The market might be serving some turkeys lately, but making long-term decisions based on fear is a recipe for disaster. Speaking of recipes, let’s not consume the half-baked ideas that some investors concoct when markets turn sour. If you have a craving for tasty long-term returns, stick to a battle-tested investment approach that you understand, and you’ll be cooking with gas!
Pick the right ingredients
While everyone has a different palate, in general we believe simple recipes turn out best. Exotic ingredients might sound appealing, but they’re not always right for your needs. Be sure to buy quality ingredients and shop wisely to pick them up at a good price. Resist putting “flavours of the day” in your cart because, like ice cream on a blueberry pie, they won’t last long, and your portfolio could start melting away.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Yes, you can have too much of a good thing and it may ruin your efforts. Go ahead and use eggs in your recipe, but save some for other dishes and grab a few servings of fruit, veggies and maybe some meat as well. A portfolio diversified by business idea will weather the storm better than one betting on a single idea. Nothing whets the appetite like beholding a well-diversified plate.
Cook (and invest) with patience
This step is crucial if you want to turn your dough into some really good bread. You can’t rush success – our recipe becomes more pleasing over time. In fact, we recommend letting it stand at least five years before tasting the fruits of our labour. We know it’ll test your willpower, but you gotta let our unique ingredients germinate and blend together.
Pro Tip: You might hear “experts” saying the markets have become too hard to swallow and your portfolio will be toast if you stick to your long-term recipe. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door and sneak a taste before it’s ready. Wait for the suggested cooking time and you’ll gobble up some appetizing returns.
By the way, not only have we been perfecting our recipe for years, we also follow it when feeding our families. Yes, we eat our own cooking – and it’s been nurturing us for a very long time!
Looking for a treat to serve the gang on Thanksgiving? Nancy, one of our EdgePointers, shares her proprietary recipe for Lemon Cake that’ll be sure to please.
Our own Nancy’s Lemon Cake recipe
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs (room temp)
1 tablespoon vanilla
¾ cup oil (canola or vegetable)
1 cup sour cream or milk
½ cup orange juice
Zest of an orange
Lemon curd (make it or buy it – ED Smith in a jar is awesome)
Sift first four ingredients and stir together. Add sugar to dry ingredients, then add remaining items (eggs one at a time) except for the lemon curd. Using a mixer, beat at medium speed until all is blended. Stir in the zest last. Pour mixture in a single pan or cupcake tins, loaf or mini tins. Drop in some of the lemon curd filling and swirl as if making a marble cake.
Bake at 350° F. A full cake takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Muffins or mini-cake tins take around 25 to 35 minutes. Tops should be golden, toothpick clean. Let cool. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar, if desired. Enjoy!
