COMING UP TONIGHT : WE VISIT A COMING UP TONIGHT : WE VISIT A HOBBY AND TRADING CARD COMPANY THAT'S FUELING MANY SMALLER BUSINESSES AND FANS WORLDWIDE.
WE'LL OFFER SOME NEW COMMON CENTS TIPS.
WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT INNOVATIONS ARE BEING MADE IN DRONE SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE.
AND OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES TAKES US TO THE WHITMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.
ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S NEW FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THINK OF IT AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS PROGRAM FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.
I'M DANIEL PLUFF.
DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.
OUR FIRST REPORT TAKES US TO A GAMER PARADISE.
TCGPLAYER HAS BEEN MAKING WAVES IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE, CREATING HUNDREDS OF JOBS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, INCLUDING DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THEY CONNECT WITH LOCAL HOBBY GAMING BUSINESSES TO SELL MERCHANDISE ONLINE, ENABLING THOSE SMALL STORES TO REACH CUSTOMERS THEY OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO.
AS YOU'LL SEE, THIS COMPANY HAS A VERY UNIQUE WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND THE EMPLOYEES?
THEY'RE NOT JUST WORKERS - THEY'RE FANS.
>> TCGPLAYER IS A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
IT'S A SMALL MASHUP BETWEEN AMAZON AND THE MARKETPLACE FOR COLLECTIBLES AND WE DO FULFILLMENT ON BEHALF OF OTHER STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OVER A THOUSAND ARE IN OUR PROGRAM FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING RIGHT HERE IN SYRACUSE BUT WE ARE LIKE A SHOPIFY THAT WE HAVE THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, POINT OF SALE SYSTEM FOR BRICK AND MORTAR STORES AS WELL.
TRADING CARDS EVOLVE FROM TRADING CARDS EVOLVE FROM SPORTS CARDS.
THEY'RE CARDS THE SAME SIZE QUALITY AND CONDITION, HAVE COLLECTABILITY LIKE SPORTS CARDS DO BUT YOU CAN USE THEM IN THE GAME SIMILAR TO PLAYING A BOARD GAME AT HOME.
ONCE WE RECEIVE CARDS FROM THE STORES, WE ARE NOT RECEIVING THEM ONE AT A TIME.
THAT WOULD BE TRADITIONAL MAIL FROM A SELLER TO A BUYER.
WAS WE ARE RECEIVING IS THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, EVEN TRUCK LOADS OF INVENTORY FROM BRICK AND MORTAR STORES.
WE HAVE OUR AUTHENTICATORS, NEARLY 400 LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN THAT CAN CHECK THOSE CARDS, CONFIRM THEY'RE THE RIGHT CONDITIONS AND QUALITY, THEN THEY GET PUT ON THE SHELF AND I WILLED FOR SALE BY THE STORES THAT CAN EACH SECTOR INDIVIDUAL PRICE POINTS AND IT TURNS INTO A VERY LARGE ONLINE MARKETPLACE FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.
>> WOO HAVE AN ALGORITHM THAT GOES IN AND FIGURES OUT WHAT THIS THING IS WORTH BASED ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FACTORS.
>> DEMAND OF A COLLECTIBLE COMES DOWN TO THREE THINGS.
HOW USEFUL THIS OBJECT IS TO PLAY THAT GAME COMPETITIVELY OR WIN THE GAME.
THEN THERE IS ALSO SORT OF ARTIFICIAL SCARCITY.
YOU MIGHT OPEN UP A PACK OF CARDS AND FIND A ONE OF CARD THAT IS WORTH $50,000.
IT'S LIKE WINNING A LOTTERY TICKET.
AND THAT HAS VALUE BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE OF THEM.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS WAS WE KIND OF CALL THE NOSTALGIA CURVE AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IN POKEMON OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
IF YOU LOOK BACK, WHEN DID POKEMON THE CARD GAME GET CREATED?
JUST ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO.
SO WHO WAS PLAYING IT?
LITTLE KIDS NOW THEY'RE IN THEIR 30S.
THEY HAVE SOME MONEY.
THEY WANT TO RECREATE THEIR CHILDHOOD.
THESE THINGS TEND TO GO IN CYCLES SO WHAT KIDS ARE PLAYING WITH TODAY, IN 25 YEARS, THERE WILL BE A COLLECTIBLE DEMAND FOR THEM.
