Blog 1 - Get Ready to Rumble!

🏜️ The Investing Oasis: Winning Before the Battle

"Victorious warriors win first, then go to war.

Defeated warriors go to war, then seek to win."

— Sun Tzu (544–496 BC)

The Most Ruthless Arena on Earth

The capital markets are the toughest arena on the planet. Everyone steps in seeking wealth. Few come prepared for the conflict. Success doesn’t come from courage alone. It demands preparation, discipline, and adaptability.

As Sun Tzu taught:

“Be prepared and wait to take the enemy unprepared.”“Know when to fight and when not to fight.”“Allow your enemy to defeat themselves.”

In investing terms, that means:

• Set your objectives and follow your plan.

• Stay better informed than the crowd.

• Own quality assets worth “fighting for.”

• Act deliberately, not emotionally.

• Know your weaknesses—and protect against them.

• Seek honest feedback, even from yourself.

The market doesn’t care about your feelings. Every emotional decision cedes the advantage to your unseen adversary. Be the calm that the markets are not.

The OGF Method

This 14-part educational series introduces the same contrarian and protective techniques I use daily as Portfolio Manager of the Oasis Growth Fund (OGF)—a core North American equity fund based in Yaletown, Canada.

Each post builds upon the last, guiding DIY investors to sharpen their skills—one concept at a time. Since 1980, a passive “buy & hold” S&P 500 investor has earned 8.3% CAGR, despite three crashes. Beating that long-term average requires active management, behavioral discipline, and a plan.

The Four Tiers of a Contrarian Edge

Tier 1 – Core Growth (Decades) Buy quality compounders at reasonable prices (QARP) and rebalance contrarianly—buy low, sell high—as valuations fluctuate. Expected long-term average annual returns of 8-10+%

Tier 2 – Income Enhancement (Months) Write out-of-the-money covered calls to add 2–4% income annually on top of dividends.

Tier 3 – Opportunistic Alpha (Annual) Write cash-secured puts on temporarily impaired quality stocks to generate premium income and potential upside. Expected long-term additional returns of up to 5+%.

Tier 4 – Risk Management (Always) Deploy stop-losses and hedges during low-volatility periods to lock in profits and protect capital.

Each tier adds a layer of control, consistency, and compounding power.

Raising Your Breaking Point

Volatility is not your enemy—it’s your opportunity.

Most investors capitulate too early or too late.Those who prepare well and act decisively during turbulence win more often and lose less severely. Your breaking point determines your outcome.Let’s raise it. A financial storm is always brewing. We just don’t know its ETA.

Core Investing Beliefs

• Stocks are ownership into the world’s best minds.

• Short-term markets are emotional; long-term markets are rational.

• Diversified North American equities mirror global growth.

• Quality businesses endure even in market purges.

• Contrarian practices yield incrementally better results than crowd-following.

• Every trade should purposefully improve performance, reduce risk, or cut volatility.

• Patience, courage, and discipline outperform tactical trading.

• Cash and leverage are strategic weapons—use them wisely.

Closing Thought

If this philosophy resonates, follow this series. The next blog—“Behavior Can Be Your Superpower”—dives into how our psychology defines performance. And if you find this series valuable, please share it. In the capital markets, education is your most powerful edge.

Jay T. Mason, CFA, CFP Portfolio Manager, Oasis Growth FundAuthor, The Investing Oasis: Contrarian Treasures in the Capital Markets Desert

📝 This educational series is for information only. The Oasis Growth Fund (Series O) is a trust series of Fieldhouse Pro Funds Inc., available in Canada by Offering Memorandum.