Investing and my New Smart Phone (Bradley)

by Tom Bradley, Steadyhand Investment Funds

I recently got a new Blackberry Z10. I’m having a lot of fun with it, although it’s been a steep learning curve given that my previous phone was a three year old antique.

A combination of the phone and the constant barrage of articles about Twitter, Facebook, Windows 8, Netflix, YouTube, Vine, Tumblr, Optic, WhatsApp, Reddit, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Angry Birds, Google+, Instagram, Kickstarter, Tedx, Skype, Pandora, Grooveshark and wimp.com made me think how different the technology/social media industry is compared to what we do.

Technology is all about speed, short product cycles and staying ahead of the curve. Investing is also about anticipating what’s ahead, but the kind of investing we do is slow and contemplative. Reacting to short-term news and trying to outfox the market is a recipe for disaster. As for product cycles, well ... we’ve only had one new fund in 6 years and it was a combination of the existing funds (a line extension at least?).

Technology is about throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks. In a modest way, we do that too – Twitter, Facebook and the blog are our laboratories – but on the investment side, we’re totally buttoned down. Our fund managers are making decisions in the context of a defined philosophy and disciplined process.

In the tech world, if a product or app doesn’t catch on immediately, it’s changed or dropped. In investing, patience is rewarded. You don’t know when undervalued securities are going to be discovered or strategies will play out. If the thesis is still in tack, then you have to wait, and sometimes wait and wait and wait.

In a world that’s getting more short term by the minute (according to tech guru Mary Meeker, people reach for their smart phone 150 times a day on average), it’s paramount that investors keep their time horizon as far in the distance as possible. Short-termism, rapid change and volatility can be an investor’s friend if she/he is disciplined and patient enough to wait for the opportunities.

In the meantime, while I’m waiting, I’m going to strut my stuff with my new Z10. I should be current for at least another couple of weeks.