About

About Graham's Apprentice

Hello and welcome to Graham's Apprentice, a value investing blog.  The aim of this blog is to explore and assess the investing philosophies and methodologies as taught by the father of value investing, Benjamin Graham, in his definitive book, The Intelligent Investor.  I discuss this in more detail in the blog's first post.

In this blog I follow Mr. Graham's prescription for value investing to the absolute best of my ability and knowledge.  I will openly share all details about this odyssey, up to and including the stock portfolio I construct and manage.  In order to gain a 360 degree perspective on the emotional roller coaster that is investing in capital markets, I will be investing real dollars in the actual stock market.  In the mean time, this blog will serve as a real-time diary of my experiences, analyses, and emotions.

For me, the blog's primary purpose is to serve as a journal of my studies.  Its secondary purpose is make money.  My hypothesis on value investing is that it is an effective and profitable strategy for investing, however for most normal people with a "normal" amount of investable assets, the time and effort required to properly operate the strategy does not sufficiently compensate the would-be investor for the returns he might generate.

About Me

My name is James Marcin.  As of the launch of Graham's Apprentice, I am a 29 years old.  I graduated from the University of Michigan with a BS and MS in biomedical engineering.  I also hold an MBA from The Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine.  Other than being a student, I have also been an IT consultant for Accenture, an Associate Producer for Blizzard Entertainment, and a summer intern for PIMCO.  My LinkedIn profile provides a more detailed overview of my academic and professional experience.

During the day, I am a Manager of Strategic Finance and Operations for the pro audio equipment manufacturer, QSC Audio Products.  In the early morning, I am a CrossFit fanatic.  In the evenings, I am a doting fiance and dog lover.  In all the between time, of which there is little, I strive to be a blogger and a continuously learning master of my wealth, of which there is also little.

I currently reside in Orange County, California.

The Worst Investment I've Ever Made

I bought a condominium apartment in Michigan in 2006, at the absolute top of the market.  The value of the property is down at least 75% since I purchased it.  I still own and pay the mortgage on the unit.  To date, it is still very much upside down.

The Best Investment I've Ever Made

I began my full-time MBA program at UC Irvine in 2009.  I reluctantly decided to attend business school as a Hail Mary attempt to change course and find a modicum of happiness in my life, which had been all but derailed by sour professional experiences and a disappointing career path.
Going back to school has already paid dividends more meaningful to me than any financial reward could ever be.  Not to worry, however.  I also make a very satisfactory wage.