Keep Momentum Going: Often times when I am making great progress it is challenged with a lack of energy or desire to keep pushing along. Those moments where you do not want to do something are what separate those who reach success and those who accept failure. Embrace the fact that every moment you are not working to achieve your goals, there is someone else that is for themselves. If you want to have lasting success in anything you do, it is crucial to avoid allowing your momentum to ever slow down.
The telephone totally revolutionized the way we could communicate with people all over the world. But then came email and took it to the next level. And then came text messaging. And then came video calls. And so on…What’s next? What’s just around the corner?
In this interview series, called ‘The Future Of Communication Technology’ we are interviewing leaders of tech or telecom companies who are helping to develop emerging communication technologies and the next generation of how we communicate and connect with each other.
As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Preston Buhrmaster.
Preston Buhrmaster is the Founder and CEO of Venerated Capital Group, a private financial and investing advice company based in Syracuse, New York. The most popular products developed by Venerated Capital Group include the ‘Investors Institution’ Private Discord Server and ‘Investors Insight’ Weekly Market Report. With Investors Insight, Buhrmaster aims to revolutionize the way in which market data is transmuted and trade ideas are communicated between analysts and traders across alike. Buhrmaster also boasts a reputation for providing the training and resources credited to the success of countless students that have joined the Investors Institution.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
From a young age, I was heavily influenced by the freedom and pride that comes with being an entrepreneur and running your own business, having had my first taste at just 13 years old. What began as a way to fund my newfound hobby of collecting limited edition sneakers soon developed into a full-fledge business, Sonic Kicks, that served hundreds of clients on a global scale at its peak. I began to build a business in reselling limited-edition sneakers and streetwear that I would purchase with ease using proprietary botting software on my computer. After becoming accustomed to using the botting software, I began to ponder if that was a product that I was capable of developing and building another business around. I teamed up with a close friend and his older brother to co-found New Release Bot, a company that revolutionized the botting software market. New Release Bot was the leading company in development of mobile botting technology, pioneering the idea with our iconic SwooshBot. Fast forward to Summer 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, I was bored and thought to myself, why couldn’t I accomplish something similar again? My past success with Sonic Kicks and New Release Bot worked as motivation for me set out to create something even greater given the extra experience and connections I now have. That motivation drove me to dive into the development of averagesucksAI, a project aiming to provide highly accurate AI-powered trading signals via the Telegram messaging platform. As that project began to develop further, I was urged by a close friend to take the venture even further by providing training and resources that would enable others to learn how to become a confident and consistent trader in the markets. The idea soon evolved into Venerated Capital Group and I am excited to see yet another passion transforming into a successful business.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Possibly the most interesting story that happened to me since I began my career goes back to my days as a sneaker reseller, not long after I got my license and was able to expand my local clientele given my newfound freedom to drive. It was an average spring day and I had quickly arranged a transaction to sell a pair of Yeezy’s to a customer in Albany, New York, about 30 minutes from Saratoga Springs, New York, where I lived at the time. All was going smooth as planned until I realized that I had promised to clean leaves off the pool cover from the previous fall; I realized that I had to make up for lost time by rushing back. I stepped a bit heavier on the gas petal and rushed to sell the shoes and make my way back home. My key mistake in this situation was being young, dumb and thinking that I could do anything I wanted, including racing my stock Volkswagen Passat at 90mph down the highway without a worry in the world that I would get pulled for doing such. Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I most definitely paid for my recklessness. I was arrogantly speeding back from the sale and failed to see a State Trooper hiding out on the side of the road, waiting for someone like me to give them the golden opportunity to help meet their quota. Being a panicked, new driver, I made the situation even worse by pulling over on the wrong shoulder of the highway. I had no clue that it made a difference which side you pulled over on, as it was my first experience on the highway, but I soon learned when I learned of the additional ticket I was getting. It was safe to say I didn’t make it back home that evening in time to work on the pool and I learned an invaluable lesson by losing the proceeds of that sale to the hefty fines I had earned myself due sheer impatience. To this day, when I feel the need to rush somewhere, that story always tends to come to mind and comically reminds me why I need to take a moment to ponder if it is something truly worth rushing and overextending myself over.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