SO HAVING A STAFF ON HAND THAT REALLY KNOWS WHAT THESE THINGS ARE IS SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE THE TRUSTED SOURCE OF IF THIS THING IS THAT THING.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT JUST KNOW.
>> WE HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE.
OVER 300 EMPLOYEES HERE IN SYRACUSE AND ADDED ON DURING THE 2020 AND 2021 TIME PERIOD.
FOR US THE 300 INDIVIDUALS WE HIRED LAST YEAR DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE TEAM IN SYRACUSE NEW YORK AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN WELL OVER 125 PROMOTIONS, SO FOR US IT'S A FOCUS ON CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND TRYING TO DRIVE PEOPLE UP THE CHAIN OF WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO GO OVER THE NEXT DECADE OR TWO IN THEIR CAREERS.
OUR ENTIRE FOCUS HAS BEEN ABOUT TRYING TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN BUILDING HERE IN DOWNTOWN.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS PUT US ON THE MAP FOR TECHNOLOGY BOTH FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY BUT ALSO CAN A COMPANY HIRE LOCAL TALENT AND LEVEL THEM UP THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND TURN THEM INTO CAREER TECHNOLOGY PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE BACKGROUND BASED ON HIGH SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY.
ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT BEING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT WE ALL GIVE BACK TO EACH OTHER AND DOING IT TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
>> TAKE A LITTLE BREAK FOR SOME COMMON CENTS TONIGHT SEEMS LIKE THE MARKET REMAINS IN A PRETTY VOLATILE TRADING PATTERN.
VOLUME AT THIS TIMER THE UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE THIS YEAR.
PUTTING THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE INVITED BACK JOHN BUSS FROM PINNACLE INVESTMENTS FROM SYRACUSE NEW YORK.
I DO LIKE THESE SEGMENTS WITH YOU.
SOME GOOD STUFF AND YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT IS GOING ON OVERALL IN THE MARKETS >> YEAH-- OVERALL IN THE MARKETS CORRECT.
>> WHAT YOU SAID, DAN, THE FACT THAT INVESTORS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE VOLATILITY.
THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE MARKET CONDITIONS WILL MEAN FOR THEIR PORTFOLIOS, RIGHT?
WE SPEND TEAM DISCUSSING WITH CLIENTS THAT HISTORICALLY IT'S TIME IN THE MARKET THAT HAS BEATEN MARKET TIME WHAT DO I MEAN BY THIS DURING TIMES OF VOLUME VOLATILITY, INVESTORS MAKE THE MISTAKE BY TRYING TO GET OUT OF IT OR ATTACH THE IDEA OF LOSING INVESTMENT VALUE AND THE EMOTION BEHIND THE LOSS DRIVES THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT HISTORICALLY SOME OF THE WORST SHORT-TERM MARKET LOSSES WERE FOLLOWED BY PERIODS OF SUBSTANTIAL MARKET RECOVERY.
SO WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE TOTAL RETURN OF THE S&P 500 OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, A VIABLE STRATEGY PROVIDED AN ANNUAL AVERAGE RETURN OF 10%.
BUT IF YOU MISS THE 10 BEST PERFORMING DAYS BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T INVESTED, THAT AVERAGE DROPS TO 8.1%.
IF YOU MISS THE BEST 20 DAYS, THE AVERAGE DROPS TO 6.7%.
OBVIOUSLY PAST PERFORMANCE DOESN'T GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS AND OF COURSE THIS IS NOT THE RECOMMENDATION TO BUY AND HOLD THE S&P 500.
RATHER THE POINT IS SIGNIFICANT REALLOCATION BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE SHORT-TERM RARELY PAYS OFF IN THE LONG-TERM.
>> IT MAKES SENSE AND ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE UPS AND DOWNS GOING ON RIGHT NOW A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE GOES A LONG WAY, AGAIN, THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING US FOR ON THE ATTORNEY AND WE'LL TALK FOR ON THE MONEY AND WE'LL TALK FOR ON THE MONEY AND WE'LL TALK TO YOU AGAIN SOON.
>> THANKS AGAIN, JOHN.
I KNOW I CALLED YOU LATE BUT APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TONIGHT.
