for sharing that! Are you able to inform our readers how they’ll get in touch with you in the event that they wish to want you a heat welcome or ask any questions?
Amber: Sure, you may comply with me on Twitter @ALancasterGuru. There I goal to put up my takes on the newest inventory information relating to future-forward investing.
Charles: Sounds good. Thanks for taking a while to reply my questions at this time, Amber.
Charles right here… Be certain that to observe for Amber in The Banyan Edge. You gained’t wish to miss her sharp insights available on the market.
And in addition you should definitely hear her ideas within the Banyan Edge Podcast, first episode due out tomorrow afternoon!
Hold Investing,Charles SizemoreChief Editor, The Banyan Edge
