Treussard Talks.

Jonathan Treussard, Ph.D.
  • 4.6 (9)
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Welcome to ”Treussard Talks,” where we cut through the complexity of wealth management to reveal what really matters in building and preserving your financial legacy. As a former partner at a $150B global asset manager and Founder of Treussard Capital Management, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the investment industry often prioritizes complexity over clarity. This podcast aims to change that narrative. Each episode, we’ll dive deep into the questions that sophisticated investors should be asking but often don’t. From demystifying investment strategies to exploring the psychological aspects of wealth management, we’ll provide you with actionable insights that go beyond traditional financial advice. Whether you’re navigating market uncertainties, seeking to align your wealth with your values, or looking to build a lasting legacy, this podcast offers the clarity and perspective you need to make informed decisions. Join me as we explore the intersection of wealth, purpose, and strategic thinking. Because understanding your wealth shouldn’t be as complex as building it. DISCLAIMER: The content of ”Treussard Talks” is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. The views expressed are those of Jonathan Treussard and his guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisors before making any investment decisions.

  1. 18H AGO

    Tax-Advantaged Investing, Long-Short Strategies, and the Future of Wealth Management with Erkko Etula | Treussard Talks E22

    Wall Street is building a trillion-dollar business around slashing the tax bills of wealthy investors. The innovations are real. So are the risks. This conversation is about how to think clearly about both. Erkko Etula built his career at the intersection of academic finance and institutional practice — MIT, Harvard, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a decade at Goldman Sachs rebuilding the wealth management investment process from the ground up, and ultimately founding Brooklyn Investment Group. We start where his research started: what broker-dealer balance sheets reveal about risk appetite in the system, and why the overnight repo market remains one of the most important and least-watched corners of finance. We then move to what Erkko spent his Goldman years solving — how to manage a taxable portfolio holistically, treating tax efficiency not as an afterthought but as a structural input from the start. That work led him to what he considers one of the most consequential innovations in wealth management since the invention of the ETF: tax-advantaged long-short strategies. We get into the mechanics carefully, because the mechanics matter — especially when markets are volatile and the institution renting you balance sheet capacity changes its mind. What We Cover: Risk appetite and balance sheets: Why broker-dealer leverage is a better real-time signal of systemic stress than many other economic indicators — and what that research revealed when Lehman collapsed. The ETF timeline: Mutual funds, ETFs, direct indexing — each step brings taxable investors closer to keeping more of what they make. Where long-short fits in that arc. Direct indexing 2.0: What happens when you combine tax-loss harvesting with long-short portfolio construction — and why the potential power of that combination is measured in months, not years. Risk management first: The three-layer framework — benchmark beta, tracking error, concentration risk — and why communicating tail risk matters in this context. Balance sheet as rented space: Why leverage works until it doesn't, and what that means for investors in these strategies right now. Building Brooklyn: What Erkko learned leaving Goldman — about humility, team, and the relationship between certainty and disappointment. Erkko Etula is CEO of Brooklyn Investment Group and winner of the Smith Breeden Prize for Outstanding Capital Markets Research. Want to go deeper? Jonathan's newsletter Wealth, Empowered. covers markets, wealth, and what it all means for sophisticated families. Free to subscribe at wealth-empowered.beehiiv.com Treussard Talks is for entertainment and education only. Nothing here is financial advice. Treussard Capital Management is a registered investment advisor. Visit treussard.com for additional information and disclaimers.

    36 min

  2. MAR 18

    The Strait of Hormuz, Oil Markets, and the Futures Curve with Nic Johnson (E21) | Treussard Talks

    The Strait of Hormuz was always the thought experiment. The scenario commodities traders ran when they needed a stand-in for the unimaginable. Fifteen to twenty miles of waterway. One fifth of the world's oil. Now it isn't a thought experiment anymore. Nic Johnson spent years at PIMCO as head of commodities, managing large commodities portfolios. Before that, he was a research fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is one of the more technically grounded people I know on this topic — and a friend. We recorded this conversation two and a half weeks into the disruption. Not to predict what comes next. Neither of us knows. But to understand what is actually happening, and where to look if you want a clearer picture than the headlines are giving you. What we cover: The physical reality — how oil moves through the Strait, what limited storage capacity means for exporters, and why strategic petroleum reserves buy weeks, not months Why $100 oil is high but not crazy high — and what the shale revolution did to the long-run marginal cost of production How the US, Europe, and more financially fragile economies experience this shock very differently — and what a populist export restriction would and wouldn't actually accomplish The futures market versus the physical market — why systemic contagion is unlikely, and where localized blowups could still happen The one indicator worth watching: not the headline spot price, but the oil futures curve — and why the front month and the five-year forward are telling very different stories right now Why anyone thinking about reinventing themselves as a commodity trader should understand what variant perception means before placing a single bet Understanding your wealth requires understanding the world your wealth lives in. This is that conversation. The content of Treussard Talks is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. Stay Connected Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: wealth-empowered.beehiiv.com Learn more: treussard.com This podcast is for entertainment and education only. Nothing here is financial advice. Treussard Capital Management is a registered investment advisor. Please visit our website treussard.com for additional information and disclaimers.