NEXT UP IS THE TECH BITES WHERE WE FEATURE NEW TENSE DEVELOPED OR USED HERE IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK MARKET.
AND SWITZERLAND BASED COMPANY FOTOKITE EMERGED ON THE TECH SCENE IN 2018 DURING THE GENIUS COMPETITION.
THE DRONE CAN STAY IN THE AIR ALMOST INDEFINITELY, A TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPED THEM SECURE THE MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE AT THE COMPETITION.
THIS KITE-LIKE DEVICE PROVIDES A DYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
BUT DON'T THINK OF THEM AS A DRONE COMPANY.
SEE HOW THIS PERSPECTIVE START-UP IS TAKING SAFETY TO NEW HEIGHTS.
EVERYTHING IS OPERATED VIA THE TABLET OVER WIFI.
YOU HIT THE START BUTTON AND YOU CAN HEAR THE SYSTEM BEATING.
WHAT IT IS DOING IS A PREFLIGHT CHECK AND THIS IS A LOT OF THE SAFETY FEATURES BUILT IN.
CHECKING A NUMBER OF BACKUP SYSTEMS AND BACKUP BATTERIES.
IF IT DOESN'T PASS IT WON'T LAUNCH.
AFTER FIVE SECONDS IT LAUNCHES FOTOKITE IS A ROBOTICS COMPANY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY WE ARE A DRONE COMPANY AND WE ARE QUICK TO SAY WE ARE NOT A DRONE.
A LOT OF OUR TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS IT TO FLY AUTONOMOUSLY.
WE CALL IT A KITE.
SPECIAL DESIGNATION WITH THE F.A.A., CLASSIFYING IT NOT AS A DRONE AND WE SERVE FIRST RESPONDERS.
WE WORK WITH POLICE, FIRE TO GIVE THEM INSTANT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON A SCENE WITH ONE BUTTON LAUNCH WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A PILOT'S LICENSE.
THIS IS ACTIVE TETHERING WHEN MAKES US UNIQUE.
THERE IS TENSION ON THE TETHER AT ALL TIMES AND THE SYSTEM CAN LOCALIZE ITSELF BASED ON THE TETHER AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE DON'T RELY ON GPS TO FLY.
THAT WAS IMPORTANT WITH THE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR EXEMPTIONS TO FLY IN URBAN AREAS, NEXT TO BIG BUILDINGS WHERE YOU MIGHT LOSE GPS.
WE ARE ALSO ONE OF THE ONLY SYSTEMS YOU WILL SEE FLYING TRADE SHOWS INDOORS.
IT'S A CLOSED LIP SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM IS SELF LOCALIZING WITH A TETHER.
A REALLY NICE SAFETY FEATURE.
WHAT MADE FOTOKITE USEFUL AND UNIQUE TO OUR CUSTOMERS SO FAR IS THE EASE OF USE AND IT'S SOMETHING FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS, THEY KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN RELY ON ON EVERY CALL WITH ONE-BUTTON PUSH TO GIVE THEM IMMEDIATE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
A LOT OF DRONE USE IN PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY BUT IT'S PRETTY NICHE.
HAVE YOU TO HAVE THE PILOT'S LICENSE.
HAVE YOU TO LOOK AT THE WEATHER.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY SCALABLE YET AND WE THINK FOTOKITE AND A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS ARE SEEING THIS AND ARE EXCITED BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN SCALE INTO EVERY CALL.
IT'S HARD TO PUT A PILOT INTO EVERY FIRE STATION BUT YOU CAN PUT A FOTOKITE IN EVERY FIRE STATION OR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
FOTOKITE BEING HERE AT THE TECH GARDEN, THIS ISER WITH WE STARTED WITH GENIUS NEW YORK.
WE WERE IN RESIDENCE FOR A YEAR WITH THE OTHER COMPANIES HERE.
SO IT WAS A GREAT START BUT AT THAT POINT WE COULD HAVE DECIDED IF PEE WANTED TO STAY IN THE TECH GARDEN OR NOT.
WE WANTED TO STAY HERE IN THE TECH GARDEN WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER DRONE COMPANIES HERE.
THERE IS A LOT OF SERVICES THROUGH GENIUS NEW YORK AND THE TECH GARDEN.
