From catching crime to ASX microcap multi-baggers, ft. Peter Johns

In this episode of The Australian Investors Podcast Rask Founder Owen Rask is joined by Peter Johns, portfolio manager at Westferry Investment Fund. Peter also goes by the handle Microcap Jesus (@Saintly96) on Twitter. What Peter & Owen talked about You told me that one year you had ~$50 million annual trading volume via CommSec but had just ~$200k balance every night. What type of investing/trading were you doing? Did it work? How much brokerage did you rack up on CommSec? Going back a bit, why did you get into law? In particular, criminal law? What did you specialise in? Why was investing so appealing? Were you investing on the side? How did you convince your other half? Given your diverse background, do you study or follow people in the finance industry? (specifically spivs) Related: has doing 1,000 interviews as a lawyer changed the way you judge people? What skills could investors leverage to better analyse management? What are some red, amber or green flags you look for? When have these worked for or against you? Peter walks us through the fascinating story of Indonesian Apple reseller, Story-I Ltd (ASX: SRY). You started with 300 Capital. What was this and why did you take on friends' money? In 2021 you transitioned to Westferry. Why did you bother to get an AFSL and go down that path? Can you describe why you invest? Specifically, how would you describe your investment philosophy and reason for investing the way you do? Are you a fundamental investor? Do you invest long-term? etc. How do you source new ideas? Stock stories: Australian Family Lawyers (AFL) has been a consistent holding for you, and it's interesting given your background. Are legal businesses really good businesses? Why is that different to Shine (ASX: SHJ) or Slater & Gordon (ASX: SGH)? What key metrics do you track? Pacific Turbine Brisbane (ASX: PTB) is another large holding you've had for some time. Can you dive into the thesis and journey of this company through your research process? Final question: if you could go back and tell a younger Peter one thing about investing, what would it be? Visit the Westferry website: https://westferry.com.au/ ➜ Dig in deeper with the show notes: https://www.rask.com.au/podcasts/aust... ➜ Score $100 off Owen's premium high conviction ASX & US share research service, Rask Invest: https://www.rask.com.au/aip-listener-... ➜ 100% free investing courses: https://education.rask.com.au ➜ Join our kickass newsletter: https://www.rask.com.au/free-sign-up ➜ Our awesome FB community:   / raskaustralia   ➜ Hang with us on IG:   / raskaustralia   ➜ Twitter for cool kids:   / raskaustralia   ➜ Tiktok for laughs:   / raskinvest   Full individual disclosures for each guest are available via the show notes page. Owen and The Rask Group Pty Ltd do NOT receive anything for mentioning Super funds, products, shares, bank accounts, etc. **DISCLAIMER**: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Date recorded: 16th December 2021