In this episode of the Australian Investors Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Michael Bell, CIO at Solaris Investment Management, for a practical conversation about how professional investors think when they are putting real capital to work. From the outside, fund management can sound like hot tips and big macro calls. Michael explains why the reality is usually much more disciplined: process, patience, risk management and the ability to stay focused on business quality when markets are noisy. The conversation unpacks what active investing is meant to achieve, how portfolio decisions are weighed, and why good investors spend as much time avoiding mistakes as they do chasing upside. For everyday investors, this episode is a useful look inside the mindset of a seasoned CIO. It explores how professionals assess opportunity, separate signal from noise and keep conviction anchored to a repeatable framework instead of headlines. If you want a sharper understanding of portfolio thinking, active management and what experienced fund managers do differently, this is a strong episode to add to your queue. It is also a reminder that great investing is rarely about making the loudest prediction. More often, it is about building a repeatable process, staying selective and giving good decisions time to work. Whether you are reviewing your own portfolio or simply trying to become a more thoughtful investor, there is plenty here to sharpen how you think about downside, selectivity and long-term compounding. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:58 Michael Bell's Background 05:54 Joining Pinnacle / Solaris 08:27 Early Days at Solaris 10:09 Team Tenure & Culture 13:03 Fee Structure Options 16:10 Investment Process 19:39 Analyst & Portfolio Setup 22:17 Stock Weighting Decisions 26:44 Industry Structure Focus 30:44 Short Selling Explained 36:45 Contrarian Investing 38:01 Income Strategy 43:26 Market Volatility Today 47:21 Advice to Younger Self Episode resources - Speak with the Rask Advice team: https://rask.com.au/advice - Ask a question (select the Investors podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest Show partner resources - ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds https://www.globalxetfs.com.au - Visit TermPlus to learn more https://termplus.com.au/?utm_source=rask&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=investors&utm_term=general&utm_content=youtube_description - Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit: https://bit.ly/Pearler - Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe: https://stripe.com EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026 - 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers: https://bit.ly/Pearler Rask resources - All services: https://bit.ly/R-services - Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan - Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest - Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes - Ask a question: https://bit.ly/R-quest - We love feedback! https://raskau.typeform.com/to/ZbfHy6IP Follow us on social media - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rask.invest - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rask.invest DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg