Barenaked Money

Verecan Capital Management Inc.
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Investing

Slip into something more comfortable and delve into personal finance with Josh Sheluk and Colin White, experienced portfolio managers at Verecan Capital Management. Each episode demystifies complex financial topics, stripping them to their bare essentials. From investment strategies and financial planning to economic headlines and philanthropic giving, delivered with a blend of insight, transparency, and a touch of humour. Perfect for anyone looking to understand and navigate their financial future with confidence. Subscribe now to stay informed, empowered, and entertained. Verecan Capital Management Inc. is registered as a Portfolio Manager in all provinces in Canada except Manitoba.

  1. 6d ago ·  Video

    152: ETFs VS Mutual Funds | Which Are Better?

    ETFs vs Mutual Funds: Wrappers, Not Winners Josh Sheluk and Colin White of Verecan Capital Management debunk the belief that ETFs are inherently good and mutual funds inherently bad, arguing both are simply investment “wrappers” and that what matters is what’s inside, the strategy, costs, and role in a portfolio. They explain how mutual funds have historically been associated with higher-cost active management while ETFs began as lower-cost passive index vehicles, but the lines have blurred with actively managed ETFs and low-cost passive mutual funds. Key structural differences include ETFs trading intraday on an exchange with bid-ask spreads and liquidity considerations, while mutual funds transact at end-of-day NAV. They discuss risks of complex/leveraged ETF products, note similar strategies can exist in mutual funds, and contrast hedge funds as more loosely regulated, often higher-cost and less liquid. They also explain why Verecan launched pooled mutual funds to simplify reporting, improve execution efficiency, and potentially reduce client costs without adding fees. 00:00 ETFs vs Mutual Funds Myth02:52 Defining the Wrappers04:33 Active vs Passive Origins07:02 Marketing and Narrative Shift08:52 Cost vs Value Debate10:23 ETF Hype and Copycats11:26 Hidden Costs and Bid Ask13:10 Trading Mechanics and Liquidity15:28 Leveraged ETFs and Strategy Risk18:17 Hedge Funds Explained24:39 Why We Launched Our Funds28:47 Wrap Up and Disclosures

  2. Jul 6

    151: IPO Games and SpaceX

    Why Retail Investors Should Avoid IPOs (SpaceX, OpenAI, and Index Inclusion Games) Josh Sheluk and Colin White of Verecan Capital’s Barenaked Money explain what an IPO is, why companies go public, and the trade-offs versus staying private, including disclosure requirements and transparency. They argue retail investors should generally avoid IPOs because offerings are structured to favor insiders and investment banks, often rely on hype and limited float to influence valuation, lack a meaningful public track record, and tend to lose money or underperform the market on average—especially for buyers who can’t access the IPO price. Using SpaceX as a timely example, they discuss its extreme valuation, heavy losses, and the unusual, accelerated index-inclusion process and float adjustments that invite complex “gamesmanship” by large traders, making it a risky arena for individuals. They conclude markets can still build wealth, but it’s better to avoid IPO speculation.Click here to view the episode transcript. (00:00) - Should You Invest (00:08) - Podcast Intro (00:50) - What Is an IPO (02:11) - Public vs Private (06:10) - Why IPOs Are Risky (09:21) - IPO Data and Odds (12:06) - SpaceX and Mega IPOs (14:51) - Index Inclusion Games (20:44) - Float and Weighting (27:32) - Final Takeaways (29:45) - Outro and Disclosures 00:00 Should You Invest00:08 Podcast Intro00:50 What Is an IPO02:11 Public vs Private06:10 Why IPOs Are Risky09:21 IPO Data and Odds12:06 SpaceX and Mega IPOs14:51 Index Inclusion Games20:44 Float and Weighting27:32 Final Takeaways29:45 Outro and Disclosures

