This $1B Firm Specializes In Alternative Investments - Should You?

Guest Axel Merk President and Chief Investment Officer of Merk Investments With Over $2.5B AUMAUM: $2.5BCompany: Merk InvestmentsWebsite: https://www.merkinvestments.com/Tickers: OUNZ / ASABio:Axel Merk is the Founder, President, and Chief Investment Officer of Merk Investments, a leading investment advisory firm managing over $2 billion, with a focus on gold and precious metals. With a B.A. and M.Sc. from Brown University, Axel brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the financial industry.Known for his proactive approach, Axel believes in taking action, whether in markets or life. His leadership extends beyond finance, as he actively participates in community service, including serving on the Board Committee for the Dancers Repertory Theatre.Axel's commitment to using his skills and resources for the greater good makes him a dynamic and inspiring figure in both investment and community circles.

Guest: Oktay Kavrak, Director of Comms and Strategy at Leverage Shares & IncomeSharesCompany: Leverage Shares ETPsWebsite: www.leverageshares.com / www.incomeshares.com AUM: ~$2 Billion Bio:Oktay Kavrak is the Director of Communications & Strategy at Leverage Shares, the pioneer in single-stock ETPs, and IncomeShares, Europe’s first options-based income ETPs on single stocks, indices, and commodities. He has been instrumental in bringing some of the most popular products to the London Stock Exchange, including the most traded ETP for three consecutive years.A CFA Charterholder, Oktay has built his career across banking, fund administration, and product strategy before taking on his current leadership role in the ETF industry. He has been quoted in Bloomberg, the Financial Times, CNN, and ETF Stream, and has appeared on CNBC, Benzinga, and others.Known for making complex financial products easy to understand, Oktay has built a following of more than 30,000 investors and professionals by sharing digestible, data-driven content across social media. When he’s not deep in markets, he reminds himself - and his audience - that life is too short to overthink the petty things.Disclaimer:The views expressed in this interview are Oktay’s own and not necessarily those of Leverage Shares. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Always do your own research.

Alan StraussSenior Partner, Director of Investor Relations at Crystal Capital Partners with $1B in assetsWebsitehttps://www.crystalfunds.com/BioAlan has been with the firm since 2009. During that time, he has helped lead the firm’s investor relations department and continues to focus on client relations, sales, and marketing initiatives. He earned both his M.S.Ed. in Sport Administration and his B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish from the University of Miami.Crystal has over $1bn of AUM on its platform

This $3B Money Management Firm Shares Timeless Lessons & Takes A Holistic Approach To Investing GuestDaria Victorov – Financial Advisor and Partner atAbacus Wealth Partners with approximately $3B in AUMWebsite: https://abacuswealth.com/ BioDaria graduated from Virginia Tech's CFP undergraduate education program. Shortly after graduating she relocated to the Bay Area and worked for a small RIA in Silicon Valley. There she kick started her career working primarily with young professionals in tech. After a year the company merged with another RIA where she gained experience working with a transcontinental team and focusing on transitioning clients to the new firm.In 2016 she moved to Abacus Wealth Partners where she is now a relationship manager and partner. Abacus is a national RIA that serves ~1,600 households. She has been on FPA Silicon Valley's board of directors and the NorCal committee. Currently she is involved with NAPFA's DEI committee. In 2018 she was named one of Financial Advisor's 10 Young Advisors to Watch. Lastly, in 2024 she was named one of InvestmentNews' Rising Star recipients.Disclaimer:Abacus Wealth Partners, LLC (‘Abacus’) is an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the SEC nor does it indicate that Abacus has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This material prepared by Abacus is for informational purposes only and is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. Abacus’ website and its associated links offer news, commentary, and generalized research. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. It is not intended to serve as personalized tax, legal, and/or investment advice since the availability and effectiveness of any strategy is dependent upon your individual facts and circumstances. Abacus is not a legal or accounting firm. Please consult with your tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific tax or legal situation when determining if any of the mentioned strategies are right for you. Nothing on this website should be interpreted to state or imply that past performance is an indication of future performance. All investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.

