Here's the straight up truth: you don't need an expensive investment advisor or financial planner to design a portfolio that is tailored to your needs, is low cost, highly efficient, and easy to manage. You can do it yourself and get better results than you would with any other portfolio out there. I know this is a bold claim, but it's true. Let me explain.

The investment advice business has one goal, and only one goal: to gather assets from investors and keep those assets on their books for as long as they can. This is the prime directive for every advisor, planner, broker, mutual fund manager, and ETF manufacturer. 

In the investment business, those who capture the most assets are king. It's really that simple. Is it wrong? That's debatable, but let me just say that 90% of the investment professionals I have ever worked with are decent, earnest people who really want to do what's best for their clients. Their intentions are good. But here's the problem. The system is set up to reward assets under management (AUM) and not client outcomes. The problem is the business model, not the behavior of the foot soldiers.

Discerning investors have been moving toward the DIY model for decades, thanks to visionaries like the late, great Jack Bogle of Vanguard fame. Maybe it's time for you to get on board and stop paying exorbitant fees for mediocre performance..

​​When it comes to designing your portfolio, one size does not fit all. Financial salespeople offer cookie-cutter portfolio designs that they claim will be just right for you. Don’t fall for it. What they really mean is that they will put you into a portfolio that other investors who are just like you are using. But there are no other investors who are just like you, are there?

The only portfolio that could possibly be just right for you is one that is tailored just for you, and not some plain vanilla off-the-rack model that is designed to fit just about everyone who walks in the door.

​According to Thomson Reuters there are 110,000 listed companies around the world. There are 342,000 bonds. There are more than 9,000 mutual funds, 2,200 ETFs, and a myriad of “alternative investments” for you to choose from in the marketplace. It’s no wonder investors can get overwhelmed. (See the Ted Talk about the Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz here.)

​Who can you really trust to give you honest, unbiased, and clear information about designing your portfolio? The answer is you, and only you. This is because the investment business is built on one idea – gathering and controlling as much money as possible from clients and prospects. It’s how the industry gets paid. Naturally this raises a conflict of interest. Is what you’re being told in your best interest, or in the best interest of the salesperson? (See Fiduciary Standard.)

​Do you understand how to measure the amount of financial risk you are taking with your current portfolio? Very few investors do. And in fact, very few financial salespeople do. Risk assessment and management is one of the most important parts of portfolio design, and yet it’s usually just given lip service.

​Ever notice that when everything is groovy and the market is going up and up and up, it’s very easy to get your salesperson on the phone. That’s because they probably have nothing but good news for you. But when the worm turns and the market takes a header, and your account is bleeding money by the day, suddenly your salesperson isn’t so available. Nobody likes to be yelled at, and in a down market, customers complain.

​Your salesperson is not accountable for how well your portfolio actually performs. He or she was very careful during the sales process not to promise anything. When the market is rising, everybody is a genius, including your salesperson. When it’s falling, don’t blame the salesperson. There is no accountability.

If you are currently paying an adviser an annual fee based on the amount of money in your account, this is for you.

If you are dissatisfied with the way your current portfolio is performing, this is for you.

If you feel a little overwhelmed by the number of choices available for building your portfolio, this is for you.

If you feel like you're not getting the attention and care that you need from your adviser, this is for you.

If you prefer the do-it-yourself approach to other challenges in your life, this is for you.

If you value self-reliance, independence, and pride of ownership, this is for you.

If you are turned off by the whole Wall Street game, this is for you.

If you are happy with your current adviser, this is not for you.

If you don't have the time or patience for a do-it-yourself approach to managing your money, this is not for you.

If you lack confidence in your ability to chart your own investment course, this is not for you.

If you are reluctant to take full responsibility for your investment outcomes, this is not for you.

If you already have a killer portfolio that fits you like a glove and performs well, this is not for you.

If you believe that you know all there is to know about designing a portfolio, this is not for you.

This course consists of 10 modules, with several lessons included in each module. It is a go-at-your-own-pace course, so there is no pressure to meet deadlines.

There will be a quiz at the end of each module that will evaluate how well you have understood the information. If your score is low, you should re-take that module before moving on.

The course covers everything you need to know to design your portfolio. There are lots of examples and case studies to reinforce the subject material in the lessons.

As a course subscriber, you are entitled to email support so you can ask for clarification on anything that is unclear.

I know it's a cliche, but you can expect to get out of the course what you put into the course. In general terms, it's reasonable to expect that you will boost your current returns by 20-50% and possibly more, if you're in a bad portfolio right now.

For example, the average investor earns a return of roughly 6.5% over the long term, while the stock market averages about 9.5%. It's not a stretch to expect to increase your returns to the point where they are closer to the market return, or possibly even higher.

The course costs $300. This cost can easily be recovered within the first year of implementation. An investor who has a $100,000 account, and picks up just 1% of growth, will end up with an extra $1,000 after the first year. 

That 1% pickup in growth could come from a higher market return, or a cost saving from eliminating the adviser fees.

This is the bare minimum return on investment: $300 gets you $1,000 in one year. The more money you have to invest, the more enticing this offer becomes.