    28 min

  3. MAR 4

    The State of Trump Economics in 2026 with Larry Kotlikoff (E20) | Treussard Talks

    In this conversation, Larry Kotlikoff (https://kotlikoff.net/)—Professor of Economics at Boston University, Research Associate at the NBER, and former Senior Economist on Reagan's Council of Economic Advisors—and I go through the current administration's economic agenda one proposal at a time. Not from a partisan lens. From first principles. What follows is rigorous and at times surprising. You'll hear us cover: Why Kotlikoff sees genuine merit in capping credit card interest rates—and what it reveals about the tension between capital and consumer in American finance The 401(k) proposal to fund home purchases: what it misunderstands about saving, housing supply, and the purpose of retirement accounts Tariffs and the capital account: why the trade deficit is a symptom, not the disease—and why tariffs almost certainly can't fix what's actually broken The fiscal reckoning hiding in plain sight: why raising every federal and state tax by 25% today still might not be enough—and why the US is in worse long-term fiscal shape than Italy Immigration and demography: US population growth fell by half in 2025. What that means for labor, capital, and the long-term American economic project The Fed, Volcker, and the power of expectations Geopolitical realignment as economic policy: why the current international moment may be the most consequential—and least understood—economic story of our time Why this matters now: Every proposal in this conversation connects back to the same underlying tension—a fiscal system that has been quietly redistributing from young to old for 70 years, suppressing saving, distorting incentives, and mortgaging the future. The individual headlines are symptoms. Kotlikoff keeps bringing us back to the diagnosis. And understanding your wealth requires understanding the world your wealth lives in. This is that conversation. Disclaimer: The content of "Treussard Talks" is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. Stay Connected Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: Subscribe https://wealth-empowered.beehiiv.com/ Learn more: treussard.com   This podcast is for entertainment and education only. Nothing here is financial advice. Treussard Capital Management is a registered investment advisor. Please visit our website www.treussard.com for additional information and disclaimers.

    44 min

  4. FEB 4

    Tail Risk, Market Structure, and Building Resilience with Vineer Bhansali | Treussard Talks (E19)

    In this conversation, Vineer Bhansali—Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Harvard, former PIMCO portfolio manager, and founder of LongTail Alpha—and I explore why the tails of the distribution are where both some of the most misunderstood risks and opportunities reside. We connect the mechanics of options pricing, market structure changes, and risk management to the decisions that actually restore clarity and control for sophisticated investors. You'll hear us cover: Why diversification alone may not protect you when correlations converge (2022, Liberation Day 2025) The hidden dynamics driving call option mispricings in today's markets (passive flows, buybacks, gamma imbalances) How zero-DTE retail option trading can be rational—and what it reveals about wealth inequality Currency markets as early indicators of multi-decade macro realignment Volatility as a tradable asset class and why options are "on sale" for building portfolio resilience The ultra-marathon mindset: never get forced out of the game Why "the only thing worse than not having insurance is to think you do when you don't" (Bob Merton) Why this matters now: We're potentially exiting a 30-year regime of falling rates, low volatility, and credible central banking. In that new world, the strategies that worked—passive diversification, stocks-and-bonds—may not be enough. Bhansali offers a physicist's lens on probability distributions, market microstructure, and the practical tools for building portfolios that survive and compound through regime change. Disclaimer: The content of "Treussard Talks" is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. Stay Connected Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: Subscribe Learn more: treussard.com Book an intro call: scheduler.zoom.us/jonathan-treussard-ph-d/intro-call This podcast is for entertainment and education only. Nothing here is financial advice. Treussard Capital Management is a registered investment advisor. Please visit our website www.treussard.com for additional information and disclaimers.

