Look
The odds are against you
This chart serves as a valuable reminder that long-term investors cannot avoid market corrections. There is a 100% probability that you will experience big drops (sometimes more than 20%) over 15 years. Importantly, this doesn’t mean you should avoid investing! It just means you need to know what you’ve signed up for. Ups and downs should be expected as it’s the price we pay for long-term growth.
To give yourself the best chance of success, you need to stay invested, be patient, and let time take its course.
Source: PortfolioMetrix
Listen
Finding beauty in things that are imperfect.
Simon Sinek is a master storyteller, and I thoroughly enjoyed his recent discussion with Steven Bartlett on The Diary of A CEO podcast.
Wabi Sabi is a Japanese concept that emphasises finding beauty in imperfect things. Imagine a cracked ceramic bowl, repaired with gold (a technique called kintsugi). Instead of hiding the crack, the gold highlights it, embracing its flaws as part of the story, not something to be fixed or erased. Sinek warns that in an AI-driven world, where we are racing toward machine-like perfection, we risk forgetting the value of being human. There is something beautiful about messy, emotional and flawed humans. It's authentic, and we need it more, not less.
Learn
The bank of Mom and Dad
Eliza Filby’s Inheritocracy argues that it’s often not what we earn or learn, but what we inherit, that shapes our future. This book is a memoir blended with research and cultural analysis. Filby examines how support from the “Bank of Mum and Dad” influences various aspects of life, including education, first homes, dating, career paths, and even identity.
With trillions expected to pass between generations soon, she challenges the notion that merit alone leads to opportunity and opens a candid conversation about privilege, inequality, and the psychological complexities of family wealth.
As a South African, I found some aspects of the book particularly relevant to the UK and its challenges and therefore couldn’t always relate to them. However, I found it to be a thought-provoking read for anyone grappling with the realities of receiving or giving an inheritance. I plan to write about this topic in more detail soon.
Ponder
In this section, I invite you to think about a question I may pose or a thought I may share.
You become what you scroll.
Oenophilia
“Oenophilia simply refers to enjoying wine, often by laymen.”
This month, I’m delighted to share something a little more personal. “Nikela” is a wine from the Walker family farm. Our very own Hayley Walker grew up on this beautiful piece of land, and her family continues to produce outstanding wines there to this day. It’s not just a bottle of wine, it’s a glimpse into Hayley’s roots, story and family legacy. This is a small, family-run farm where care is taken in every harvest, and wines are aged to perfection before being released. The capping, labelling, and packaging are all done by hand.
The 2011 vintage Nikela is a beautifully aged Cape Blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, and Roobernet. The inclusion of Pinotage earns it the Cape Blend designation. Barrel-matured with smooth tannins, it reveals layered flavours of red berries, mint, and mocha. This versatile wine pairs well with a range of hearty dishes, from seared tuna to slow-roasted lamb and ratatouille.
“Nikela” (pronounced “Ni-ghê-la”) is a Nguni word meaning “to offer a gift or tribute”, a heartfelt nod to winemaker Jeremy Walker’s late parents, Eddie and Betty, who helped establish Grangehurst.
Stay curious,
Elke Zeki