This quote comes from one of my idols, Elon Musk, “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” This is a quote that resonated within me upon first setting my eyes upon it, as I began to realize the invaluable lessons I have learned from my many failures and how they are responsible for the growth that molded me into the man I am today. This quote helped me see through the negative light and begin embracing the steppingstones that I took and continue to take in becoming the best possible version of me. Failures are only failures if you allow them to result in defeat. Failures are merely steppingstones that bring you one step closer to success with each one you cross. This doesn’t depreciate the feelings of pain and defeat that come from letting yourself and those that supported you down, though the only true way to do that is by giving up. Many of life’s greatest stories of success are the result of one’s ability to learn from each failure and use that newfound knowledge and experience to move past the failure and ensure it never occurs again. Innovation is the key to the success of any company in the increasingly technology-centered society we live in. Often times the best success from innovators is the result of countless failures and a leap-of-faith effort to make it happen. Even after the toughest defeats and on the hardest days, you need to keep working toward your vision because each day you do not pushes you one step closer to fail. Rather than being scared of failing, take the leap; I’m positive that you will not only find satisfaction in doing such, but you will also come out a better person regardless of the outcome.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
This is a very tough question as there are numerous people that I feel are deserving of recognition for their impact on helping me to get to where I am today, though I will narrow it down to someone who has made a lasting impact more-recently. I spent the holidays in Denver, CO this past year with a close friend, Colten D’Agostino; a time in which I greatly attribute to the success I am beginning to see with Venerated Capital Group. Colten is a DJ/Producer, better known as Tom Kenny, and his non-stop work schedule somehow aligned all too perfectly with mine. Spending many days and sleepless nights together, we pushed each other to keep striving to make our dreams a reality. Many of the ideas I began implementing for Venerated Capital Group are now materializing and Colten released a track he was producing at the time through Revealed Radar. I feel strongly that the motivation I gained during the trip has played a key role in the company’s recent success. Having someone else around who shares a similar drive for making their vision a reality is a powerful asset and something to cherish. In order to continually strive for greatness, you need to surround yourself with others who do the same.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
We’re revolutionizing the way market data is transmuted and trade ideas and price projections are shared among traders and analysts alike. As an investor, it Is crucial to have the most relevant and up-to-date information at any given time. It is also equally important that the data is presented in a format that enables a trader to quickly understand and analyze the information so they can quickly act upon it to beat the markets. We are now in the age of information, with technology continually improving the way we communicate with each other and share information among ourselves. To be an efficient and effective provider of such information enables you to benefit the lives of countless others without even directly communicating with them. The greatest power of communication technology is the ability to transmute data to the masses at lightning-fast speeds. In continually working to improve the communication technology used by Venerated Capital Group, I hope to keep finding ways to further transform the way market data is transmuted and trade ideas are shared with likeminded others in the industry. By pairing the insight and analysis provided with educational resources and training, members of the Investors Institution are truly provided all of the resources necessary to ensure one’s success as a trader.
Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about the cutting edge communication tech that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?
Venerated Capital Group aims to be the industry leader in investment education services while revolutionizing the way in which revolutionizing the way in which market data is transmitted, and trade ideas are shared among analysts and traders alike. I have developed an extensive library of training resources, strategies, and trading plans that is hosted in an easy-to-access format within the Investors Institution private Discord server. The private server also hosts a learning community where traders can interact with each other and our highly knowledgeable team of professional moderation and support staff. The information shared within the Investors Institution is all presented in an understandable and easy-to-comprehend format that enables you to start earning and learning from day one. Members of the group also are provided detailed charting and analysis from myself and VCGs other analysts. The Investors Institution also hosts a variety of bots tailored to provide market insight, analysis and data. The amount of information and data shared within the Investors Institution, paired with nearly 24/7 live support from our support and moderation team, create an unmatchable platform that plays a crucial role in an investors long-term success in the markets. We also took to further our idea of revolutionizing the way information is transmitted between analysts and traders alike by creating a weekly market report coined Investors Insight. The report features top news headlines, in-depth analysis of the markets and proprietary market data that traders can use to aid in finding potential trading opportunities each week. As we continually innovate and improve upon our current communication technology, I hope to see our work continue to change and benefit the lives of others.
How do you think this might change the world?