WE JUST ACQUIRED A LITTLE MORE SPACE WITHIN THE TECH GARDEN AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW.
COMING INTO THE PROGRAM HERE, GETTING SOME OF THAT GRANT MONEY TO HELP ACCELERATE US HELPS US GET TO POINTS WHERE WE HAVE CLOSED THE SERIES A ROUND AND JUST RECENTLY CLOSED SERIES B ROUND OF FUNDING, WHICH ALLOWS US TO GROW.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRAJECTORY OF THE COMPANY, THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE HAD SINCE WE'VE JOINED GENIUS, IT'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING FOTOKITE GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WHEN WE STARTED GENIUS HERE, WE HAD ONE EMPLOYEE.
WE ARE AT 10 AND GROWING NOW.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF JOB POSTINGS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE ALSO DOING 100% OF OUR MANUFACTURING HERE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK WITH OTHER PARTNERS.
SO THERE IS SUPPLY CHAIN IMPACTS THERE.
THERE IS EMPLOYMENT THERE.
ON THE MANUFACTURING SIDE AS WELL.
WE ARE DOING THAT WITH A CONTRACT MANUFACTURING PARTNER.
SO THAT'S LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM AS WELL.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED WITH THE GROWTH WE HAVE SEEN.
THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE AND THE SPACE THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE REALLY WANT TO EXPAND AND CONTINUE TO CREATE RAVING FAN CUSTOMERS AND WE WANT FOTOKITE TO BE THE MOST FLOWN SYSTEM ON FIRST RESPONSE TEAMS.
FIRST RESPONSE TEAMS.
>> GOOD STUFF THERE.
OUR BY THE NUMBER SEGMENT, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GOOD NUMBERS, I'M NOT SURE I CAN DELIVER FOR YOU.
PROPERTY TAXES HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY.
WE THOUGHT WE WOULD LOOK AROUND TO SEE WHAT RATES OF TAXATION IS BEING APPLIED TO VARIOUS PARTS OF NEW YORK STATE AND BEYOND.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, THE TAX MAN COMETH WE CALL THIS OF COURSE.
2021 AVERAGE PROPERTY TAXES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, THAT AVERAGED ABOUT $3700 A YEAR OR ABOUT 0.9% OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF YOUR HOME.
IF WE LOOK AT THE BRONX, RIGHT ABOUT IN THAT AVERAGE, MOVING UPSTATE A BIT TO SARATOGA COUNTY.
WELL THE NUMBERS BEGIN TO RISE 1.6%.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, 1.66.
A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME, MADISON AND ONEIDA COUNTIES COME IN AT BETTER THAN 2.5% OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF YOUR HOME.
WHAT ABOUT ONONDAGA?
WELL, ONONDAGA COUNTY UNFORTUNATELY COMES IN AT 2.8%.
I SHOULD ADD ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES ACROSS NEW YORK STATE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT MOVING OUT OF STATE, MAYBE DOWN SOUTH, WELL, FLORIDA COMES IN AT 0.99% JUST ABOUT ON THE AVERAGE OF THE NATION.
AND BY THE WAY, A LOT OF AND BY THE WAY, A LOT OF SUNSHINE.
THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS TONIGHT MORE NUMBERS I DIDN'T LIKE BUT WHAT CAN I TELL YOU.
WE FINISH UP TONIGHT WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WHERE WE MEET WITH SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE OR HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ON A RECENT PROGRAM, WE VISITED THE MADDEN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT LEMOYNE COLLEGE TO SEE HOW THEY'RE EDUCATING STUDENTS IN THIS CHANGING ECONOMY.
WE LIKED WHAT WE SAW SO WE DECIDED TO CHECK IN WITH SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S WHITMAN SCHOOL.
WHILE THERE, WE LEARNED HOW THE SCHOOL IS PREPARING ITS STUDENTS FOR REAL LIFE SITUATIONS, HOW THEY'RE APPLYING THEIR EDUCATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATING, AND TO OUR SURPRISE, HOW SOME STUDENTS ARE GIVING BACK TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
>> SO BACK IN 2003, MARTY WHITMAN NAMED WHAT THEN WAS THE BUSINESS SCHOOL OR THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.
AND SO IT BECAME THE MARTIN J. WHITMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.
