Hi, I’m Phil. Many people, who have known me for years, call me Papa Phil.

I’ve spent over 40 years navigating the ups and downs of the stock market, learning technology, big business, finance, and what makes a business credit worthy. I know what works, what doesn’t, and how to stay grounded through it all.

My career really started with a leadership role of a radical disrupter and innovator in the telecommunications industry. I joined in early 1982, that company ultimately led to the breakup of the ATT / Bell companies. We pioneered the Internet in its commercial infancy, we created email. We were the leader in cell phone service for a time, made breakthroughs in both voice and data products. We innovated constantly, which was a blessing for making us learn very fast, make and correct mistakes, on the go – to stay ahead of the behemoth known as ATT. Change was daily (it often felt like) but it was all for creating worker independence, creativity and meaningful income streams. Regular employees would pitch an idea to the CEO and be given the reigns to bring the product to market within 90 days. One of those quick pitches I witnessed first-hand, it created $2 billion dollars in revenue by the end of year two, and left ATT reeling on its heels. It was called 1-800 COLLECT. We broke more rules and had more fun, and to this day, four decades later, anyone that worked at MCI in the early 1980’s and through the mid 1990’s stills say it was the best organization they every worked with. It was a simple but singular mission, the vision never wavered as we took down one of the biggest companies in American history. I played many roles for this company, led the Los Angeles and later the Silicon Valley in the appearance of data transmission products. Later, I had the position of managing large contract duties. I had legal, operations, technical, sales, service etc. all working with me to bring complex contract negotiations to wet signatures by both parties. The largest of those many deals were $1 billion deal with the Western Energy Power Exchange WEPEX (now called Western Interconnection). I also managed a national territory management segment over prepaid phone cards (think burner phone today). I stood toe to toe with the top purchasing managers / buyers at Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club and many others. We partnered with and signed mega card $ contracts with everyone in retail and entertainment. We even did creative pieces with Warner Brothers Studios to put Movies (Batman Forever) and Cartoon characters (Wylie Coyote / Road Runner) on the cards to make them collectable and even put unique photos of a young #23 Michael Jordon on several cards.

By late 1998 the telecom bubble had burst, and it was time for me to move along.

I led and ran my own successful home construction business for 7 years. In 2008 the financial crisis led me to drop the business as the home improvement occupation had taken a lethal blow.

I wanted back into the corporate world and soon joined one of the largest banks in the world, where I worked my way up in responsibility and developed a deep understanding of finance, lending, bonds sold to governments, strategy, and decision- making. The slow banking environment was a direct opposite of the go-go technology scene and it taught me corporate patience and well thought out product introductions. Fifteen years of commercial and government banking and I was ready for the biggest challenge, slowing down and taking a retirement breath.

What I am most proud of isn’t my unique three-part career, it’s the knowledge I’ve gained about finance, technology, and business acumen. I am truly passionate about what makes a great company and the things they must do to maintain that Best of Breed status. I have learned how to teach these observational and research skills to others to give them financial freedom through investments.

I sit down frequently with my grown sons to share the business wisdom I’ve accumulated over the decades. These conversations are a blend of storytelling, stock market insights, investing in other realms and practical advice—much like my dad had told me when he was a struggling entrepreneur. That’s what inspired me to launch “Stock Talk”.
This blog is my way of sharing investing tips, original research, and hard- earned lessons with anyone who wants to learn. Occasionally, we explore the funny political satire side of things to keep it all in balance. Whether you’re just getting interested in investments and stocks, or maybe you want to talk more expertly to the FA you’ve been using or have been in the investing game for some years, I believe there’s always something new to learn, and I’m here to help you find it. I make investing accessible, engaging, and most importantly, useful—no matter where you are in your financial journey.

So, if you’re ready to cut through the noise, and learn from someone who’s been there, the door is open – join me. Stock Talk (Subscribe)