  3. Jul 6

    150: How Much Do You Need to Retire

    How Much Do You Need to Retire? Why the Question Is Wrong—and What to Ask Instead Hosts Josh Sheluk and Colin White of Barenaked Money discuss why common retirement questions—like how much money you need, when you can retire, average retirement spending or savings by age, and the “safe” 4% withdrawal rule—are often useless without personal context. They emphasize retirement planning is goals-based and depends on expected spending, timing, pensions, taxes, inflation, market variability, and especially changing priorities over time. They critique reliance on averages and fear-based industry numbers, and note plans rarely unfold in straight lines, citing unpredictable events and life changes. Their recommended approach is to focus on financial independence, understand trade-offs (e.g., retiring early vs. paying for kids’ education or buying a cottage), build flexibility and “slack,” and “retire to something” by replacing work’s purpose and social structure. They liken a financial plan to Google Maps that reroutes as conditions change. Click here to view the episode transcript. (00:00) - Tradeoffs That Matter (01:03) - Retirement Number Myth (03:12) - Why It Depends (04:54) - When Do You Need It (07:06) - Chasing A Target (11:35) - Financial Independence Mindset (13:35) - Average Is Useless (16:41) - Savings Benchmarks Trap (20:29) - Safe Withdrawal Rate (24:47) - When Can I Retire (25:12) - Biggest Variable You (29:44) - Better Questions To Ask (32:09) - Retire To Something (33:14) - Google Maps Planning (35:16) - Wrap Up And Disclosures 00:00 Tradeoffs That Matter01:03 Retirement Number Myth03:12 Why It Depends04:54 When Do You Need It07:06 Chasing A Target11:35 Financial Independence Mindset13:35 Average Is Useless16:41 Savings Benchmarks Trap20:29 Safe Withdrawal Rate24:47 When Can I Retire25:12 Biggest Variable You29:44 Better Questions To Ask32:09 Retire To Something33:14 Google Maps Planning35:16 Wrap Up And Disclosures

  4. Jul 6

    149: Canada Strong Fund | Sovereign Wealth Fund

    Canada Strong Fund vs. Sovereign Wealth Funds: Why Borrowing to Invest at Home Could Backfire Hosts Josh Sheluk and Colin White discuss the proposed Canada Wealth/Canada Strong Fund and argue it differs materially from traditional sovereign wealth funds. They explain sovereign wealth funds originated as a response to “Dutch disease,” using commodity windfalls to build large funds (e.g., Norway’s) that invest outside the country to diversify and stabilize the domestic economy and currency. By contrast, they say Canada would start with about $25B in borrowed money, likely invest domestically, and overlap with existing vehicles like the Canada Infrastructure Bank and Canada Growth Fund without clear details on governance, cost of capital, returns, or liquidity. They warn government investing can become politically driven, may crowd out private capital, and fear a retail component with capital guarantees would shift risk to taxpayers and repeat past failures like labour-sponsored venture capital funds. Their current verdict is “no.” 00:00 Sovereign Wealth Hype00:21 Show Intro and Setup01:26 What Sovereign Wealth Means02:44 Dutch Disease Origins05:03 Norway Model Explained06:59 Canada Strong Fund Basics08:46 Where Will It Invest10:35 Domestic Focus and Diversification11:38 Government Investing Risks14:04 Retail Investor Idea Alarm16:38 EV Subsidies as Warning19:26 What Government Should Do21:09 Labor Fund Cautionary Tale23:04 Guarantees and Liquidity Problems31:06 Best Case vs Worst Case33:43 Verdict and Wrap Up35:17 Disclaimers and Credits

  5. Jun 30 ·  Bonus

    Seminar Five Things You Can Do in Investing But Shouldn't

    Barenaked Money

  6. May 12

    148: Behind the Bets: The Truth About Prediction Markets

    Prediction Markets: Why They’re Gambling, Not Investing Hosts Josh Sheluk and Colin White of Verecan Capital Management discuss the rise of prediction markets (e.g., Polymarket, Kalshi, and a planned Wealthsimple product in Canada) following regulatory approvals, and argue people should avoid them. They frame the episode as a “draft of bad ideas,” led by the claim that participants will likely lose money, citing research on 1.4 million users and $20B in transactions showing profits are concentrated (1% earning ~80% of profits) and losses can be extreme (0.1% accounting for 43% of losses). They warn prediction markets are prone to manipulation and insider-information advantages, give examples of odds moving ahead of events, and criticize regulators’ rationale that people will do it anyway. They emphasize these products blur investing and gambling, siphon money from long-term investing, and are gamified to drive activity. Click here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Wild Prediction Market Hook00:12 Show Intro and Today’s Topic00:55 Why Prediction Markets Are Exploding03:17 Regulators Open the Door05:02 Draft Pick One You’ll Lose Money08:52 Draft Pick Two Manipulation and Insider Info14:13 Draft Pick Three Gambling Not Investing17:07 Money Drain and Social Harm19:02 You Don’t Need This to Hedge22:03 Gamification and Worst Case Losses23:32 What Prediction Markets Actually Are27:34 Where This Is Headed and Final Thoughts30:40 Sponsor Message and Contact Info31:22 Legal Disclaimer and Wrap Up

