Quote · My First Million
How the Ex-Goldman CEO actually invests his own money
Where this was said
Advice to young investors
At 21:07 · chapter starts 20:41
Sam Parr gets down to the details of Blankfein's actual investing life, and the numbers are striking. Ninety-eight percent of his portfolio is in risky assets, with roughly 75% in individual stocks — predominantly tech hyperscalers, energy (his original trading background), and financial services. He contrasts this openly with Sam's more sensible 90/10 index-to-bonds approach, which he endorses for someone who isn't 'doing this for a living.' The daily trading habit is framed not as recklessness but as a decades-long professional reflex — the market as background music, like how most people listen to Spotify while working. He trades from an iPad and a phone, relies on calls with trusted contacts for information, and reads everything from the New York Post to the FT to Bloomberg. His edge, he says, comes from sector focus and experience rather than any information advantage.
Young investors should be in diversified equity ETFs like VOO or SPY, with a tilt toward tech. Over time, as you age, shift toward capital preservation. The key insight: equities are risky, but when you're young, time is your hedge.
