Growing up, money was a source of stress in my family. We weren’t poor, but there never seemed to be enough of it. It was like a cloud that hung over us.
I decided from an early age that someday I would change that.
Mum and Dad were givers, not savers. They were workers, not investors.
I was determined to prove to my parents that their sacrifices were worth it – to show them I appreciated what they had done for me and to make money problems a thing of the past.
Today, I am grateful to say I’m on my way to achieving that goal. It’s a journey, but each year brings me closer.
And along the way, I fell in love with investing.
Like most I was first lured by the money, but soon became completely fascinated. The competition of the stock market, the influences of human emotion, the numbers…
Before long, I discovered the wisdom of legendary investors Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett. Their thinking introduced me to the game-changing concept of value investing.
It would become the core of my entire philosophy.
Value investing is simple, but it’s not easy. It requires the strength and conviction to back yourself, often as a lone voice, resisting the frantic posturing of the crowd to preserve sound judgement.
In a market environment where constant activity is the norm, I found that searching and patiently waiting for value gives you a long-term competitive edge.
The longer I spent in the industry, the more disillusioned I became with the institutionalised greed and misalignment of interests. Time and time again, I saw clients losing and banks winning. Pressures to maximise shareholder value came first, and client success second.
I firmly believe that the best return on investment is in genuinely helping others. I wanted to build an investment firm based on my own principles, one that put clients first and was small enough to provide the level of service I wanted to offer. Most importantly, our firm was to be independent of external pressures and conflicts of interest.
That is why I founded Lugarno Partners.
Welcome to the firm, where we turn earners into investors like I promised my parents I would. Welcome to Lugarno Partners.
To buy when others are despondently selling and to sell when others are avidly buying requires the greatest fortitude and pays the greatest ultimate rewards.
— Sir John Templeton