We just wrapped up our latest series of webinars we call our “Fireside Conversations”, and once again, we had tremendous participation and response. In this latest series, we continued with the theme of being on the brink of a new era of investing and wealth planning, stemming from a ,Special Report we wrote in 2020. Topics covered included investment themes for this “new era”, investment opportunities beyond the traditional asset classes, and practical considerations for “Plan B”, or contingency planning, strategies.

If you know the BFI Capital Group, you know that every year, we try to arrange conferences or get-togethers in geographic areas where we have many existing clients in order to meet personally with as many people as possible.

Obviously, Covid had other ideas in 2020, so we resorted to webinars as a way to keep at least a live, visual contact. The first series of the “Fireside Conversations”, which included 4 webinars, ran from October – December 2020, and now the latest ran from April – May 2021.

Our “Fireside Conversations” were derived from the “Fireside Chats” that Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, made famous and held between 1933 and 1944. Those “chats” were a series of radio addresses where Roosevelt tried to calmly address a stressed nation recovering from the Great Depression, educating the public on his New Deal initiatives, and ultimately providing updates on the course of the 2nd World War, amongst other topics.

President Roosevelt used the media platform of the time, radio, to remain “visible” to the US population. We certainly don't want to compare ourselves to Roosevelt, but for us, the concept was very interesting, and the goals were similar: to give our clients, prospects, partners, other friends and contacts a way to see that despite Covid, our efforts to stay in touch, to share our thoughts and insights and to protect their wealth would not stop.

Our Fireside Conversations were born out of a Special Report we wrote in September 2020 titled, “,On the Brink of a New Era – Are You Prepared?”. At the time, we stood on the brink of the new decade, looking at new and unprecedented economic, political, technological and social challenges that were clearly on the horizon. There were many new risks to think of, and the Report set out to highlight what we felt needed to be considered and how to react.

The first series of Conversations was directly correlated to the Special Report, whereas the second series came out of the main interests and input we received from our attendees.

Here’s a rundown of the titles of each of the Conversations, as well as a brief description of what was covered. You’ll also find the relevant links to access the recordings of each Conversation at the end of this Post:

1st Series, October-December, 2020

,Fireside Conversation I: A Difficult and Uncertain Recovery

Special guest, Mr. Felix Zulauf, joined the panel to discuss how quickly the economy would recover, the disconnect that grew between the markets and the real economy, and the trends and factors that we saw as driving forces impacting your wealth planning moving into 2021 and beyond.

,Fireside Conversation II: Facing the Consequences of Excessive Debt

A thorough review of the different tools and methods governments could use theoretically to try to reduce debt, and the most probable measures they will likely employ: financial repression and inflation.

,Fireside Conversation III: Special Risk Patterns Faced by Americans and Available Offshore Wealth Protection Measures to Manage Those Risks

Americans with substantial wealth are subject to unique threats that are closing in quickly. An in-depth discussion followed on the risk management measures that Americans in particular need to consider and understand.

,Fireside Conversation IV: New Era Implications for Investments and Asset Allocation

While the economic and political outlook for 2021 looked dire, investing had been profitable for those that had properly prepared themselves. We discussed what was coming down the road in 2021, and the strategic approach, including specific investment themes, needed to navigate the “new era”.

2nd Series, April and May, 2021

,Fireside Conversation V: The Future is Sooner Than You Think – Investment Themes for the ‘New Era’

We find ourselves at an important juncture in time, where new technologies and innovations are changing our lives on many levels, and faster than ever. But the specific challenges and opportunities that arise from this shift are difficult to understand and interpret. So in this Conversation, we discussed the marriage between the new technologies and the relevant investment themes.

,Fireside Conversation VI: Time for ‘Real’ and ‘Digital’ Assets – Investment Opportunities Beyond Traditional Asset Classes

Entering this new era of investing, conventional asset allocation principles and asset classes may not provide the same levels of safety - and profits - that they delivered in the past. What alternatives need to be considered, how to invest in them, and the similarities/differences of gold and bitcoin are discussed.

,Fireside Conversation VII: Getting Out of Dodge – Options and Practical Considerations of Plan B Strategies for Americans

“Big Brother” is back and he’s threatening individual rights and the rule of law. Consideration of the risks and alternatives available, particularly for Americans, is now more important than ever. The different options for jurisdictional diversification of investments, second passports and residences, and the countries to be considered for those are put under the microscope.

For more information on each Series of Fireside Conversations, as well as to access the recordings of each, click on the following:

,1st Series, October-December, 2020

,2nd Series, April and May, 2021

If you are interested in being the first to hear about our next series of Fireside Conversations, be sure to write us an email at ,info@bficapital.com, and ask us to add you to our Fireside list!