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DEEP RESEARCH · INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY

Be the Party in Control as an Investor

A concise investment principle on attitude, sell discipline, and keeping only companies that deserve capital

Written: 2025-04-11 · Investment philosophy · Naver Blog

You are responsible for your own investment decisions. This material is research and is not a recommendation to buy or sell.

0. Bottom line first

An investor should not be the subordinate party dragged around by a company. The investor allocates capital and should act from that position. If management attitude, use of paid-in capital, cash deployment, or even the stock price clearly feels wrong, I should be able to walk away instead of waiting for the company to change.

Investor ChoiceCapital can move because there are many alternatives
ManagementCan I trust the attitude?
Capital RaiseIs the use of funds rational?
Cash UseDoes it fit shareholder value?
Price & WeightIs there a reason to endure?
Reduce companies that leave discomfort; increase the weight of good companies.

1. The Core Lesson From My Mentor

This is something my current mentor told me: as an investor, be the party in control toward the company you invest in. If the company is not doing things properly, I do not need to be deferential to it.

If it does not act properly, discard it immediately. As an investor, I must never become the weaker party. This is ultimately about mindset.

2. What I Do Not Need to Wait For

Interpretation: If something bothers me, there is no need to hope passively that the company changes. There are many alternatives. I should invest with the mindset that the investor is in control.

Governance

Management attitude

If management is hard to trust, I do not have to keep waiting.

Capital

Use of paid-in capital

If the purpose of a capital raise is not convincing, I should be able to leave.

Cash

Cash deployment

If cash is not being used in line with shareholder value, I can look elsewhere.

Price

Even the stock price

If the price action itself is unacceptable, I can reduce or exit the position.

3. The Process Leaves Better Companies

After discarding companies this way, only better companies remain, and the weight of good companies naturally rises. Going one step further, it is important not to create a situation where I become the weaker party in the first place.