David Booth, Dimensional Fund Advisors – The Outsider Who Changed Investing

David Booth is one of the most influential figures in modern investing. As the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Dimensional Fund Advisors, he helped bridge the gap between academic finance and real-world portfolio management, transforming decades of research into practical investment solutions for advisors and investors around the world.

In this episode, David joins us as he approaches his 80th birthday, celebrates Dimensional's 45th anniversary and more than $1 trillion in assets under management, and prepares for the release of his new book, Stay Calm. We discuss the origins of evidence-based investing, the development of the CRSP database, lessons from the University of Chicago during the formative years of financial economics, and the founding of Dimensional alongside pioneering researchers including Gene Fama, Merton Miller, and Myron Scholes.

We also explore implementation, trading flexibility, advisor-client alignment, market behavior, speculation versus investing, AI's future impact on innovation, and David's reflections on wealth, family, purpose, and what matters most after a lifetime in finance. Few individuals have done more to improve outcomes for investors worldwide, yet David remains remarkably humble, continually emphasizing science, discipline, and long-term thinking.

Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Chris Cannon, CFA (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust).

Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com.

Show Notes:

• https://www.dimensional.com/us-en/who-we-are/leadership/david-booth
• https://www.dimensional.com/
• New Book: Stay Calm (David Booth) – Link: https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Calm-Embrace-Uncertainty-Investing-ebook/dp/B0GPGNWDFY
• Movie: Tune out the Noise – Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T98825bzcKw