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Best In Wealth PodcastWe THINK DIFFERENTLY about wealth and investing. (You should, too.) Author: Scott Wellens
This is the best in Wealth podcast A show for successful family stewards who want real answers about Retirement and investing so we can feel secure about our familys future. Scott's mission is simple: to help other family stewards build and maintain their family fortress. A family steward is someone that feels family is the most important thing. You go to your job every day for your family. You watch over your family, you make sacrifices for your family, you protect your family. I work with family stewards because I am one; I have become an expert in the unique wealth challenges family stewards face. Scott Wellens is the founder of Fortress Planning Group - an independent, fee-only, registered investment advisory firm. Fortress Planning Group is dedicated to coaching clients toward a holistic view of wealth and family stewardship. Scott is a certified financial planner, a fiduciary and has been quoted in the industrys leading websites including Forbes, Business Insider and Yahoo Finance. Scott is also a Dave Ramsey Smartvestor Pro in the greater Milwaukee and Madison areas. Language: en Genres: Business, Investing, Kids & Family, Parenting Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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How Data, Discipline, and Human Ingenuity Shape Long-Term Wealth, Ep #267
Episode 267
Friday, 13 March, 2026
In a world where gut instinct once ruled the day—from football coaches making pivotal fourth-down decisions to investors choosing their next stock pick—a revolution has reshaped the landscape: reliable data and analytics. Drawing inspiration from the principles behind the film Moneyball and a recent article by David Booth on 3 Lessons from Investing’s Moneyball Moment in Fortune magazine, I break down what a century of US stock market history reveals for everyday investors. Lesson 1. Insiders Aren’t Smarter Than Outsiders One of the key insights unearthed from this century’s worth of data is simple but profound: experts, or “insiders,” do not consistently outperform the market. Early research using the University of Chicago’s Center for Research on Security Prices (CRSP) data found that, on average, mutual funds and clever stock pickers failed to beat the simple strategy of buying and holding a diversified market portfolio. This led to the explosion of index funds, notably pioneered by Vanguard and enabled by firms like Dimensional. Now, anyone, not just Wall Street professionals, can own broad, low-cost portfolios and harness the long-term growth of the entire market rather than trying (and in most cases, failing) to outsmart it. Lesson 2. Bet on Human Ingenuity Human creativity and progress power the market’s reliable returns over the decades. Companies go public to raise money, which they funnel into improving their products and expanding their reach. Every day, millions of people at thousands of companies are seeking better ways to serve their customers and grow profits. When you invest in the stock market, you are ultimately betting on people’s ability to innovate and adapt to a changing world. This century-long experiment in collective growth has consistently delivered average returns of around 10% per year, a number that has survived wars, recessions, inflation spikes, and bubbles. Lesson 3. Investor Behavior Is Key If reams of data tell us anything, it is this: reliable, long-term returns belong to disciplined investors. The journey is never smooth—market downturns feel chaotic and alarming in the moment. Yet, $1,000 invested in 1926 would have grown to over $17 million by 2025, despite wars, crashes, and global crises. Most investors who stuck with the market over any 10- or 20-year span came out ahead. Stay disciplined, trust the data, and know that while the challenges may look different, the power of long-term, patient investing is timeless. Outline of This Episode [00:00] 100 years of market insights[03:14] Football transformed by data analytics[07:32] Moneyball, markets, and data[11:06] Insiders vs. outsiders on stocks[16:17] Human ingenuity in investing[17:26] Investing discipline drives long-term success Resources Mentioned Moneyball Synopsis 3 lessons from investing’s moneyball moment in Fortune University of Chicago’s Center for Research on Security Prices (CRSP) Connect With Scott Wellens Schedule a discovery call with ScottSend a message to ScottVisit Fortress Planning GroupConnect with Scott on LinkedInFollow Scott on TwitterFortress Planning Group on Facebook Subscribe to Best In Wealth Audio Production and Show Notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com Podcast Disclaimer: The Best In Wealth Podcast is hosted by Scott Wellens. Scott Wellens is the principal at Fortress Planning Group. Fortress Planning Group is a registered investment advisory firm regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance and compliance with securities laws and regulations. Fortress Planning Group does not render or offer to render personalized investment or tax advice through the Best In Wealth Podcast. The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, investment or legal advice.
