Renowned venture capitalist and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Peter Thiel advises investors to avoid relying too heavily on formulaic investment decisions. Instead, he recommends seeking out companies that innovate through disruptive business models.
In his book, Thiel lists out a few tips for investors to achieve long-term investing success.
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1. Look for principles in companies
An investor should seek value in unexpected places by examining a business’s principles rather than relying on formulas to select potential investments. Thiel notes that investors frequently err by evaluating companies based solely on their results.
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Thiel emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research on a business before investing to identify quality stocks. He advises investors to consider the strength of the balance sheet, a sound dividend policy, and the returns of a business to make informed investment decisions.
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3. Love the art of investing
Thiel believes that investors should treat the art of investing with utmost seriousness, making it their top priority. By demonstrating significant passion and determination in their investment endeavors, investors are likely to achieve substantial profits in the long run.
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4. Pay attention to growing companies
Investors should avoid a casual approach to investing, as it may result in losses. Thiel advocates for paying close attention to growing companies and investing in them. He is also a strong proponent of investing in venture-backed firms.
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5. Don’t try to oppose the crowd, but try to think for yourself
Thiel asserts that being contrarian merely for the sake of it is pointless. Only truly independent thinking investors or entrepreneurs can identify market opportunities that become wealth generators. He believes investors should have clarity of thought and base their decisions on facts and reasoning.
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6. Monopoly is the condition for every successful business
There is a significant difference between creating value and capturing it. Thiel believes that companies operating under perfect competition conditions do not capture most of the value they create, so investors should be cautious when considering such companies. Conversely, monopoly businesses both create and capture value, making them prime targets for investors.
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7. Have a long-term focus
Investors often err by maintaining a short-term focus, which can undermine efforts to build long-term durability. Thiel’s success as an investor appears to stem from principles similar to those of Warren Buffett, including independent thinking and a focus on “monopoly businesses”—companies with strong competitive advantages or moats. Thiel advocates for a single-minded focus on a select few companies that have the potential to become extremely valuable over time, rather than the ‘spray and pray’ approach that many ordinary investors use, which often leads to mediocre results. (Disclaimer: This article is based on Peter Thiel’s book Zero to One and his various interviews.)
