146: Chris MacIntosh, founder of Capitalist Exploits

Chris grew up in South Africa in a family of modest means, but he was fortunate enough to attend a school of mostly middle-to-upper class students. So he knew what wealth looked like, and he knew he wanted it for himself. And from a young age, he prioritized savings and growing wealth.

Upon graduating high school, Chris went to London where he worked by day and took classes by night. He abandoned his John Grisham-inspired dreams of being a lawyer for making money in the financial sector. He advanced quickly but was eventually told by his supervisor that he didn’t belong in the corporate world. He was too curious and independent.

In my interview with Chris, he shares how he made (and then lost) his first fortune and how the valuable lessons he learned from that ordeal still serve him today. Chris’s path took him to real estate investment, growing and selling a venture capital firm, and finally to founding Capitalist Exploits, which helps investors capitalize on asymmetries.

A theme that can be traced throughout Chris’s journey is his ability to see global, macro trends (he predicted Brexit) and act accordingly. His commentary on the emergence of “strongmen” political figures and why he expects the next global financial crisis to play out differently from the last one make for a fascinating discussion.

In today’s episode you’ll learn:

• How Chris’s background set him up for wanting financial security
• Why he left South Africa for Londer right after high school
• About the all-in oil trade that Chris hit just right…and then lost it all
• Why Chris was told he wasn’t a good fit for the corporate world
• About Chris’s stints in real estate investing and venture capital
• Why Chris’s global insights are best suited for long-term investing
• About Chris’s “strongman” observations and why he expects the next big financial crisis to play out differently than the last
• Why Chris advises that you send your kids to college in Asia