Frisby's Bulls And Bears

I have recorded three more Virgin podcasts, including the one below with Alastair Campbell.I think they are all well worth your time listening to. This is the last time (probably) I will cross-promote the Virgin podcast to the Frisby's Bulls and Bears audience,  but if you like what I do podcast-wise, please subscribe to the Virgin Podcast. It's free.Here's how.Many people listen to podcasts through their iPhone or smartphone. Open the podcasts app, and then search for 'Virgin podcast'. It will be the first name that comes up. Hit subscribe and then you will get each programme delivered to your phone as soon as it is uploaded.Or you can  subscribe on your computer via iTunes or SoundCloud. Then you can listen when you're on your daily commute, doing you're daily exercise or doing the laundry - whenever it is you might listen to the radio.The main themes of the show are the things you associate with Richard Branson and Virgin: business, tech, travel, social issues and self-improvement.We've got some great interviews lined up for the autumn.

I have started a podcast in collaboration with Virgin.I will post the first couple of episodes here, but would urge you all, if you like what I do podcast-wise, to sign up - either at iTunes or via SoundCloud. We have got some great interviews lined up. The first interview is with Luke Lang, co-founder of CrowdCube, one of the world’s leading crowdfunding investment platforms. Luke tells us how his company came about. We discuss crowdfunding – the success stories, the opportunities, as well as good crowdfunding techniques. We also tackle the issue of what makes a good entrepreneur.

Sorry about the large gap between shows folks, but it's worth the wait, because I've finally managed to get Charlie Morris on the show.Charlie was a successful fund manager with HSBC for 17 years, but, this spring, he stepped down to 'pursue other projects'. Charlie is one of the cleverest guys in the City. He knows his stuff. His macro calls have been consistently excellent. He's well liked, well thought of and well connected. Listen to this man! He knows how things work.His newsletter, Atlas Pulse, as well as being excellent, is free. You should all sign up - atlaspulse @ gmail.comWarning the audio quality is terrible - apologies. Here's what he normally looks like:And here he is during his 700k trek across Northern Spain.

Keith Neumeyer discusses the IPO of his new company, First Mining Finance (FF). First Mining Finance has been designed to take advantage of the depressed markets for mining assets. Many see current valuations as the cheapest they have been in 20 years, on a relative basis perhaps even the cheapest ever. FF's aim is to tap into its large knowledge base and use it to accumulate as many quality mining assets as possible (Americas only) - assets which don't require higher metals prices to be viable - while they are cheap. Eventually, the plan is to have a large bank of them. When (if) the mining cycle turns favourable again, it is hoped the 'mineral bank' will have appreciated considerably in price. FF will then look to generate revenue either from re-sales, JVs, royalties or streaming structures.The man behind the deal is Keith Neumeyer. For those of you that don't know Keith, he built First Majestic Silver (TSX:FR) and took it from penny stock status to $25 a share (in the heady days of 2010-11) with a C$3 billion plus market cap. It is now one of North America's leading silver producers and even in today's beaten up silver market it remains profitable with a market cap of around C$900m and a share price of $7.50-$8.  Keith was previously behind First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM), which followed a similarly enormous trajectory to become one of the world's biggest copper producers. His record in mining is pretty much second to none. It is better than even mine.Also involved are many of the other key personnel from First Majestic, such as Ramon Davila and Raul Diaz.FF already has 18 properties at various stages of development (gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc) and has raised C$2.7m. The company will IPO in Canada via an RTO next month and plans to raise another C$8-10m (at 40c) in the process. A C$10m raise would mean 80m shares outstanding a market cap of just above C$30m. Management will own about 10% and First Majestic shareholders 25-30%. The success of First Mining Finance depends on the metals markets, of course, but the ideal situation would be for them to remain depressed for another while so that assets can be picked up cheaply and for things to then pick up, as they one day will. This is a company to hold for three to five years rather than flip.Anyway, if you are interested in finding out more or in taking part in the IPO, please contact me and I'll send over forms (email - frizzers at gmail dot com). If you want to speak to Keith, I'll try and arrange that too. Here is the powerpoint presentation.edit - Further to your questions, I have had the following from management:"Total management fees are around $500k per year, this includes the cost of support services from First Majestic (offices, legal, administrative etc). We have four employees. The total holding costs per year are around 900k so the total annual cash burn rate is expected to be $1.4 mn. The minimum investment amount is $10,000. Management currently owns (i.e. before this financing) 15% of the shares.  We are looking to close the financing within the next week or so ( i.e. by around March 6 or so) and we expect the shares to be listed by the middle of this month".

