HUNGRY?

“As TD gained traction and then was taken public, some of us began rethinking our investment model. Moral of the story: Wall Street is not a monolithic, static institution; it is constantly changing. There are many ways to skin the cat and, with a little homework, investors can find one that works for them.”

Morgan advocates for investors being masters of their own financial destinies.

“Part of my passion for educating the public about investing comes from my frustration with Wall Street and media acolytes proselytizing about the way the market should be operating. They see it as an analytical machine, when in reality it is an emotional organism. When you understand how the market and indexes work, you can manage your own account and achieve in a manner both effective and cost-efficient.

“My whole mission is to inform people that there is an alternative.”

Morgan doesn’t see another homegrown Buffett or Ricketts taking up the Wall Street West torch. Even those titans are nearing the end of their runs.

“Buffett’s moved away from buying stock in companies to buying whole companies and taking them private. When Warren passes to ‘the big board room in the sky,’ Berkshire Hathaway as a business will continue as it has for the past decade. What will be gone is the cult-like atmosphere that has grown up around Warren’s personality.”

Now retired, Ricketts has seen TD Ameritrade and Schwab merge. Morgan rated it “a very good move for the individual investor who fits the Wall Street West model of wanting to manage assets themselves.”

“The merger accomplishes two things: TD brings to the table state-of-the-art technology, and Schwab [brings] the name recognition and existing distribution system.”

Morgan is writing a new book about the two Wall Streets. He hopes to host an investment podcast before he also transitions to ‘the big boardroom in the sky.’

For more information, visit George@ morganinvestoreducation.com.

“WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE VIRTUALLY, AND YOU CAN’T SEE WHAT THEY’RE DOING, YOU SET UP PROCESSES THAT THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT OWNS. YOU DON’T MICROMANAGE THEM; THEY REALLY OWN THE RESULTS THAT THEY PRODUCE.”

-ANGELA SCHROEDER

FEATURE | STORY BY DWAIN HEBDA PHOTOS BY BILL SITZMANN