Wavemakers: Phil Bak On ETF Success, Failures & Opportunities
ETF Think Tank’s Head of Research, Cinthia Murphy, hosts a series about innovation, disruption, and entrepreneurship in the ETF industry told first-hand by those who are leading the effort: ETF providers. The ETF industry has been in the business of disrupting and improving investor outcomes for 30 years. ETF issuers sit on the frontline of this innovation. Here they share the choices, the pivotal moments, the lessons and the battle scars that make up their journey into an industry that has democratized and revolutionized market access for investors everywhere.
Our guest this week is Phil Bak, CEO of Armada ETF Advisors, a firm redefining what it means to invest in real estate. In this episode, Phil tells us the ETF business isn’t easy but it’s oh-so-worth it:
ETF entrepreneurship isn’t about guarantees, but about probabilities. The chance of success is rewarding but it’s not for everyone. This is an industry where successes – and failures – are very public.
In an industry where transparency also means no IP protections, authenticity is a key to success is. Be someone a bigger competitor can’t copy or replicate.
Years of strong market performance have turned many investors complacent. The importance of fundamentals and the value of pursuing alpha is about to be very apparent as active management takes off.