It Pays to Think Independently
Welcome to The Independent Thinking Newsletter, where businessman, financier, and author Marcelo Marini offers a rare opportunity to see behind the curtains of the business and financial world. Here, he shares his best insights, ideas, and strategic reflections on business, finance, and independent thinking—shaped by real experience. He highlights the big mistakes people are making, the hidden opportunities he sees, explains how the business and financial world actually works, and reflects on how independent thinking can lead to a better life.
Each week, Marcelo Marini shares his best thinking through letters, podcasts, and video teachings—delivered directly to your inbox, podcast app, and Substack, with access to on-demand classes and a private library of resources and tools.
About the Author
Marcelo Marini is a businessman, financier and author. He writes about independent thinking, business, financial subjects for readers in more than 15 countries. Marini holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA in Corporate Finance. Marini has a strong track record of strategic and operational excellence, extensive knowledge in the sectors in which he operates, and international expertise.
For over ten years, Marcelo Marini’s weekly writings have reached readers and students across more than 15 countries. This is the only place where his work is published.
Predictions of human misconceptions, problems and opportunities
There’s a significant difference between Nero and Fat Tony, characters of N. Taleb. One, sees the opportunity and writes about it - and nobody cares - and the Tony, who talks with Nero… gains insights and develops asymmetries.
Over the last 10 years, this newsletter has published strategic perspectives, often anticipating structural trends in business, finance, behavior, and the markets…
You’ll find problems and opportunities that many business owners and investors still haven’t recognized.
As a longtime reader and friend of this newsletter often says: “Mr. Marini is always 10–15 years ahead.”
Can we avoid the traps that waste time, capital, and decision-making?
There are more “predictions of human misconceptions” that are still unfolding these days… We are not here to tell you what to do, but to help you question things… to think independently.
Reader Voices
Mostly, The Independent Thinking seems to be read by business owners, entrepreneurs and investors, among us are millionaires, billionaires, global music stars, hedge-fund managers, bankers, founders of global banks and conglomerates, philosophers, executives, artists, athletes, journalists, friends, colleagues, among others.
“Notorious knowledge in the field, inspiring, awesome.” — Executive
“Rational and surgical.” — Entrepreneur
“For over ten years, Marcelo has been my main reference in matters related to business and finance.” — Entrepreneur.
"Disciple of W.Buffet, B. Graham & M. Marini (not necessarily in this order).” — Entrepreneur, Investors.
“A little weekend reading: Marcelo Marini wrote about the difference between investors thinking for themselves versus just blindly following the crowd” — The Berkshire Beat
Additional Learning — Platform Access
Subscribers may also want to have access to the platform. You will have access to all membership plans, courses, books, materials, among other benefits.
Editorial Notes
We do not write with AI and we won’t read articles written by AI.
Please note that if an article appears in another language, we kindly ask the reader to “Translate” using their browser — it’s certainly better than asking someone else to tell what they get from the reading exercise, and we hope it works better than skipping the reading at all — as some articles from 2015–2020 are being remounted from our original Diaries. Since the original Marcelo Marini’s Diary moved to Substack, now The Independent Thinking is the only place where he shares his thoughts.
Our intention is not to write conventional articles. Instead, our focus is unconventional, timeless, relevant and interesting thoughts that may live long after this missives have been written, so readers can revisit, study, develop group studies and understand deeply what’s behind it. Our themes includes lack of cognitive discipline, misconceptions and cultural traps, family business and legacy, business fundamentals, behavioral finance, general finances, corporate finances, thinking properly, decision errors, and events shaping our present and future…
If you’re willing to dig through the archives, you might suffer the loss of not having to rely on the opinions of others… which in some cases can be a good deal, depending on how sure you are of yourself.
For contact, not related to Substack, please reach out directly via email or through the contact page. Due to the limited number of clients we are able to work with each year, please contact us to check availability; new inquiries may be placed on a waiting list.
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Editorial Approach
We do not offer stock tips, recommendations, investment products, investing advice, portfolio management, or model portfolios. We are not engaged in investment advisory services or portfolio management services. Instead, we focus on understanding business, finance, decision-making, and living a better life with independent thinking. We are not here to tell you what to do, but to help you question things, and think independently.