The services and technology provided by Venerated Capital Group aim to change the world by improving the way in which data is transmitted, pairing our syndication of premium market data with the training and resources necessary to learn how to dominate the markets like a pro. We are actively working to improve the way in which traders and analysts alike transmute market data and communicate trade ideas among each other. When investing it is crucial to have access to the most up-to-date information and the ability to access it in an easy-to-comprehend format that enables the receiver to quickly act upon the information shared. Much of one’s ability to dominate the markets is attributed to the quality of the information they rely upon, and often more importantly the speed at which the information is transmitted at. You can be the most knowledgeable trader or investor in history but without access to the right information at the right time, you will be defeated in the markets time again. I have been working to continually build the collection of learning resources and investing tools that are available to members of the Investors Institution as I continue to learn from my experience mentoring students from a wide array of experience levels, all of which have varying needs. The ability to educate the masses and continue to provide value in their lives by striving to be the industry leader in providing premium market data holds endless capability to change the world by continually making a positive impact on the lives of others.
Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
Great question, I’m actually a huge fan of the show myself. Some of its eerie plotlines have been responsible for a few of my sleepless nights in the past. For the readers sake, Black Mirror is a show, similar to the classic Twilight Zone, that has varying plots in each episode portraying both the intended and unintended consequences that modern technologies have presented upon society and the effect they have. In order to further emphasize the potential drawback I am about to share, I want you to think about the recent retail investing frenzy that was heavily accredited to traders on thee popular fee-free trading app, Robinhood. The idea of providing a platform with fee-free trading to make investing more appealing and accessible to the masses was a revolutionary idea at the time, it is now majorly responsible for the increased volatility seen in the markets recently. Keeping Black Mirror in mind, I can see the potential for a similar event to occur as more traders begin to adopt Venerated Capital Group as a household name and gain access to our information and analysis. We are heavily focused on transmitting the premium information intended for our clients remains confidential as to avoid the mass-spreading of the valuable insight we share on a daily basis.
Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?
The tipping point that led to my breakthrough and resultingly the creation of Venerated Capital Group was when a close friend and business partner, Michael Melvin, pushed me to realize that one’s success in the markets is just as contingent upon having a strong foundation of knowledge of the markets as is the accuracy, format and speed of the information and data they receive is. At the time of my breakthrough, I was living with one of my closest friends, Michael Melvin in what was an atrocity of a house to say the least. We were both scrambling to find a place over this past summer for the coming school year when Michael mentioned that he found a cheap place with some old friends of his that we could live at. We couldn’t have made a bigger mistake. This may have been the most disgusting house on the Syracuse University campus and even worse, one of our roommates turned out to be crazy. Given the subpar living quarters we were in, Michael and I spent countless nights staying up all night to work on our ventures. One positive in looking back at our time living there was the constant motivation for both of us to find a way to move out as soon as physically possible. When we spent time working together, new ideas seemingly flowed out of thin air as we constantly pushed each other to take our ideas to the next step. One night when Michael and I were up late working together, I prompted him for some input-on ideas I had in mind for my project, averagesucksAI. In his response back, Michael asked why I hadn’t yet considered teaching others the skills and strategies that I use to find trades and analyze the markets. The idea was so simple yet so brilliant; to this day I wish I had thought of it sooner. At the time I was narrowly focused on the accuracy and formatting of the AI-powered trading signals sent via averagesucksAI that the idea never crossed my mind. I then realized that providing others with mechanisms for success that would enable them to build a strong foundation in understanding the markets, which would leave a far greater impact as knowledge is power. I soon took to beginning the work necessary to bring this idea to life and as a result, Venerated Capital Group was formed.
What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?
My personal belief is that in order to lead our technology to widespread adoption, we need to remain in a constant process of innovation in order to provide the leading technology to our clients. For widespread adoption to occur, we need to continually benefit the lives of others through the use of our technology and to achieve that we must remain at the forefront of innovation in the industry.
The pandemic has changed so many things about the way we behave. One of them of course, is how we work and how we communicate in our work. How do you think your innovation might be able to address the new needs that have arisen as a result of the pandemic?
