Block Q3 2025 Post-Mortem: Acceleration With An AI Engine
Post Mortem
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., breaks down why Block is re-accelerating across Cash App and Square, how Borrow economics compound inside the ecosystem, and why Goose AI is the quiet operating layer powering efficiency and product velocity.
Disclaimer
Avory is an investor in Block.
Avory & Co. is a Registered Investment Adviser. This platform is solely for informational purposes. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Avory & Co. and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Avory & Co. unless a client service agreement is in place.
Listeners and viewers are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
“Likes” are not intended to be endorsements of our firm, our advisors, or our services. While we monitor comments and “likes,” we do not endorse or necessarily share the opinions expressed by site users. Any form of testimony from current or past clients about their experience with our firm is strictly forbidden under current securities laws. Please limit posts to industry-related educational information and comments.
Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation.
Please reach out to Houston Hess, our Head of Compliance and Operations, for any further details.
Google Q3 2025 Post-Mortem: AI Execution Over AI Hype
Post Mortem
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., breaks down why investors are rewarding Google’s spending while punishing others, and how its strategy from TPUs to Gemini shows real ROI in the new compute era.
We cover:
• Revenue acceleration across Search, YouTube, and Cloud (+15% to +34%)
• Gemini’s rapid growth to 650M users, 300M paid
• Why CAPEX to $93B is seen as productive, not reckless
• Anthropic’s commitment to TPUs and the growing Cloud backlog (+46%)
• How AI integration is lifting engagement and monetization
• Why Google’s AI flywheel looks more efficient than peers
Disclaimer
Avory is an investor in Alphabet
Avory & Co. is a Registered Investment Adviser. This platform is solely for informational purposes. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Avory & Co. and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Avory & Co. unless a client service agreement is in place.
Listeners and viewers are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
“Likes” are not intended to be endorsements of our firm, our advisors or our services. Please be aware that while we monitor comments and “likes” left on this page, we do not endorse or necessarily share the same opinions expressed by site users. While we appreciate your comments and feedback, please be aware that any form of testimony from current or past clients about their experience with our firm is strictly forbidden under current securities laws. Please honor our request to limit your posts to industry-related educational information and comments.
Third-party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client nor are they representative of any one client's evaluation.
Please reach out to Houston Hess our head of Compliance and Operations for any further details.
Meta just reported Q3 earnings
Revenue up +26% Y/Y, engagement accelerating, and yet the stock fell 8%.
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., breaks down why the market is suddenly questioning Meta’s $70B+ AI spending plans, what this means for ROI, and whether we’re entering “Metaverse 2.0” territory.
We explore:
• Why Meta’s core business is stronger than ever
• How AI infrastructure is driving engagement and ad performance
• Why investors are beginning to push back on CAPEX at all costs
• The tension between long-term vision and near-term returns
• What this shift could mean for broader AI infrastructure players
⚡ Clear growth, rising scrutiny: Meta’s results mark a turning point in how markets judge AI investment.
Navigating Market Dynamics with Seth Golden: Insights on Fed Policy, Economy, and Investment Opportunities
Join Sean Emory, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Avory & Company, as he hosts Seth Golden, market strategist and founder of Finom Group, in this episode of Avory's Around the Desk podcast.
They delve into the Fed's recent rate cut, its impact on the economy, and discuss key investment opportunities and risks in the current market landscape.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:52 Catching Up in Orlando
02:45 Discussion on the Federal Reserve's Recent Rate Cut
06:54 Real-Time Indicators and Inflation
14:42 Labor Market and Economic Outlook
21:33 Consumer Behavior and Spending
29:38 Impact of Tariffs on Inflation
35:57 Investment Opportunities Ahead
36:50 Analyzing Costco's Resilience and Investment Potential
38:49 Kava and Chipotle: Comparing Growth and Investment Strategies
42:07 Financials and Healthcare: Future Prospects and Current Trends
46:06 Real Estate Market Insights and Regional Growth
48:32 Bubble Concerns and Market Comparisons: 2000 vs. Today
54:54 Parabolic Stocks: Risks and Opportunities
01:03:51 AI Investment and Market Risks
01:09:58 Small and Mid-Cap Stocks: Potential Catalysts and Future Outlook
01:11:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Seth Golden
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode and Around the Desk
📺 YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This presentation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All opinions expressed are as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Any securities discussed may or may not remain in the portfolio. Please consult with a licensed financial advisor for personalized investment advice.
