Speaking
Speaking
“Look to the skies, to the planets and the stars, for they remind you of what is possible. Yet keep your feet firmly on the earth, for it is here on this ground, in this life, that your journey unfolds and your greatest achievements are made.”
Mark Melrose
Talks for four rooms
Mark Melrose is a Marine veteran, a former EOD bomb tech, and the author of Tactical Investing for Your Strategic Plan. His talks come in four versions: for veterans, investors, business owners, and decision makers and executives.
Signature keynote
“Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth”
Strategy sets the destination; tactics decide whether you arrive. Mark opens with the Merrill Lynch “rainfall in Brazil” chart (there is no magic formula) and closes with “Your Mission Begins Now.” It works for any of the four audiences below.
For veterans
From the Bomb Squad to Wall Street
Why defusing explosives as an EOD tech was less stressful than managing someone's life savings, and what emotional control under fire teaches about money.
From Chapters 10 and 12 of the book
You Already Know How to Do This
The book speaks directly to "my military brothers and sisters": mission statement, operational-environment assessment, course-of-action matrix, all applied to a retirement plan.
From Chapter 2 of the book (SMART and PEST)
The Wall Street Journal in the Jeep
Starting to invest while serving, from field cots to a first stock (Mattel, 1984) that doubled. Why your time in uniform is the best time to start.
From About the Author in the book
Choose Your Weapons
Dividend stocks as machine guns, ETFs as artillery, cash as the reserve force. Knowing each weapon's capabilities and limits before you deploy it.
From Chapter 4 of the book
For investors
Loyal to Yourself First
Bob Loyal, 40% in Xerox stock in 1999, "it's just a pullback," and five more years of work. The danger of company-stock loyalty.
From Chapter 10 of the book
Trust, But Verify the Spy
Hot tips, whisper numbers, and why the stock fell when the tip was right. Treating every tip like battlefield intelligence.
From Chapter 10 of the book
The Pillow Effect
If it keeps you up at night, it's not worth holding. Risk tolerance, the five types of risk, and why "aggressive/moderate/conservative" is outdated.
From Chapters 2–3 of the book
When to Sell Is the Harder Half
The Ukraine defense trade: overweighted at 20–25%, trimmed to 15% after the run-up, still holding three years later. Asking "what has changed since I bought it?" instead of "pigs get slaughtered."
From Chapters 5–6 of the book
Who Got Thrown Out With the Bathwater?
Reading crisis behavior for opportunity: COVID energy (down 50%, then up 90%), banks, airlines, the vaccine race.
From Chapters 4–5 of the book
Lose Less, Win More
Down capture matters more than up capture: a 20% loss needs a 25% gain to recover.
From Chapter 9 of the book
Diversification Isn't Owning More Things
The Apple/XLK overlap problem and the "crossholdings review."
From Chapter 3 of the book
For business owners
Commission, Fee, or Fiduciary?
The questions to ask an advisor and what to listen for: licenses, how they're paid, and what their clients look like.
From Chapter 12 of the book
Strategies Your Advisor Should Be Bringing You
John, the independent contractor who thought he couldn't shelter $200,000 a year (a defined benefit plan), and Carol's charitable remainder trust.
From Chapter 12 of the book
The Best Product Doesn't Always Win
The computer science professor who bet on Borland's Quattro Pro over Lotus, and both lost to Excel. Expertise can be a blind spot.
From Chapter 10 of the book
Reading the Enemy's Order of Battle
How to read an annual report, using Lockheed Martin's business section cross-referenced with the weapons Ukraine was actually using.
From Chapter 13 of the book
For decision makers and executives
Intelligence Has a Source
Sell-side versus buy-side research, and why every report should be vetted like field intel for bias and reliability.
From Chapter 12 of the book
Adjust Tactics, Never the Objective
Continuous reassessment, review points, and deciding in advance when to escalate, ease off, or walk away.
From Chapter 2 of the book (“Time-Bound”)
When Government Steps In, People Find a Way Around
Nixon's price controls, people trading license plates to get gas, Volcker's 17.5% rates. Policy shocks as signals.
From Chapter 11 of the book
Know Your People Before You Advise Them
Recommending Micron to a risk-averse friend: the stock doubled within a year, but the friendship never recovered. A leadership lesson about knowing whoever you're advising, not just the numbers.
From Chapter 10 of the book
The Retail Crowd Moves Markets Now
GameStop up 1,800%, AMC up 2,600%, and what social-media sentiment means for any decision-maker reading markets.
From Chapters 1 and 11 of the book
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized investment, legal, or tax advice. The author is not acting as your fiduciary or registered investment adviser, and no guarantee of any investment outcome is made or implied. Before making any investment decision, consult a licensed financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney regarding your specific situation.