Name: Tom HulickTitle: CEO – Strategy Asset ManagersAUM: $850MWebsite: https://strategyassetmanagers.com/Bio: Tom Hulick is CEO, CCO and Managing Partner of Strategy Asset Managers. He is the founding partner of Hulick Capital Management, LLC ─ the parent company of both Strategy Asset Managers and Holly Street Wealth Advisors. Mr. Hulick has worked for 25 years as a senior wealth advisor and investment manager for some of the largest financial and investment firms in the world.He is an active member of the Tulane University Fund Advisory Board and serves on the board of the WildlifeNOW ─ Tony Fitzjohn / George Adamson African Wildlife Preservation Trust. Mr. Hulick previously served on the advisory board of the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, California and the Neighborhood Youth Association, serving underprivileged youth in Los Angeles, CA. He has been a member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses volunteers since 2007.Mr. Hulick received a B.A. in political science from Tulane University and his MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. He is also a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Aresty Institute of Executive Education, Senior Consultant’s Program, through which he received the designation of Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA).

GuestGleb Budman, Cofounder, CEO, Chairman of Backblaze [NASDAQ: BLZE]Websitehttps://www.backblaze.com/About Gleb BudmanGleb Budman is the co-founder and CEO of Backblaze (NASDAQ: BLZE), the cloud storage company trusted by over 500,000 customers in 175+ countries. From home-built servers to taking the company public, Gleb has led Backblaze with a rare mix of long-term vision, transparency, and scrappiness. Turning a bootstrapped startup into a global cloud platform. Before Backblaze, Gleb led product at two technology startups from beginning through successful acquisitions.

Name: Chris LoTitle: Founder & CEOWebsite: https://ir.jiguang.cnCompany Name: Aurora MobileTicker: JGBio: A serial entrepreneur, founded Aurora Mobile in 2011. Secured multiple rounds of investments from Mandra, IDG, FOSUN, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, and led Aurora to a successful IPO on NASDAQ in 2018.

Guest:Scott A. Goginsky, CFA ®Partner & Portfolio ManagerBiondo Investment Advisors, LLCAUM: $1.1BWebsite:www.TheBiondoGroup.comDisclosure:Neither the information nor opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation by us of the purchase or sale of any securities. Past performance does not guarantee future results.Bio:Scott was drawn to the value of a small firm culture and local emphasis when he joined Biondo Investment Advisors in 2010 as a Research Analyst & Portfolio Manager. He finds managing the money of individuals rewarding, as he can help make a significant impact to them and their families. He became a Partner in 2020 and is responsible for equity research and portfolio management.Scott has provided expert commentary on financial markets and investment strategies, appearing on platforms such as NASDAQ TradeTalks, TD Ameritrade, and Business Insider to share insights with investors.He began his career at Metropolitan Life in 1996, and later became a securities analyst at ING Investment Management. He then joined Wachovia Securities as a sell-side research analyst, covering the consumer sector, before moving to Schwartz Investment Counsel as an analystand portfolio manager.Scott graduated from University of Kansas with Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Business Administration. He has an MBA from Oakland University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®). He is also a member of the CFA Institute.Married with twin boys in college, Scott is an enthusiastic reader and sports junkie, with special interest in his favorite team, the Chicago Bears.

GuestCameron Chell, Co-Founder CEO, Draganfly Inc.Websitehttps://draganfly.com/Ticker: DPROBioCameron ChellCEO / PRESIDENTCameron has been a technology entrepreneur for more than 30 years and has spent his career growing a diverse collection of high-potential ideas into revolutionary companies that have changed the way we experience the world.Cameron takes a hands-on leadership role in projects, infusing innovation and adoption with the operational principles of clarity, alignment, and measurement into the culture of every team he works with.

GuestPeter Evans CEO & President Xtract One Technologies Ticker: TSX: XTRAWebsitehttps://xtractone.com/BioPeter Evans has over 25 years of experience leading organizations’ digital transformation and innovation activities for customers in high-growth technology businesses. At Xtract One, Peter is bolstering the physical security technology industry while working to improve the patron experience. With his understanding of the operational challenges customers face, Peter is driving the organization towards delivering tech solutions that replace outdated systems, augment current technology, and enhance existing resources. As a four-time high-tech CEO, Peter has demonstrated repeated success in driving revenue growth and accelerated profitability, by delivering innovative solutions to target markets, and triggered multiple profitable liquidity events. Peter has helped Xtract One transform into an innovative and disruptive company that acquires a broad portfolio of solutions poised for growth by addressing critical security concerns across communities and businesses.Prior to Xtract One, Peter served as a senior executive at several technology and security companies, including IBM, where he was responsible for developing, delivering, and evangelizing the long cycle technical vision and strategy for their Internet Security Systems division. This includes security implications and strategies for Cloud, Telecom, and mobility.