Payne Points of Wealth

How do successful entrepreneurs find opportunities everyone else overlooks? They start by asking better questions—and listening to the people who actually have the problem.

On this episode of **Payne Points of Wealth**, Bob, Ryan, and Chris Payne welcome **Dr. Shalabh Gupta**, founder and CEO of **Unicycive Therapeutics**, to explore how an unmet patient need became the foundation for a publicly traded biotech company.

Drawing on his experience as a physician, Wall Street analyst, and entrepreneur, Dr. Gupta explains how conversations with hundreds of kidney specialists helped him validate an opportunity and raise roughly $10 million in...

Why does a “strong” economy still feel so expensive?

Slower inflation doesn’t erase years of higher prices—and voters are feeling the squeeze. On this week’s Payne Points of Wealth, political commentator and former Wall Street analyst Liz Peek joins Bob, Ryan, and Chris Payne to discuss the disconnect between economic growth and everyday affordability. They debate Trump’s economic messaging, tariffs, and how cost-of-living frustration could shape the 2026 midterm elections.

Plus, could relief be coming for oil and diesel prices? And how much further can the AI stock rally run before earnings expectations...

Americans say the economy feels terrible—but they’re still booking vacations, renovating homes, and packing stores. Why is there such a disconnect between consumer confidence and consumer spending?

On this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan Payne, Bob Payne, Chris Payne, and Courtney Garcia explore how rising household wealth, retiring baby boomers, and higher interest income may be helping keep spending strong—even as affordability remains a real challenge for many families.

Plus, we discuss why interest rates are rising globally, how AI investment and manufacturing reshoring could support economic growth, and what the 20...

Barron’s reporter Jacob Sonenshine joins us for this episode of the Payne Points of Wealth to debate what’s driving Treasury yields higher, why stocks have remained resilient, and whether AI earnings expectations are becoming too optimistic.

We explore opportunities in financials and medical devices, the risks behind the AI spending boom, and why owning the S&P 500 may leave your portfolio more concentrated than you realize.

We discuss:

Is AI creating an alternative energy boom?

As data centers drive up electricity demand, the U.S. needs more power, a stronger grid, and faster ways to build both.

Ryan and Chris Payne sit down with Chris Johnson, president of the American Energy Leadership Institute, to discuss why nuclear, geothermal, solar, batteries, and natural gas could all have a role in the AI buildout.

They explore the push for permitting reform, the challenge of expanding transmission, competition with China, and where smaller power companies may find opportunities.

The conversation also covers...

Markets are falling, the Federal Reserve is raising interest rates, the 10-year Treasury is near 5%, and inflation remains stubborn. Is this another short-term correction—or the beginning of a bear market?

In this episode, we explain how investors can prepare without abandoning their long-term strategy. They discuss the strength of corporate earnings, why bear markets can create powerful opportunities, and how higher yields are changing the outlook for bonds and cash.

In this episode:

• The difference between a correction and a bear market
• How rising rates affect stocks and bonds
• Why economic...

For more than a decade, investors were rewarded for following a simple playbook: favor U.S. stocks, lean heavily into technology, depend on low interest rates, and buy every dip. But the economic environment that made those strategies so successful has fundamentally changed.

Ryan, Bob, and Chris Payne join Courtney Garcia to explain why stronger growth, persistent inflation, higher interest rates, and shifting market leadership require a different investment approach. They discuss why the S&P 500’s extraordinary returns may be difficult to repeat, why now could be the time to rebalance, and where investors may find be...

Interest rates are climbing, inflation remains stubborn, and America’s national debt has reached $40 trillion. Should investors be worried—or are rates simply returning to historical norms?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan Payne, Bob Payne, Chris Payne, and Courtney Garcia discuss what rising Treasury yields mean for stocks, bonds, mortgages, and the broader economy. They also examine the inflationary effects of tariffs, AI infrastructure spending, higher oil prices, federal deficits, and a weakening dollar. Plus, discover why market leadership is expanding beyond the Magnificent Seven—and where opportunities may be emerging in commodities, energy...

AI valuations are soaring, semiconductor stocks are surging again, and investors are asking the inevitable question: How much longer can this bull market run?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, and Chris compare today’s AI-driven rally with the late-1990s tech boom. They examine the risks behind massive AI spending, lofty valuations, increasing corporate debt, and rising global interest rates—while explaining why strong economic growth and record earnings could continue driving stocks higher.

The Paynes also discuss why chasing the hottest investments can backfire, how market leadership is expanding beyo...

Is the market falling apart—or is money simply rotating?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, Chris, and Courtney explain why semiconductor stocks and the Magnificent Seven are struggling while energy, commodities, value stocks, REITs, international stocks, and emerging markets continue to perform.

