An investor with two decades of experience, Ronnie Saliba began working in financial services in 2004 as a registered sales assistant and later as its assistant vice president for the financial services firm Stephens. Ronnie Saliba became a partner with Catalyst Trading Group, and later at Falcon Global Partners.
Mr. Saliba became a partner with Catalyst Trading Group in 2010. His duties include managing long/short equity portfolios, providing advice on the firm’s syndicate fund, managing its overseas fund, and maintaining broker relationships. He has also managed the firm’s risk and execution strategy for large capital scenarios, cultivated relationships with high-net-worth investors, and spearheaded the firm’s syndicate division.
In 2013, Ronnie Saliba also joined Falcon Global Partners. He offers stock selection guidance and is involved with portfolio design, combining equity analysis with sector rotation investment themes, options techniques, and basic technical analysis.
Mr. Saliba’s education includes a bachelor of business administration from Hofstra University and an MBA from Fordham University. He is a member of the Nassau Country Club, and enjoys traveling to Europe, Asia, and South America and reading historical and biographical works.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Get up at 5am, read news (Bloomberg, newspapers), and work out until 7am. Then, catch up on email, return calls, monitor markets throughout day, and make follow-up calls.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Working hard, staying organized, and being disciplined.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial Intelligence – Artificial Intelligence truly excites me because it pushes us to explore our fullest potential. It is not just a device for creation, but also about understanding ourselves better—our intelligence, inspiration, and ethics. The journey of building something that can think forces us to question our limits and redefine our potential.
That said, the risks are unavoidable. As we expand into what is possible, we also open pathways to unintended consequences, like losing control over systems we create. It is a delicate balance between discovery and caution, but that challenge is part of what makes Artificial Intelligence so exciting.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Waking up at 5am – It works for me because I can ease into my day instead of rushing. When I rush through my morning routine, I notice I am more likely to be rushing the rest of the day. I love having time to myself when I first wake up to drink coffee, read the newspapers, and scan thru Bloomberg and emails for anything important. After that, I get a workout in and fully begin my day.
The time itself does not really matter. I think the main point is to create a routine so you are not rushing around and then too tired to work on things that are important to you.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Invest in yourself. Investing in yourself is the practice of making yourself into a more experienced, well-rounded person through different tasks, goals an,d activities. This may include reading more, creating a schedule for yourself or taking a class. If you invest in yourself, you may see improvements in your productivity and happiness. You may also gain new skills or create positive habits, which can benefit you personally and professionally.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Never bet against the US, the future will be greater than the present.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Meditate. It offers numerous benefits, including stress reduction, improved focus and attention, enhanced emotional regulation, and even positive impacts on physical health like reduced blood pressure and improved sleep. Here’s a more detailed look at the benefits of meditation: mental and emotional benefits, stress reduction, and meditation helps calm the nervous system, reducing the production of stress hormones like cortisol, leading to a sense of calm and well-being. Improved focus and attention: regular meditation practice can enhance your ability to concentrate and stay focused on tasks, improving cognitive function.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Read and meditate. Meditation and reading gives me a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits my well-being and overall health. It gives me a moment to catch up and refocus on where I am in that moment by focusing on something that calms me and allows me to stay centered.
During meditation, you focus on one thing. You get rid of the stream of thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Continue to develop new and nurture existing business relationships.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Falling out with broker I worked with during my career on sell side. Realized that wasn’t the career path I wanted and decided to start a family office.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
The ability to provide bespoke family office services (typically only provided to the ultra-wealthy) to the mass affluent. The idea of having the ability to provide a selection of personalized services that include investment management, financial planning, estate and tax planning and philanthropic investing all in one place.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Bloomberg – as a means of portfolio management, news access, and communication tool.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefevre due to its timeless investment wisdom. The In Good Company podcast run by the CIO of Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund. It features insightful interviews by CEOs and investment managers.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Succession – satirical comedy on media industry that is very well written.