AND AS A RESULT, IT TOOK A LEAP OF VISIBILTY, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEW YORK COMMUNITY, DOWNSTATE, WALL STREET AND MAIN STREET.
>> NOT HERE TO SELL THE PLACE BUT THE SCHOOL IS NATIONALLY KNOWN NOW.
>> NATIONALLY KNOWN AND VERY WELL RANKED.
HE BASICALLY WAS A GREAT SUPPORTER OF THE SCHOOL.
NOT ONLY WITH MONEY BUT WITH KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO HE SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE AND WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HAVING THE SCHOOL DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT WERE CLOSE TO WHAT HE LOVED DOING WHICH WAS INVESTING.
>> SURE.
ASSUMING THE PROFESSOR WASN'T LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE EXPERIENCE WAS HERE AT SNU.
AND THE WHITMAN SCHOOL.
>> I LOVE IT.
>> YOU FEEL PREPARED?
>> I FEEL REALLY PREPARED.
I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ANYONE NEEDS TO LEARN BUT IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
I LOOK BACK TO FRESHMAN YEAR AND WHO I WAS THEN AND JUST THE AMOUNT THAT I'VE GROWN, NOT JUST SCHOOL BUT SOCIAL SKILLS, SOFT SKILLS AND A LOT OF OTHER SKILLS THAT I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB DEVELOPING: >> ONE THING THAT IS NOT UNIQUE BUT A STANDOUT IN MY OPINION IS OF COURSE THIS ORANGE VALUE FUND.
AN ACTUAL MUTUAL FUND RUN... >> A HEDGE FUND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> A HEDGE FUND RUN BY STUDENTS.
>> YES.
>> GENERATES A REPORT AND EVERYTHING.
>> PRIVATE COMPANY, AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO THAT WAS THE RESULT OF MANY YEARS OF THINKING BETWEEN MARTY WHITMAN, MYSELF AND OTHER ALUM, ACTUALLY, THE STEVE BALLENTINE THAT IS THE NAME STATE OF THE BALLENTINE INVESTMENT INSTITUTE AND OTHERS.
>> THE FUND THOUGH, IT REALLY PROMOTES, IF YOU WILL, THE WHOLE STRATEGY THAT MARTY WHITMAN HAD IN MIND, THE WHOLE IDEA OF AN INVESTING IN-- >> SAFE AND CHEAP WAS THE TERM.
>> THAT WAS MARTY'S PHILOSOPHY OF VALUING INVESTING.
AND YEAH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
WE CREATED THE CURRICULUM FROM SCRATCH: 200 THE MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY, VALUE INVESTING CLASS, CONTROLLING CLASS AND FINANCIAL MODELING CLASS WHICH WERE ALL GEARED TOWARDS ESSENTIALLY TRAINING STUDENTS TO MANAGE.
>> YOU PARTNERSHIPPED IN THIS ORANGE VALUE FUND, CORRECT?
>> YOU CAME UP WITH IDEAS WHETHER THEY WERE ACCEPTED OR NOT ACCEPTED TO THE FUND THERE, WAS TRAINING THERE.
CORRECT?
>> YEAH WE DO MANY STOCK PITCHES WE HAVE TO CREATE FULL REPORTS.
AND OTHER ASPECTS.
SOMETHING I REALLYING ENJOYED IS NOT JUST THE FACT THAT WE DID ALL THESE DIFFERENT VALUATION METHODS WE LOOK AT THE COMPANY HOLISTICALLY, WE LOOK AT THEIR FULL ANNUAL REPORT AND YOU LEARN MANY OTHER ASPECTS THAT YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING AT; NOT JUST WHAT IS THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
>> AND THEY'RE RUNNING A KIND OF SIMILAR PROGRAM.
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SELECTING STOCKS.
THE STUDENTS IN THE ROOM WILL GO TO, I KEEP POINTING AT IT.
DO THEY COME TO YOU OR DO THEY COME TO A BOARD AND SAY HERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND THINK WOULD BE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THE FUND.
>> LeMOYNE COLLEGE, WE HELP THEM ESTABLISH THAT.
SO I WANT TO TO HAVE THAT ON THE RECORD.
>> IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, WE SAID Mr. WHITMAN WAS OF THE THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A HUB OF THIS SORT OF SAFE AND CHEAP PHILOSOPHY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.