  7. Apr 24

    147: Scams Don’t Look Like Scams Anymore

    AI-Powered Misinformation and Financial Scams: Fake Opportunity, Authority, and Urgency Hosts Josh Sheluk and Colin White of Barenaked Money welcome back misinformation researcher and author Matthew Facciani (Misguided) to discuss current misinformation trends, especially how AI scales personalized scams across social media, email, and increasingly convincing audio deepfake phone calls. Facciani outlines three common scam patterns—fake opportunity, fake authority, and fake urgency—and shares examples of AI-tailored job-offer and book-club scams that quickly pivot to small fees. He recommends habits and tools to reduce risk: pause and reflect before reacting emotionally, avoid clicking links, verify credentials via official sources, use lateral reading to check independent coverage and digital footprints, and leverage tools like reverse image search, the Wayback Machine, and URL checks. The conversation also covers identity and network overlap as drivers of bias, plus Facciani’s interactive tools for mapping identity complexity and social network diversity.Click here to view the episode transcript. Links: Matthew Facciani's newsletter: https://matthewfacciani.substack.com/Matthew's Identity Map Tool: https://matthewfacciani.github.io/identity-map/Matthew's Post on Verecan's Blog:  Don't Get Fooled Out of Your Money: A Fact-Checker's Guide for Every Kind of Investor  00:00 AI Scam Wake Up 00:11 Meet The Misinformation Expert 01:25 State Of Misinformation Now 03:23 Financial Scams Three Buckets 05:35 Deepfakes Voice And Text 06:48 Personalized Job Offer Scam 11:18 Spotting Scams Daily Habits 13:48 Book Club Flattery Trap 17:54 Predatory Conferences Gray Lines 20:49 Verify Claims With Lateral Reading 25:20 Identity Bias Map 26:41 Overlapping Identities Risk 28:46 Complexity Score Tool 30:29 Network Diversity Shield 34:29 Echo Chambers Everywhere 35:34 Privacy And Metrics 36:34 Critical Ignoring Chatbot 40:21 Making It A Business 41:41 Contrarian Matching Ideas 44:48 Where To Find Everything 47:16 Contact Info And Disclosures 47:16 Financial Advisor Disclaimer

  8. Mar 24

    146: Headlines Feel New. For Markets, It’s the Same Story.

    War, Markets, and Why You Still Can’t Invest on Headlines Hosts Josh Sheluk and Colin White discuss how wars and geopolitical conflict have historically affected markets, emphasizing the human tragedy while focusing on financial implications. They review major Middle East conflicts since 2000: Afghanistan (Oct 7, 2001), Iraq (Mar 20, 2003), the Syrian Civil War (Mar 15, 2011), the Yemeni Civil War (Sep 21, 2014), and the Oct 7, 2023 Israel conflict, and argue market outcomes were driven more by other forces (tech bubble collapse, European debt crisis, oil shocks, 2008 crisis) than by the conflicts themselves. They cite BCA Research finding only the 1973 Yom Kippur War/oil embargo clearly led to a bear market, noting today’s lower oil intensity and U.S. oil export position. They conclude rapid sentiment shifts make conflict “unreactable,” so investors should maintain resilient portfolios rather than adjust to headlines. Click here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 War And Bear Markets01:01 Why Revisit War And Markets02:31 Afghanistan 2001 And Tech Bust06:54 Iraq 2003 And Recovery Years09:13 Syria 2011 And Euro Debt Crisis11:36 Yemen 2014 And Oil Shock Memories13:46 Israel 2023 And The Big Picture17:00 Why You Cant Trade Headlines20:20 Incentives Oil And Global Pressure22:39 The One War That Triggered A Bear27:19 Fragility South Korea And Gold29:11 Build A Resilient Portfolio30:18 Contact Info And Disclosures

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About

Slip into something more comfortable and delve into personal finance with Josh Sheluk and Colin White, experienced portfolio managers at Verecan Capital Management. Each episode demystifies complex financial topics, stripping them to their bare essentials. From investment strategies and financial planning to economic headlines and philanthropic giving, delivered with a blend of insight, transparency, and a touch of humour. Perfect for anyone looking to understand and navigate their financial future with confidence. Subscribe now to stay informed, empowered, and entertained. Verecan Capital Management Inc. is registered as a Portfolio Manager in all provinces in Canada except Manitoba.

Information

  • Creator
    Verecan Capital Management Inc.
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Verecan Capital Management Inc.
  • Show Website
    Barenaked Money

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