What I like about Finance

Hi All,

TLDR: I'm staying in finance. To quote a WSO degen: "BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM" - That one guy who's the next Jamie Dimon.

This might be a strange post, but as I have been working over these past few months, I realize that I enjoy my work and my job. I get paid literally thrice as the rest of my family to literally give out opinions about things and affect billions of dollars (though marginally, but hey if my deck is the reason someone buys a company, I'm proud of myself).

I like to think of finance (as cheesy and repetitive as this statement is) as chess. Everything you learn, the models, the ppts, all of it are simply pieces to a larger result. And whether that be the operation and exit of companies, lending to companies, or the sale of companies, it all just meshes very nicely, and strategies and tactics are formed based on the initial pieces of the puzzle. (Ex. Structuring New Debt Covenants to refi a stressed co that is about to breach).
Whenever I hear someone say, "It's repetitive" or "There isn't a lot of math involved", I feel like they are neglecting the entire board, saying "Pawn's move up and take diagonal". You’re going up against GM’s with an Elo of 900, you really think that your MD is going to give you the pen over the entire transaction?

Pawn structure is incredibly important, but its a structure developed over time. It is adjusted every game you play. One model isn't going to change the world, but the development of several, adding complexities, and then being able to add upon your previous experiences is what makes a great MD a great MD.

The difference between a good player and a great one is their ability to put the several pieces together and think about the entire board several steps ahead. Pattern recognition and being familiar with the successful tactics of each situation is what is developed over years of doing the same thing repeatedly. Sure, it isn't for everyone, just like chess, but it would be lame to just think of things as one move and done. If you came into the industry because of target clout and this isn’t for you, you'll get a phenomenal base to jump to whatever you want to do after. Do it and don't look back.

Seriously you created nonprofits to save orca’s as a 16 year old and now you’re at Goldman? The company’s nickname is literally the Vampire Squid. (Many of my comments are about my disdain for Goldman. Icahn or Elliot needs to Activist the shit out of them, how do you destroy both your IB division and your Asset Management division AND invest into a super oversaturated retail business by partnering with Apple, losing an immediate 2bn during a recession. Sol needs to stick with DJ’ing.)

For the PE heads that like investing, all that means is that you’re playing black not white. Theres a big difference between the English and the Sicilian opening even though they’re basically the same. You will see the same transaction, but from the opposite side of things, and how you move against your counterparties will provide a different mindset towards the same attacks. If you fucking hate chess, playing either side is.. still playing chess. It won’t magically become checkers because you dream hard enough. Save. Your. Orcas.

And hey, most people give up on being the next Bobby Fisher, but you will continue to have the mindset long after you stop. That’s what I like. Maybe I’m not burned out quite yet and I still have starry eyes envisioning a future for myself. But I just love this stuff; I also like that one jerk chicken food truck outside Blackstone in midtown. Fire.