The team discusses why diversification is winning in 2026, whether Wall Street’s AI earnings expectations have become too optimistic, and why the biggest long-term AI winners may be companies outside the technology sector.

They also examine:

• Whether the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates
•...

The AI trade just suffered a major semiconductor sell-off—but is this the beginning of the end, or a buying opportunity inside a long-term bull market?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth with Brooks Cutright, Portfolio Manager at Hedgeye Asset Management, we uncover the hidden forces driving Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Micron, SanDisk and other major technology stocks. The recent volatility may have less to do with collapsing AI demand and more to do with index rebalancing, ETF flows, and hedge funds positioning around hundreds of billions of dollars in predictable trades.

But the bi...

The headlines say one thing. The market is saying something very different. In this episode of *Payne Points of Wealth*, Bob, Ryan, Chris, and Courtney break down why investors may be missing some of the strongest opportunities in the market right now. While everyone is focused on AI, crypto, and the latest scary headlines, major gains are quietly happening in sectors and companies hiding in plain sight. From Johnson & Johnson’s surprising 12-month rally to strength in small caps, energy, commodities, financials, health care, European markets, and transportation stocks, the team explains why this bull market may be broader th...

When we sat down with Paul Andre Huet, CEO of America’s Gold and Silver, for our latest Payne Points of Wealth episode, one theme became clear:

The demand story for silver is evolving and expanding.

Let’s break it down in simple terms.

1. Electrification of the Economy

Silver is one of the best electrical conductors in the world.

That makes it critical for:

As more of the global economy moves from fossil fuels to electricity, the need for efficient conductive mate...

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence right now.

But almost no one is asking the most important question:

Where is all the power going to come from?

AI data centers are incredibly energy-intensive. The infrastructure being built to support this technology is going to require massive, reliable, and uninterrupted electricity.

And that brings us to a surprising conclusion…

Nuclear energy is quietly becoming one of the most important investment themes of the next decade.

Over the last few weeks, we had the chance to sit down with Ja...

There’s a massive story unfolding right now that almost nobody is talking about, and it has nothing to do with AI stocks, semiconductors, or the Magnificent 7. It’s about the raw materials underneath everything. In our latest episode of Payne Points of Wealth, I sat down with Gary Evans, CEO of United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE: UAMY) and what he laid out feels like a throwback to the early days of the shale revolution… but this time, it’s critical minerals. And the numbers are almost hard to believe. Gary walks through how his company acquired a tungsten asset fo...

What does it really take to rise from humble beginnings to representing some of the wealthiest buyers and sellers in the world?

In Episode 242 of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan and Chris sit down with Noble Black, one of the nation’s top real estate professionals as recognized by The Wall Street Journal, to unpack his journey from small-town Mississippi to dominating New York City’s ultra-luxury real estate market.

Noble shares:

In Episode 241 of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan, Chris, and Bob Payne sit down with Ashley Davis, partner at S‑3 Group and former White House insider, to unpack a remarkable career at the highest levels of government.

Ashley shares how she went from a young staffer to employee #1 of the White House Office of Homeland Security in the wake of 9/11, offering a firsthand account of that pivotal day, the chaos that followed, and the creation of one of the most important agencies in modern U.S. history.

From the inner workings of the West Wing to...

What do discipline, delayed gratification, and a few well-worn undershirts have to do with success?

This week on Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan and Chris Payne sit down with Todd Piro, co-host of FOX & Friends First, for a real conversation about his journey growing up in New Jersey to national television.

Todd shares how his upbringing shaped his mindset around money and life, growing up in a household that valued function over flash. His parents instilled a simple but powerful philosophy: buy things for a purpose, not for appearances. It’s a mindset Todd still lives...

What if the next global power struggle isn’t about oil—but about the elements inside your smartphone, electric vehicle, and AI infrastructure?

In this episode, we sit down with Barbara Humpton, CEO of USA Rare Earth, former CEO of Siemens USA, to break down one of the most overlooked—and critical—battles shaping the global economy.

We dive into:

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, we sit down with veteran journalist Justin Baer, Deputy Markets Editor for The Wall Street Journal and author of the new book House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing.

Justin takes us deep inside the remarkable, largely private story of Fidelity Investments — from its origins in 1940s Boston to becoming a financial giant serving nearly one in five American adults. We explore the Johnson family’s three‑generation leadership, the cultural tension between active stock pickers and passive investing, and how Fide...

