Why

Random Ape here. Thanks to my (conservative) upbringing, I have saved up enough selling soap and soup. Built a decent capital base. And have been deploying this capital for Years.

It’s hard for me to trust others. In general. And with my money? Nope. I believe if I were to lose money, I’d do it myself than see it being lost by someone else on my behalf! At least I can confront the person on a daily basis. Weird logic. I know. Works for me, friend.

I started ‘investing’ way back in 2009. I did everything an ambitious, yet naive Ape would do to lose money. Stocks, commodities, stock options, commodity options, forex, intra day bets - you name it, and I’ve dabbled in it. On weekends, I’d read / watch videos about Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger. On weekdays, I’d gamble and make senseless trades. BTW, I realise most Apes are like this. Investors over weekends. Traders over weekdays. Not your fault, friend. Life’s like that.

I’ve seen the very companies I invested in go down. I’ve also seen my ‘sure bet’ options lose value faster than expiring bread. I’ve seen one of my stock positions lose 95% of its value, and then seen it recover to a point of 6X return - all in a period of 15 months.

Long story short, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve made many mistakes. As an outsider to the world of finance. I’ve grown a little wiser (from all the mistakes made) over the years. And have made way more than I lost.

Today, I manage a portfolio >1 M$. No loans or leverage. No investors. No advisors. Just me, my cash, and my screens. Strategy: Undervalued stocks only. Limited downside. Huge upside (assuming my thesis is right, haha). I buy low, sell high. Time horizon could vary from Weeks to Years. Nothing pre-set. Predominantly US stocks. But if I find something interesting in other markets, I jump in occasionally.

I also believe in the power of decentralisation and the promise of blockchain technology, and how it matters more than ever in a world where centralisation (and its related ills) is more evident than ever. So, while this may turn some of you off, (I don’t care) I do have Crypto holdings. I HODL and I provide liquidity (you don’t need to know what each of these means, it’s OK).

Also, I’m a born contrarion. I’m wired to go against the crowd. Against the flow. I can’t explain why. I usually have an independent viewpoint, however unpopular. While this trait doesn’t help me make a lot of friends (most people look for validation rather than the truth), it does help me allocate capital to opportunities that aren’t obvious to most folks. And aren’t usually covered in mainstream media.

Finally, I believe in lifelong learning and educating oneself. That’s the best investment of all. And a big reason behind Why I started ApeCraft.

Well, now that all the values and beliefs stuff is out of the way, let’s come to the point. Shall we?

Over the years, friends and colleagues have asked me for ‘hot tips’. I refrain from answering. Why? Talk is cheap. And comes with no skin in the game.

So, I’ve decided to share my (mostly unpopular) opinions and beliefs, and even more important, my Actions with you. I’ll share regularly what I believe. But here’s the kicker: I’ll also share what I’m buying, what I’m holding, what I sold. Facts. With my rationale/reasoning. Sometimes, I may not provide any coz I’m too lazy to write it all out for you. Deal with it, anon. I’ll also share general tips about avoiding financial mistakes here and there. Answer queries (the more passionate of) you may have along the way.

Word of caution: my sharing methods may come across as unique. You can be certain it’s not financial financial advice. Why? I may occasionally share proof of my holdings, or I may not. I may post a meme that you may take days to decipher. Or, I may share an idea in a way you won’t know if I’m serious or kidding. Or maybe some jokes would offend you? Well, Sir/Madam - this is a newsletter. You can ignore it, and put your faith in that financial advisor that spam calls you and sounds more legit. How do I care?

My only promise to you: I’ll try to educate and entertain. Might as well share a few laughs while getting screwed by Mr. Market, eh?!

I’ll share ideas I sincerely believe in and have thoroughly researched (well, my own money on the line!). And actioning anyway in my portfolio allocations. Regardless of whether you, Anon, think it’s a joke and would rather trust ‘well informed’ professionals than a random ape on the internet.

Choice is yours, friend. Choice is yours.

Anonymously Yours,

S4Y