AND SO WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP THE MADDEN SCHOOL.
>> THE ORANGE FUND IS A TWO COMPONENT PROGRAM.
YOU HAVE THE ACADEMIC COMPONENT AND FUND COMPONENT.
EVERY YEAR WE RECRUIT STUDENTS, INTERVIEW THEM AND RECRUIT THEM INTO TWO FUNCTIONS.
ONE IS THEIR ANALYSTS IN THE PRIVATE COMPANY SO THEY WORK FOR THE PRIVATE COMPANY AND THEY'RE ALSO A PART OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
SO THEY LEARN HOW TO SCREEN FOR COMPANIES THAT FIT THE SAFE AND CHIEF CRITERIA.
WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SCREEN AND THEN THEY PRESENT, THEY'RE FORCED TO BY ME, TO DO PRESENTATIONS OF POTENTIAL INVESTMENT IDEAS AND WE HAVE TO VET THOSE IDEAS.
THEY DO INVESTMENT REPORTS.
>> THUMB'S UP SOME GET A THUMB'S DOWN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THE MARKET GET A THUMB'S DOWN AND SOME OF THEM GET A THUMB'S UP.
>> BUT THAT STRIKES ME, AND FORGIVE ME, YOU ARE IN ACADEMIA BUT THAT'S NOT SO MUCH AN ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE HIVE THAT'S A REAL WORLD.
THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HERE.
>> THE ORANGE FUND PROGRAM IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY LEARNING, RIGHT?
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING.
WE DID THIS WHEN NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND THEY HAVE TO INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE OF, YOU KNOW, CORPORATE LAW, ACCOUNTING, FINANCE, WRITING,.
>> IS THERE ANY INCENTIVE TO THE STUDENTS IN THERE OR JUST YOUR GRADE AT THE END...
SPECIFICALLY IF I'M A STUDENT AND I PITCHED FIVE IDEAS AND I GET THUMB'S DOWN ON ALL OF THEM, GOOD OR BAD?
>> IT'S NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD I WOULD SAY.
BASICALLY THEY DON'T HAVE A MONETARY INCENTIVE.
>> IT IS SOMETHING OF A PRIVILEGE TO GET A QUOTE UNQUOTE HIGHER EDUCATION.
AND THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS THAT JUST CAN'T OR DON'T FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN YOUR OWN WAY, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF A NEAT WAY, YOU HAVE GIVEN BACK A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
>> YEAH.
>> GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
WANT TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT?
I THINK IT'S COOL.
>> I RUN A 501c3 NON-PROFIT.
>> CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.
>> A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.
WE TUTOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL LITERACY THAT ARE FROM SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS AND... >> LOCAL STUDENTS LIKE FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK STUDENTS.
>> AND WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH A LOCAL CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS ARE GREAT.
YOU GET REALLY CLOSE TO THE TEACHERS.
>> BUT THIS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BASIC STUFF YOU ARE SAYING?
BALANCING A CHECKBOOK, MANAGING DEBT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE READING A BALANCE SHEET OR MAYBE IT IS, BUT HAVE YOU TO START SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, SO OUR FIRST LESSON IS IN PERSONAL FINANCE, JUST ABOUT WHAT A CHECKING ACCOUNT IS.
WHY DEBT ISN'T-- WHY DEBT CAN BE GOOD AND BAD, VERY BASIC IN FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THAT ASPECT AND WE GO INTO WHAT IS A STOCK, WHAT IS A BOND.
>> YOU GO THAT FAR?
>> WE TEACH WHAT THEY ARE AND WE REALLY PURSUE THE OPTIONS OF MUTUAL FUNDS AND EXCHANGE CREATIVE FUNDS.
>> WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY, SO TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, BEING A MEMBER OF THE ORANGE FUNDS MEANS 100% CHANCE OF GETTING A VERY WELL PAYING JOB AFTER THEY GRADUATE.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, MANY OF THEM GET JOB OFFERS IN THEIR JUNIOR YEAR WHEN THEY DO THEIR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS.
>> A COUPLE OF CLASSES OR COURSES I TOOK THAT MADE ME QUESTION, WHY AM I LEARNING THIS.
DO YOUR STUDENTS GIVE PUSH BACK ON STUFF LIKE THAT?
>> ALWAYS.
