Hi Sam,

Thank you for your questions.

Retiring was one of the hardest decisions of my entire life. I am not sure in retrospect whether or not I would have done anything any differently. When I retired at 35 (I am now 44) I had literally dozens of important things I wanted to accomplish. I have many varied interests, and portfolio management is only one of those interests. Most days of my retirement were spent exercising, writing, studying, or traveling. There were very few unproductive days. It is the nature of productive people that they do productive things no matter the setting. Or at least that has been my experience. All of that said, retiring was certainly a difficult experience for the first 2-3 months. Primarily I didn't realize how much of my identity was connected to being an investment manager. To go from world-beater finance pro to person whose opinion no one cares about was initially a challenge. But the freedom you have to determine the outcome of every day far outweighs this minor hurdle.

As for your second question...I am not sure how to authentically answer that question as I have never been in that situation or known anyone in that situation. I will say that your qualifications - credentials and experience - put you leagues ahead of most candidates. The question that people in an investment management capacity will have about you are: can he invest and does he have the temperament to invest? You can address the first issue by creating your own investment reports. This will serve as tangible proof of your skill set. It will also help you to identify any gaps in your understanding. The temperament question is a more difficult one to address. You either have "it" or you do not have "it." But that same thing is true for those who have spent their careers as research analysts. As I discuss in my own book, "The Intuitive Investor" the difference between an analyst and a portfolio manager is the difference between aiming a gun and firing it. The full burden of responsibility is on the PM's shoulders. Many analysts never get to the point where they are comfortable pulling the trigger. Last, I will quote one of my favorite homilies to you: the squeaky hinge gets the grease. If you are interested in a research position and you have the background that you have described (which is highly desirable) then tell someone at your firm or another firm that this is your interest. Do you belong to a CFA Society where you can network with other pros and let them know your interest?

With smiles,

Jason