A reversal of roles in today's Bulls and Bears - Dominic Frisby (me) is the interviewee.This is a re-broadcast of an interview I did forSimon Rose of Share Radioin November about Bitcoin and the implications of the technology behind it, re-published withSimon and Share Radio'skind permission.Happy Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.Bitcoin: the Future of Money?by Dominic Frisby is availabledirectly from the publishers Unbound, fromamazon.comoramazon.co.uk. The audiobook isavailable here.

Renegade computer hacker Amir Tarki talks bitcoin and revolution.This interview was recorded in early 2014 as part of the research for my book. Some of the Occupy movement are based there - and Amir uses it as his London base. I thought you'd enjoy listening to it. And this is the squat where we recorded the interview:Bitcoin: the Future of Money? by Dominic Frisby is available directly from the publishers Unbound, from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. The audiobook is available here.

Dominic meets with Siam Kidd.Siam joined the RAF after school and not long after completing his officers’ training he began trading and investing. He didn’t have the most successful of starts. Being  self taught and impatient he quickly lost money, including - as he describes the interview - fifteen grand in the time it took him to make a pop tart. This continued for some time as he continually struggled to balance his pilot training and trading, but now trading has become profitable for him. In addition to trading his own book Siam teaches his trading strategies via The Realistic Trader.Bitcoin: the Future of Money? by Dominic Frisby is available directly from the publishers Unbound, from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. The audiobook is available here.

Dominic Frisby meets Ned Naylor Leyland at Mines and Money in London. As you'd expect, they discuss gold and silver and, (also as you'd expect), Ned has some very interesting things to say.Ned graduated with from Bristol Uni in 1998. He began his career at Neilson Management, later moving to Smith Williamson (formerly NCL Investments) in 2003 where he was an investment manager. Ned joined Quilter Cheviot in 2008 and is advising a specialist precious metals fund. Follow Ned on Twitter.Bitcoin: the Future of Money? by Dominic Frisby is available directly from the publishers Unbound, from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. The audiobook is available here.

Dominic Frisby interviews Ross Norman, CEO of Sharps Pixley, at London’s Mines and Money conference. Ross’s record in the LBMA annual gold forecasting competition is second to none. Together they try and make some sense of the gold market …Bitcoin: the Future of Money? by Dominic Frisby is available directly from the publishers Unbound, from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. The audiobook is available here.

Dominic Frisby talks to Frank Holmes, CEO of US Global Investors. They consider the outlook for commodities, emerging markets and natural resource stocks and discuss where to invest now ...Read Frank's blog here.

After a very pleasant lunch, economist and journalist Liam Halligan explains the Ukranian crisis and its implications to me.Follow Liam on Twitter.Bitcoin - the Future of Money?If you are interested in the audiobook of Life After The State, please click here.

Dominic Frisby reads an extract from his new book,Bitcoin - the Future of Money?The book is now fully funded but you can stillpledge and get your name in the back.If you are interested in theaudiobook of Life After The State, please click here.Follow Dominic on Twitter.

In today's programme I talk to Dimitri Speck about gold price manipulation and his new bookThe Gold Cartel: Government Intervention In Gold, the Mega-Bubble in Paper, and What This Means For Your Future.Dimitri Speck is a commodity analyst and chief developer of trading strategies for asset manager Staedel Hanseatic, where he is responsible for the Stay-C commodity fund.Visit Dimitri's website,Seasonal Charts.

In today's programme I meet James Turk to talk about his latest book,the Money Bubble, written with John Rubino.James is convinced the money bubble is about to burst. I'm not so sure. We discuss.James Turk is a sound money advocate. He is the founder and former chairman of Goldmoney, through which you can buy and store gold. His book, also written with John Rubino, the Coming Collapse of the Dollar, is, in my view, essential reading.And if you haven't yet got your copy ofLife After The State, you canget it here at Amazon- orbuy the audiobook here.Follow me on Twitter

A fascinating conversation over a pint with Keith Neumeyer, president and founder of First Majestic Silver (TSX:FR/NYSE:AG).We cover the depressed state of mining, the flaws in 43-101, the outlook for silver, manipulated markets and much much more.Keith is a clever and interesting guy, one of the mining CEOs to actually deliver on promises, and this is a recommended listen.And if you haven't yet got your copy ofLife After The State, possibly the greatest book ever written, you canget it here at Amazon- orbuy the audiobook here.Follow me on Twitter.