>> I THOUGHT WERE YOU GOING SAY NO.
>> IT'S A POSITIVE THING.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY IT IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE TEEFING THEM-- TEACHING THEM IS IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET SO SOMETIMES IT'S EXTREMELY POSITIVE ON SOME ASPECTS AND EXTREMELY NEGATIVE ON OTHERS BECAUSE SOMETIMES STUDENTS THINK THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO MEMORIZE CERTAIN THINGS.
>> THAT THEY CAN JUST LOOK IT UP ONLINE.
>> LOOK IT UP ONLINE BUT THEN THEY DON'T HAVE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, AN INVENTORY OF KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THAT COME UP IN THE REAL WORLD.
AND SO IT'S A MIXED BAG.
>> LOOKING AHEAD, JOB MARKET.
YOUR FINANCE STUDENTS ARE STRONG?
>> GREAT.
EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD 100% PLACEMENT.
>> OKAY.
>> YES.
>> THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
>> THAT'S VERY GOOD.
>> OKAY.
>> AGAIN, I SUSPECT THAT'S MORE SPECIFIC TO COURSES IN THIS BUILDING AS OPPOSED TO...
I DON'T THINK THERE IS 100% PLACEMENT... >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SCHOOL AS A WHOLE, BUT FOR THE PROGRAM WE HAD 100% PLACEMENT.
>> HOW DO YOU SEE THAT CHANGING GOING FORWARD?
YOU HAVE DONE THIS 30 YEARS.
HAVE YOU SEEN CHANGES, YOU HAVE SEEN TRENDS COME AND GO.
FIVE YEARS OUT, 10 YEARS OUT, WHERE WILL THE JOBS BE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING CHANGE AGAIN, I GUARANTEE IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE JOBS WILL BE.
BUT WHAT I KNOW IS THAT EMPLOYERS ALWAYS ARE LOOKING FOR TALENTED STUDENTS, SMART STUDENTS THAT HAVE SOME TRAINING THAT HAVE THE WILLINGNESS TO PUT THE HOURS TO WORK HARD AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT HAS CHANGED.
IF ANYTHING, ACTUALLY, THERE IS A BIGGER DEMAND FOR THAT KIND OF PROFILE.
>> WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU THINK STAT THAT THE STUDENTS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE?
>> I THINK THE CHALLENGES ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL MAINLY.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH ANXIETY IN STUDENTS AS I SEE TODAY.
I THINK PART OF IT IS THERE IS SUCH A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THINGS THEY CAN DO, THAT I DON'T THINK YOU AND I HAD THE SAME SORT OF LEVEL OF ANXIETY.
OUR FIELD OF CHOICE WAS A LOT NARROWER THAN THEIRS.
AND SO I THINK THERE IS AN OVERALL ANXIETY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?
AS THEY TAKE AN INTERNSHIP, THEY THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DETERMINANT OF WHAT THEY WILL DO THEIR LIFE GOING FORWARD AND WE KNOW A JOB IS A JOB.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY'LL LEARN FROM IT AND THEY'LL MOVE ON.
>> WELL GOOD LUCK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL TALK TO SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS, PROFESSOR BUT THANK STUDENTS, PROFESSOR BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALWAYS FUN TO VISIT THESE COLLEGE CAMPUSES FOR US.
OUR THANKS TO THE WHITMAN SCHOOL, ITS STUDENTS AND PROFESSOR DIZ •.
THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT - NEXT WEEK WE HIGHLIGHT AN ITHACA NOT-FOR-PROFIT WHO'S CREATING PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR OTHER BARRIERS.
WE'LL OFFER NEW COMMON CENTS TIPS.
AND FOR OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES, WE SIT DOWN WITH SYRACUSE MAYOR BEN WALSH TO LOOK BACK AT HIS FIRST TERM IN OFFICE AND LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE CITY -- INCLUDING WHERE ALL THAT STIMULUS MONEY IS GOING AND THE LATEST NEWS ON THE LOOMING I-81 PROJECT.
SO MUCH MORE STILL COMING THIS SEASON AND IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS, PERSON OR JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, LET US KNOW - CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WCNY.ORG/ONTHEMONEY.
AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
FROM ALL OF US HERE AT ON THE MONEY, I'M DANIEL PLUFF, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.