Oil headlines are everywhere, geopolitical tensions are rising, and yet markets keep grinding higher. So, what’s really going on?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan, Bob, and Chris unpack why oil prices are falling even as global conflict dominates the news and what markets are signaling beneath the surface. From the resilience of the bull market to why earnings growth and productivity matter more than headlines, the team explains why short‑term volatility doesn’t change long‑term opportunity. They also discuss the real risk investors face today: sitting in cash and missing a potenti...

Markets are on edge. Oil has surged past $110 a barrel, geopolitical tensions are escalating, and investors are asking the same question: Is this the start of something bigger—and should I change my portfolio?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, and Chris Payne break down what’s actually happening beneath the headlines. While the media focuses on fear and conflict, the market is quietly sending a very different message.

You’ll hear why:

The last two weeks on Wall Street have been anything but quiet. Oil prices have swung wildly, headlines are dominated by conflict in the Middle East, and cracks are starting to show in parts of the private credit market that were once sold as “safe” alternatives.

In this episode, Ryan, Bob, and Chris break down why—despite geopolitical turmoil—stocks haven’t sold off the way many expected. They dig into what falling oil prices are really telling us, why markets often look past fear-filled headlines, and how earnings, productivity, and profit margins continue to paint a surprising...

The World Feels Like It’s on Fire… So Why Is the Market Only Down 1%? In this episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan and Chris have a wide-ranging, fast‑paced conversation on what really matters when markets get rattled.

With geopolitical tensions flaring in Iran, markets briefly sold off—everything except the U.S. dollar and oil. Yet despite the ominous headlines, the S&P 500 only dipped about 1%. So what’s the market actually telling us? Are we on the brink of a larger conflict, or is this another reminder that fear often speaks louder tha...

In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan & Chris Payne sit down with legendary small-cap value investor Bob Killen, who brings more than 60 years of market experience to the table.

The conversation kicks off with a timely debate on gold and silver, sparked by a now viral quote from Bob Killen: “There are only two people in the world who truly understand gold—and they disagree on the price.” With precious metals going parabolic and emotions running hot, Bob offers a calm, long-term framework for thinking about gold—not just as an inflatio...

In Episode 232 of the Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan and Chris Payne sit down with two industry heavyweights leading the charge in America’s critical minerals resurgence: Gary Evans, Chairman & CEO of United States Antimony Corporation (UAMY), and Paul Huet, Chairman & CEO of Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (USAS).

In one of the most energetic and eye‑opening conversations we’ve ever hosted, Gary and Paul reveal how their newly announced joint venture is poised to reshape U.S. supply chains for antimony—a mineral essential for defense, electrification, battery technology, solar, and the rapidly expanding AI-driven economy.<...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Adam Johnson, Portfolio Manager of the Bullseye American Ingenuity Fund and author of the widely followed Bullseye Brief. Adam brings his signature 1980’s Wall St. energy as we dive deep into current market dynamics, the power (and pitfalls) of short sellers, the AI productivity boom, inflation surprises, and what investors should brace for in 2026.

We kick things off with Adam sharing some of his biggest surprises from the past year—including why several of his high‑conviction names stalled out despite strong fundamentals. From Toast to SMCI, Adam breaks down...

In this inspiring episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan sits down with Jimmy Chen—founder and CEO of Propel, the groundbreaking fintech company modernizing America’s social safety net and serving millions of low‑income families each month.

Jimmy shares his remarkable journey from arriving in Kansas City as a four‑year‑old immigrant from China with parents who had just $200, to becoming a Stanford graduate, early product manager at LinkedIn and Facebook, and ultimately the creator of one of the most impactful social‑good tech companies in the country.

You’ll hear:

In this episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan and Chris Payne sit down with Aleks Musika — renowned menswear designer and Co‑Founder of luxury label Musika New York. Aleks shares how a childhood fascination with style set him on a path that led from working in retail to joining the Tom Ford Made-to-Measure program, where he honed the craftsmanship and eye for detail that would shape his career.

Aleks walks us through how he built his brand from the ground up, transforming an Instagram fashion blog into one of the fastest‑growing bespoke menswear houses in the wo...

2025 was a stellar year for investors—but will the same playbook work in 2026?

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan Payne, Bob, Chris, and special guest Aaron Dessen kick off the new year by reflecting on an unexpected, across‑the‑board winning year in markets—and then pivot to what really matters now: what could derail your portfolio in 2026.

The team breaks down 5 key hurdles investors must watch in the coming year, including geopolitical shocks, Fed rate cuts, the dangers of sitting in cash, speculative “casino‑like” market behavior, and the growing risk of chasing last yea...