Over the course of the pandemic there has been a notable rise in retail-investing activity. Day trading has amassed huge popularity as the pandemic continues onward, largely due to the amount of people who are simply bored at home. Many individuals who bet on sports have taken their bets to the stock, causing what many have called a retail investor frenzy. The rise of individuals who are unemployed and unable to find work as well as the many students who are taking class online, or not at all, also plays a key role in the recent rise in retail investing activity. Whatever the reason may be, it is apparent that investing has become mainstream. With that being said, the number of individuals that could benefit from investing education services is at an all-time high and that number is expected to continue to grow. In the Investors Institution, we address the educational, training and mentorship needs that have been increasing over the course of the pandemic. We then take that further by also providing premium market analysis, trade ideas and news alerts to members of the private group. We also recently began releasing Investors Insight, a weekly market report that prepares investors to informed decisions in the week ahead. This further enabled us to address the rising need for market insight and analysis that has resulted from the rise in retail trading activity previously noted. The pandemic has changed the needs of investors for good and I hope to continually impact the lives of others through the investing education advice and education services we provide.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Embrace Criticism: Since I started, I have come to realize that many of my greatest successes have resulted from ideas that faced endless criticism. Most people are quick to rationalize the ways in which something is not possible, which is simply an internal defense mechanism. It is key to separate constructive feedback from blatant criticism. You must learn to use others feedback to improve your ideas and their criticism to fuel your efforts in proving those who doubted you wrong.
- Fail Fast and Often: The thought of failure is one of the key reasons that most individuals remain comfortable where they stand. Turns out, failure is one of the key components of success as the lessons learned as a result prepare you for the next battle ahead. The only way to truly fail is by giving up yourself and accepting the outcome of defeat. Use each failure to reset and learn from your shortcomings before getting back at it and success will be soon to follow.
- Keep Momentum Going: Often times when I am making great progress it is challenged with a lack of energy or desire to keep pushing along. Those moments where you do not want to do something are what separate those who reach success and those who accept failure. Embrace the fact that every moment you are not working to achieve your goals, there is someone else that is for themselves. If you want to have lasting success in anything you do, it is crucial to avoid allowing your momentum to ever slow down.
- Motivate Yourself: I realized from a young age that you have to be your own motivation to strive for greatness each and every day. Most of the tasks you do on a daily basis go without praise and often times finding motivation to keep working toward your goals is harder than others. You need to learn to envision how your future self will be thanking you for putting in the work you did today. You never know when your effort will be the one that leads to a breakthrough.
- Enjoy the Journey: Through all of the highs and lows, you must not forget to enjoy the journey. You have come such a long way to make it to this point, why give up now? Learn to celebrate each small victory and embrace that feeling to help you push through the days you don’t feel like working at all. Remember, the real adventure lies in the journey ahead, not in the destination itself.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could inspire a movement, it would be with the goal of helping others to realize their true potential so that they can begin taking the steps necessary to become the best possible version of themself. I want to inspire others to achieve their goals and seek to make their dreams become reality. It is extremely easy for someone to choose to live another average life, stuck in the rat race and surviving paycheck to paycheck. If you are even considering allowing yourself to settle for living a boring, average life, think again. Average sucks, it really does. The ability to have the freedom to make choices on your own recognizance, without anyone or anything to hold you back is worth every struggle it took to get there. The true reason that most people settle for an average lifestyle of doing the same old things is because they are scared of the repercussions of failure, whether it be criticism or shame, financial loss or even loss of valuable time you could have allocated elsewhere. Personally, it makes me uncomfortable if at any point I begin to feel comfortable living by my current means, as comfort is the death of motivation. Once you come to the realization that average sucks, the thought of being average should be enough motivation to set out on a path toward living out your wildest dreams.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow me on Instagram at @prestonbuhrmaster or Venerated Capital Group at @veneratedcapitalgroup. My Twitter handle is @pbuhrmaster and VCGs is @VCG_Trading. I am also active on LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest (@prestonbuhrmaster). Venerated Capital Group can also be found on LinkedIn and Facebook. I currently publish writing on my Medium, @prestonbuhrmaster and am working on launching a blog at www.VeneratedCapitalGroup.com to share strictly investment-centered pieces, hopefully before the end of March.
Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.
About The Interviewer: David Liu is the founder and CEO of Deltapath, an award-winning unified communications company that liberates organizations from the barriers of effective communication. Liu is known for his visionary leadership, organic growth strategies, and future-forward technology. Liu is highly committed to achieving a greater purpose with technology. Liu’s business insights are regularly featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, Tech Crunch, and more.