© 2025 Avory & Co. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
Avory Around the Desk Podcast
In this episode of Avory Around the Desk Podcast, host Sean Emory, founder and Chief Investment Officer of Avory & Co, welcomes Garth Friesen, an acclaimed investor, author, consultant, and former hedge fund manager. Garth shares his insights on a wide range of topics including market outlook, macroeconomic trends, the Federal Reserve's policies, and the impact of geopolitical events. Discussions also cover the effects of tariffs, real estate investment opportunities, and the transformative role of AI in various sectors. Whether you're a seasoned investor or new to the field, this episode offers valuable perspectives on navigating today's complex financial landscape.
00:00 Introduction to Avory Around the Desk Podcast
00:13 Meet Garth Friesen: Investor, Author, and Consultant
00:49 Garth's Career Journey and Current Activities
01:19 Current Market and Macro Environment
04:01 Impact of Tariffs and Market Reactions
13:36 Fed's Role and Economic Indicators
16:12 Inflation, Data Accuracy, and Fed's Decision Making
23:02 Strategic Views on Fed's Easing Cycle
25:59 Impact of Fed Policies on Long-Term Rates
27:29 Current State of the Real Estate Market
29:08 Opportunities in Commercial Real Estate
34:26 AI's Role in Investment Strategies
45:01 Advice for Retirees and New Investors
48:03 Where to Follow the Speaker's Work
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Garth Friesen
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode and Around the Desk
📺 YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This presentation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All opinions expressed are as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Any securities discussed may or may not remain in the portfolio. Please consult with a licensed financial advisor for personalized investment advice.
© 2025 Avory & Co. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., sits down with Kai Wu, Founder & CIO of Sparkline Capital, for a deep dive into investing beyond the balance sheet.
Kai shares how Sparkline Capital applies machine learning, AI, and alternative data to measure intangible assets such as human capital and intellectual property and integrate them into a systematic value investing framework.
We explore:
• Buffett’s three career phases from tangible to intangible moats
• Why patents, brand equity, and PhD talent are undervalued
• Using unstructured data to find advantages
• The “lazy analyst” problem in the AI era
• Tech giants moving from asset light to heavy AI infrastructure
• Lessons from past tech revolutions for investors
• Inside a modern quant shop
Whether you are a fundamental investor, quant, or simply curious about how AI is reshaping investment strategy, this conversation delivers both the philosophy and the playbook.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Value Investing
02:31 Warren Buffett's Investment Philosophy
05:43 Intangible Assets and Modern Investing
08:17 The Role of AI in Investment Strategies
10:58 Building Sparkline Capital
13:45 The Future of Financial Analysis
16:56 The Strategy Behind Sparkline's ETFs
25:52 Valuing Intangible Assets in Business
27:44 The War for AI Talent
29:58 Human Capital and Its Impact on Valuation
32:38 The Long-Term Value of Intangible Investments
35:16 Transitioning from Intangible to Tangible Assets
36:41 AI Infrastructure and Historical Context
38:34 Risks of Infrastructure Investment in AI
40:22 Identifying Early Adopters in the AI Space
43:00 Building a Successful Investment Firm
49:19 Utilizing AI Tools in Finance
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Kai Wu, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Sparkline Capital
https://www.sparklinecapital.com
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode and Around the Desk
📺 YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This presentation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All opinions expressed are as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Any securities discussed may or may not remain in the portfolio. Please consult with a licensed financial advisor for personalized investment advice.
© 2025 Avory & Co. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., sits down with Loujaina Abdelwahed, PhD — a senior economist at Revelio Labs — to break down what’s really happening in the labor market.
We dig into the shifting workforce, the nuanced role AI is playing in reshaping jobs, and the generational divide in employee sentiment and retention.
From federal workforce changes to AI adoption curves — this is the kind of analysis that tells us where the labor market is actually headed.
We cover:
• Slowing hiring and historically low attrition
• Why AI is altering — not eliminating — roles
• Declining demand for AI-exposed roles
• Generational shifts: why younger workers are leaving
• The changing public workforce and retention challenges
• Why employee sentiment is deteriorating — and what it means
• How AI adoption is correlated with productivity and satisfaction
• Which jobs are growing while others stagnate
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory — Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Loujaina Abdelwahed, PhD — Senior Economist at Revelio Labs
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 Questions? Contact us at: team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode & Around the Desk
📺 YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This conversation is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. We may hold positions in some of the companies discussed. Please do your own research before making any investment decisions.