Markets are printing fresh highs, yet some investors are getting crushed—how does that happen? In this roundtable, Ryan Payne, Bob Payne, Courtney Garcia, and Frankie Lagrotteria break down a real case of a couple in their late 50s whose “do‑anything‑to-go-faster” portfolio relied on leverage and crowd‑favorite names…right as they approach full retirement. We dissect why speculation masquerading as strategy can implode even in up markets, why “know what you own and why you own it” matters more than ever, and how to rebuild a plan centered on durable income and disciplined risk management.

You’ll hear why...

In this episode of Payne Points of Wealth, we sit down with Songe LaRon, a dynamic New York City tech entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of SQUIRE Technologies—the world’s leading all-in-one barbershop business management system. Songe shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Manhattan with artist parents, to earning a J.D. from Yale, practicing law at a top firm, and ultimately making the leap from a more certain future in corporate America to launch a tech company that’s transforming an entire industry.

We explore how his upbringing shaped his relationship with money...

Is the AI Bubble Finally Here??? The Roundtable We Needed

In episode 225 of the Payne Points of Wealth, Ryan, Bob, and Chris tackle one of the most fundamental—and often overlooked—principles of investing: diversification. Why do so many investors ignore this simple rule and chase the hottest trends like AI stocks? We break down the psychology behind FOMO, the dangers of over-concentration, and why rebalancing your portfolio is one of the hardest—but most important—moves you can make.

You’ll hear real-world examples, including a financial autopsy of a couple in early retirement who were unknowingly...

In this week’s episode, Ryan, Chris, and Courtney sit down with Mihailo Bozic, a dynamic 25-year-old entrepreneur whose journey from Australia to New York City embodies the classic immigrant founder story. With Serbian roots and a background in Finance and Economics from the University of Western Australia, Mihailo has already launched two impactful startups tackling real-world problems.

From his first venture Envited, a social media app revolutionizing student event planning, to his current company Migrate Mate, a job board helping immigrants find visa-sponsored roles in the U.S., Mihailo shares how he bootstrapped his way to $500K ARR...

All right, all right, all right—this week, it’s just the Payne Capital crew, no guests, no filters, just real talk. After a string of great interviews, we’re bringing it back to the roundtable to tackle the question everyone’s asking: Are we in an artificial intelligence bubble?

Bob dives into market history and draws parallels to the tech boom of the '90s. Courtney shares what Wall Street strategists are saying and why the AI narrative is dominating every segment. Chris gives us the pulse from clients—some are all-in on AI, others are bracing fo...

In this week’s episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, and Chris sit down with Sara Uy, the dynamic 28-year-old founder of SellingSara, a New York-based sales training program. Together, they unpack the shifting landscape of the job market, the rise of AI in hiring, and why soft skills and emotional intelligence are more valuable than ever. Sara shares her firsthand insights into Gen Z’s job search struggles, the disconnect between employer expectations and hiring realities, and why Artificial Intelligence still can’t replace human intelligence—especially in sales. From cold calling in the age of call...

In this electrifying episode of the Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, and Chris sit down with Gary C. Evans, a serial entrepreneur and the current Chairman & CEO of United States Antimony Corporation (USAC). Gary shares his rollercoaster journey from the high-stakes world of Texas oil to leading one of America’s most strategically vital mineral companies.

We dive into:

This week on the Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, Chris, and Courtney are joined by Washington Examiner columnist and sharp political commentator Tiana Lowe-Doescher for a deep dive into the complex intersection of politics and financial markets.

We explore the Trump administration’s push to lower interest rates — and why the Federal Reserve no longer dictates long-term yields like mortgage rates. Instead, it’s the bond market calling the shots, driven by the sheer scale of our national debt. With 31% of the $29.7 trillion in marketable debt maturing within the next year, every 1% rise in interest rates could...

This week on Payne Points of Wealth, Bob, Ryan, Chris, and Courtney dive into the evolving dynamics of the U.S. labor market. Despite predictions of a slowdown, companies are hesitant to lay off workers—even as hiring remains sluggish. Is this a sign of economic weakness, or are deeper demographic shifts like an aging population and reduced immigration reshaping the workforce?

We also unpack Wall Street’s push to make alternative investments more accessible to everyday investors—a movement often branded as “democratization.” While financial firms tout the benefits of private equity and other alternative...

In this week’s episode, Bob, Ryan & Chris dive into the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate cut. Was it a necessary move to support a slowing economy—or is Jerome Powell just spiking the punch bowl? With all major U.S. stock markets sitting at all-time highs, the trio debates whether investors are too focused on the “AI trade,” pouring into names like Nvidia, Tesla, Palantir, and meme stock Opendoor, while overlooking new bull markets hiding in plain sight.

Meanwhile, money market fund assets have ballooned to $7.28 trillion, but yields are falling fast as inflation ticks up. That means...