    40 min

  5. JAN 21

    Passive Investing's Endgame and America's Hidden Precarity Crisis with Mike Green | Treussard Talks (E18)

    In this episode, I sit down with Mike Green—Chief Strategist at Simplify Asset Management and one of the most rigorous thinkers on market structure today. We start with Mike's journey from Wharton to small-cap value, through Canyon Partners during 2008, to correctly predicting the XIV collapse in 2018, and eventually co-founding Simplify where the firm now manages $12 billion across 30 strategies. From there, we dig into two slow-burning crises that most people are getting wrong: how passive investing is reshaping market mechanics in ways that can't be sustained, and how we've systematically mismeasured economic precarity over the last 60 years. These aren't separate stories—they're symptoms of the same problem: asking systems to do things they weren't designed to do. You'll hear us cover: ON PASSIVE INVESTING AND MARKET STRUCTURE: The critical flaw in Sharpe's 1991 "Arithmetic of Active Management": passive funds trade continuously as cash flows in and out, making them perpetually active systematic strategies How the Pension Protection Act of 2006 accidentally created a market where over 100% of marginal capital became "passive"—and why regulators couldn't act due to regulatory capture Over 50% passive by market cap in US equities, and the physics predict accelerating volatility Why contributions (tied to income) and withdrawals (tied to asset values) create an unstable dynamic The fundamental mistake: we changed markets from pricing capital to providing retirement security—incompatible objectives The seeds of its own destruction ON AMERICA'S HIDDEN PRECARITY CRISIS: How Mike stumbled onto the poverty line calculation and "felt sick" when he understood what it meant The 1963 origin: families spent 1/3 of budgets on food, so HHS tripled the USDA minimum food budget to define poverty—then locked that number in place That same food budget now represents 5-7% of household expenditures, not 33%—making the poverty line meaningless The real number: for a family of four in Caldwell, NJ, the inflation-adjusted equivalent isn't $32K—it's $140K The "valley of death": benefit cliffs where earning more makes you functionally poorer Why childcare became the single largest budget item for young families—and what disappeared when informal support networks collapsed What we've forgotten: capitalism requires redistribution for system sustainability and provisioning the next generation The connection to markets: when we can't afford crashes because retirement security depends on asset values, we've painted ourselves into a corner ON INTELLECTUAL HONESTY: Why taking time off with no risk on the table is essential for seeing systems clearly What Earl Thompson taught me at UCLA: don't trust the "intellectual cartel" Why Mike's analysis isn't left or right—it's about hard-coding numbers in 1963 and watching the world change around them THE BOTTOM LINE: Markets weren't designed to provide retirement security—they were designed to price capital. We've grafted a social insurance system onto a capital allocation mechanism, and both are breaking under the strain. Mike's work matters because he's doing what few others will: following the math wherever it leads, even when it's uncomfortable. This conversation is about understanding the actual rules of the game—not the ones we wish existed, but the ones that actually govern outcomes. If you want to understand why markets feel unstable and why economic anxiety persists despite "strong" headline numbers, this episode explains the mechanics. Disclaimer: The content of "Treussard Talks" is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. STAY CONNECTED: Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: https://wealth-empowered.beehiiv.com/ Learn more: treussard.com.

    1h 5m

  6. JAN 7

    Incentives, Investor Behavior, and AI with Devin Shanthikumar | Treussard Talks (E17)

    In this episode, I sit down with Devin Shanthikumar—faculty at the UC Irvine Merage School of Business and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies—to talk about how real-world market outcomes are shaped. We start with Devin’s path from UC Berkeley (engineering and computer science) to a PhD in finance at Stanford, and how the early-2000s dot-com boom and bust shaped the questions that became the foundation of their research. From there, we dig into what happens when smart people make painful investing mistakes—not because they lack intelligence, but because they don’t understand the incentives embedded in the financial system. We also zoom out to what AI means for the future of work and learning, and what that might imply for the next generation. You’ll hear us cover: Why Devin’s research became “behavioral finance” through a simple question: what mistakes are people making, and why? What individual investors often miss about sell-side analyst incentives. How analysts balance multiple audiences at once: institutional clients, individual investors, and the companies they cover (and the role that access plays). The “two tongues” idea: why analysts’ recommendations and earnings forecasts can reflect different constraints and objectives. What changes when investing commentary moves into more disintermediated, online spaces, including the risk of echo chambers. Devin’s working paper on financial blogs, and why engagement in comment threads can sometimes push people toward more moderate views. What Devin is studying now about AI’s impact on analyst research, including why analyst work is a powerful setting to study AI (clear, measurable outputs and outcomes). Early evidence on how AI can improve analyst performance: accuracy, speed of updating, and handling complex filings. A surprising finding: rather than forcing consensus, AI may enable analysts to be bolder, especially where human judgment matters most. How Devin approaches teaching and curriculum in the AI era, including the importance of foundational knowledge, critical thinking, and building real human community. A candid concern about the AI age: fewer entry-level roles, and what that means for the development ladder over time. Disclaimer: The content of “Treussard Talks” is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. Stay Connected Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: Subscribe Learn more: treussard.com

    36 min

  7. 12/10/2025

    Fifty Years Explaining Economics to America with Paul Solman | Treussard Talks (E16)

    Fifty years explaining economics to America with Paul Solman | Treussard Talks (E16) Paul Solman (PBS NewsHour, eight Emmys, five Peabodys) has spent half a century translating markets and economics for millions. But this conversation isn't about predictions or portfolios. It's about how to think when you can't know what's coming. The Three-Body Problem of Everything Paul frames it plainly: the U.S. economy is 330 million moving parts changing their minds constantly. Financial markets multiply that complexity exponentially. Trying to predict any of it with certainty? Impossible. But that's not surrender — it's realism. The alternative to prediction isn't paralysis. It's strategy. Paul walks through his framework: costs versus benefits, current and prospective, with full acknowledgment of uncertainty and unintended consequences. The Conversation Economics as decision-making. Why the transaction costs of worry matter as much as the financial costs of preparation. How Russian immigrant parents, family tragedy, and being a "pathological explainer" converged when nobody understood economics in 1973. Paul shares four practices he actually follows for staying sane when the world feels overwhelming — including why he doesn't watch TV news despite working in television for 50 years. We discuss the non-profit American Exchange Project, sending high school seniors to entirely different American communities. Why small acts of human kindness compound. Why there's more good in the world than bad. Why It Matters Financial media trains you to want certainty. But nobody actually knows what happens next. The sophistication isn't pretending otherwise — it's building strategies that work across multiple scenarios while maximizing what you get from every moment you're alive. The framework scales. The humility matters. The human connection isn't soft — it's foundational. This conversation won't forecast where markets end 2025 or 2026. It will show you how a legendary journalist thinks about life, decision-making, and what matters after 50 years explaining the inexplicable. Subscribe to the newsletter Wealth, Empowered at treussard.com This content is for informational and educational purposes only. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com.

    40 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    Tax Planning and Estate Governance with Frazer Rice | Treussard Talks (E15)

    Tax Planning and Estate Governance with Frazer Rice | Treussard Talks (E15) In this conversation, Frazer Rice—author of Wealth Actually—and I cover two distinct, if related, topics. First, what H.R. 1 really changes for high earners, business owners, and wealthy households. Second, what a holistic framework for estate planning and family governance looks like for ultra-high-net-worth families. You’ll hear us cover: Part I — H.R.1: what’s changed and how to plan What “permanent” really means in tax law and why policy drift still matters PTET: the workaround made durable and why it favors owners over W‑2 earners QBI/Section 199A: who qualifies now and the expanded income bandwidth QSBS/Section 1202: 3–5 year milestones, per‑issuer limits, and avoiding status “poisoning” Estate and gift exemption at $15M per person and practical implications Part II — A framework for UHNW estate planning and governance Start with a living balance sheet: assets, ownership, liquidity, and document inventory Governance over documents: roles, backups, and why “oldest sibling as trustee” often fails Pre‑mortems and disaster recovery: the first 14–30 days playbook after a major event Coordinating income tax, capital gains, and estate tax across states with diverging regimes Culture, values, and communication so wealth supports purpose rather than conflict Why this matters: We cover H.R.1's tax provisions because you need to understand the rules. But if you think tax optimization is the hard part of estate planning, you may be optimizing the wrong variable. Frazer Rice has spent years working with ultra-high-net-worth families. His observation: wealth gets destroyed more often by family dysfunction, bad governance, and institutional knowledge gaps than by tax inefficiency. So yes, we decode PTET, QBI, QSBS, and estate exemptions. You'll understand what changed and who benefits. But we spend equal time on what matters even more for the long run: building governance structures that work under stress, staffing roles with the right people (not just the oldest sibling), and creating disaster recovery playbooks so a family crisis doesn't become a catastrophe. Disclaimer: The content of “Treussard Talks” is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclosures, visit treussard.com. Stay Connected Newsletter — Wealth, Empowered: Subscribe Learn more: treussard.com

    34 min
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4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to ”Treussard Talks,” where we cut through the complexity of wealth management to reveal what really matters in building and preserving your financial legacy. As a former partner at a $150B global asset manager and Founder of Treussard Capital Management, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the investment industry often prioritizes complexity over clarity. This podcast aims to change that narrative. Each episode, we’ll dive deep into the questions that sophisticated investors should be asking but often don’t. From demystifying investment strategies to exploring the psychological aspects of wealth management, we’ll provide you with actionable insights that go beyond traditional financial advice. Whether you’re navigating market uncertainties, seeking to align your wealth with your values, or looking to build a lasting legacy, this podcast offers the clarity and perspective you need to make informed decisions. Join me as we explore the intersection of wealth, purpose, and strategic thinking. Because understanding your wealth shouldn’t be as complex as building it. DISCLAIMER: The content of ”Treussard Talks” is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. The views expressed are those of Jonathan Treussard and his guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Treussard Capital Management or its affiliates. Listeners should consult with their own financial advisors before making any investment decisions.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Treussard, Ph.D.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Treussard Talks.

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