#56 The Sculptor - Jonathan Tepper on 16 Stock Portfolios, Moats & Buying Oligopolies
About this episode
Jonathan Tepper discusses his investment journey, the importance of curiosity, and his approach to selecting stocks.
The title “The Sculptor” is a play on a quote “every man can be the sculptor of his own mind”, as Jonathan Tepper is uniquely self-educated. Brought up in the slums of San Blas in Madrid, partly home-schooled, he made it to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. Tepper is a relentless learner, endlessly curious and in love with investing – as he sees it, you never stop learning and every day is an opportunity to learn. In this episode we discuss his childhood, as recounted in his new book Shooting Up; how curiosity and a desire to learn can transform your opportunity set; and we trace his investment journey, from a start as a junior analyst at Steve Cohen’s firm, through building a highly successful sellside research company to setting up his investment firm Prevatt Capital. He explains why he holds just 16 idiosyncratic stocks and what he looks for in a successful investment. Tepper has had a fascinating journey and has achieved more in just over 40 years than many do in a life of investing – his is a wonderful story. Behind the Balance Sheet is a forensic accounting and fundamental investing podcast for serious investors. Each episode dives into how real‑world investors source ideas…
People in this episode
Host: Stephen Clapham
Guest: Jonathan Tepper
Topics covered
- investment strategies
- personal development
- stock analysis
- curiosity in investing
- portfolio management
- successful investing
Keywords
- investing
- stock portfolios
- moats
- oligopolies
- curiosity
- forensic accounting
- fundamental investing
- investment firm
- sellside research
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Prevatt Capital, Steve Cohen’s firm
Books & works: Shooting Up
Places: Oxford, San Blas
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