—
Hashtags (10):
#LaborMarket #AIJobs #WorkforceTrends #RevelioLabs #AroundTheDesk #JobTrends #EmployeeSentiment #FutureOfWork #AIImpact #WorkforceEconomy
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., sits down with Anthony Power, co-founder of Power Mining Analysis and a leading voice in the mining world, to break down how the economics of Bitcoin mining are evolving and why many are shifting toward high-performance compute (HPC) infrastructure.
This isn’t just about mining anymore, it's about building the digital infrastructure stack of the future.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Bitcoin Mining and Power Mining Analysis
04:56 Current State of Bitcoin Mining
10:14 Challenges and Adaptations in Mining
14:43 The Shift to High-Performance Computing (HPC)
19:14 Future of Bitcoin Mining and HPC
24:26 Funding and Infrastructure for HPC
29:05 Emerging Players in Mining Technology
37:39 Conclusion and Future Outlook
Whether you're long, short, or just curious about the future of mining infrastructure — this one goes deep.
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory — Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Anthony Power — Co-founder of Power Mining Analysis
Contributing Writer at Compass Mining
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 Questions? Contact us at: team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode & Around the Desk
📺 YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This conversation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. We may hold positions in some of the companies discussed. Please do your own research before making any investment decisions.
© 2025 Avory & Co. All rights reserved.
—
Hashtags (10):
#BitcoinMining, #HPCInfrastructure, #DigitalEnergy, #CryptoMarkets, #BitcoinEconomics, #AICompute, #MiningMargins, #CompassMining, #AroundTheDesk, #AvoryPodcast
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory, Founder & CIO of Avory & Co., sits down with Travis Brooks — operator, researcher, and the voice behind Let’s Talk Joby to break down the business model behind Joby Aviation and the broader eVTOL landscape.
This is more than just flying cars it's an entire tech and infrastructure stack.
From aircraft manufacturing to consumer apps, software platforms, and vertiport networks — where will the real value accrue?
We cover:
• Why manufacturing might get commoditized
• The risk/reward of owning the consumer relationship
• Platform potential if Joby owns the software layer
• Vertiports as the underrated competitive advantage
• How Blade and Archer are approaching the market
• What history tells us about margins and defensibility
Whether you're long, short, or just curious about air mobility, this one dives deep.
—
Hosted by:
Sean Emory — Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Avory & Co.
https://www.avory.xyz
Guest:
Travis Brooks — Operator & creator of Let’s Talk Joby
Follow Avory & Co or Sean Emory
📩 Questions? Contact us at: team@avoryco.com
🌐 Website: www.avory.xyz
🎙️ Podcast: Operator Mode & Around the Desk
YouTube: @AvoryCo
—
Disclaimer
This presentation is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All opinions expressed are as of the date of recording and are subject to change without notice. Any securities discussed may or may not remain in the portfolio. Please consult with a licensed financial advisor for personalized investment advice.
© 2025 Avory & Co. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
—
#JobyAviation, #eVTOL, #FutureOfTransportation, #UrbanAirMobility, #AirTaxis, #TechStack, #MobilityPlatforms, #FlyingCars, #AviationTech, #AvoryPodcast
In this episode of Around the Desk, Sean Emory sits down with three investors who have been closely following IREN — the Bitcoin miner now pivoting toward high-performance computing (HPC).
We dig into the key questions:
• Can a miner really become an AI infrastructure player?
• What’s happening on the ground with grid capacity, permitting, and capex?
• Are they executing or just announcing?
Guests Kama, Frans, and Dulce join anonymously (X-style) to break down their views — from land records and site visits to financial modeling and risk.
This is a technical, high-conviction conversation for anyone trying to understand the shift from Bitcoin mining to AI compute infrastructure.
0:00 Intro
1:50 Backstory
4:15 Kama view on the pivot to HPC
8:15 HPC execution?
9:20 Dulce adds in to HPC pivot thoughts...
16:40 Frans adds in.
52:20 Valuation views?
62:45 Risks
—
Hosted by: Sean Emory, Co-Founder & CIO of Avory
Podcast: Around the Desk by Avory
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⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All views expressed are those of the individual participants and do not represent the opinions of Avory or its affiliates. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
$IREN $CORE $NVDA