Love the show though

Aptly named because the term “animal spirits” has long been used to describe the psychological and emotional factors that influence investors during high levels of volatility in the markets.

This is a perfect way to describe the content that Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson bring to light on their show. I have learned more in 6 months listening to this show than I did in the 6 years prior. No surprise considering it was recommended to me by an acquaintance whose job title is Certified Financial Planner.

These are the investment advisors that your investment advisors listen to. Need I say more? No. But I like to hear myself talk so I’ll add just a few more words.

Both of the hosts are Certified Financial Analysts and hold positions at a well-regarded wealth management firm. They’re young too so you can be sure they aren’t giving you outdated advice while not being so young that they haven’t seen enough boom and bust cycles to know what to do during them.

Between the sarcasm of Ben and the high-speed rebuttals by Michael, these guys are the perfect duo to break down complex financial ideas. I’d say you should be financially literate to understand the concepts they discuss, but even if you aren’t, they make sure you’ll walk away with the right data and the right perspective on topics ranging from homeownership to inflation and even portfolio comparisons with specific examples.

Another reason this is my favorite podcast is that both of these guys author and update their own financial commentary websites. Highly recommend that in addition to listening to their show, you also subscribe to their newsletters. They put out timely content with relevant ideas and the data to back them up.

Finally, and most importantly, they don’t pretend to have all the answers. Sometimes knowing that even the professionals don’t have a good answer helps the most. It’s so refreshing in a world where everyone is trying to sell you something.