Every day, business leaders and investors are flooded with headlines, opinions, and predictions. New technologies emerge overnight, markets react in real time, and social media offers endless perspectives on what comes next.
While the volume of information has never been greater, Josh Koren Miami investor and former hedge fund manager, believes one skill has become even more valuable: the ability to think independently.
Over more than 15 years on Wall Street, Koren has built his career by focusing on research instead of reactions. From his start in investment banking to leading research teams and founding his own hedge fund, he has learned that long-term success comes from asking better questions, challenging assumptions, and staying committed to understanding the businesses behind the headlines.
“When information is everywhere, your advantage comes from understanding it better than everyone else,” Koren says. “Research gives you confidence. Headlines only give you opinions.”
Learning the Value of Preparation
Koren grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where preparation became part of his mindset at an early age. He played ice hockey throughout his youth, an experience that taught him discipline, accountability, and the importance of putting in the work long before the game begins.
That same approach carried into the classroom. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a concentration in Financial Accounting from Penn State while also taking classes at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The combination gave him both a strong financial foundation and a broader perspective on business and global markets.
“I’ve always enjoyed understanding how businesses work,” Koren says. “Financial results matter, but they only tell part of the story. You have to understand the people, the strategy, and what makes a company different.”
Building a Foundation on Wall Street
Koren began his career in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Evercore Partners, where he worked on complex transactions and learned how experienced professionals evaluate businesses from every angle. The role reinforced the value of preparation and taught him that strong decisions are rarely made without careful analysis.
From there, he continued building his expertise through analyst roles at JAT Capital Management and Caxton Associates before becoming a Managing Director at Kavi Asset Management. Each stop introduced him to different investment philosophies and research processes, helping him refine his own approach over time.
Rather than searching for shortcuts, Koren learned that every business deserves to be evaluated on its own merits.
“Every company has its own story,” he says. “The challenge is separating temporary excitement from long-term business fundamentals.”
Developing an Independent Perspective
After years of working alongside respected investors, Koren founded Musketeer Capital Partners, a long and short equity hedge fund focused on technology, media, and telecommunications companies. Building his own firm allowed him to create an investment process centered on independent thinking and disciplined research.
He later became Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications and Director of Research at Pleasant Lake Partners, where he continues analyzing companies operating in some of the fastest-changing sectors of the economy.
Throughout his career, Koren has found that meaningful insights often come from looking beyond conventional wisdom rather than simply following consensus.
“It’s easy to follow the crowd,” he says. “It’s much harder to develop conviction through your own work. That’s where experience becomes valuable.”
Make Better Decisions by Asking Better Questions
After spending years evaluating businesses, Koren believes one of the biggest mistakes people make is searching for quick answers instead of asking better questions. Whether someone is leading a company, building a business, or evaluating an opportunity, he says thoughtful decisions begin with curiosity.
“People naturally want certainty,” Koren says. “But in business, certainty is rare. The goal isn’t to know everything. It’s to understand enough to make a thoughtful decision.”
He encourages leaders to avoid making decisions based solely on headlines or popular opinion. Instead, he believes it is more valuable to understand why a company succeeds, what risks could change its direction, and whether its strengths can endure over time.
That mindset has guided him throughout his career. While industries evolve and technologies change, disciplined thinking remains one of the few competitive advantages that never goes out of style.
“The best decisions usually aren’t the fastest,” he says. “They’re the ones backed by preparation, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge your own assumptions.”
Explaining Complex Industries in a Changing World
Technology continues to reshape nearly every industry, creating both opportunities and uncertainty for businesses and investors. As someone who has spent much of his career focused on the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors, Koren has become a regular contributor on CNBC, where he shares perspectives on artificial intelligence, software, semiconductors, and many of the world’s largest technology companies.
Rather than focusing on short-term market movements, his commentary often centers on understanding the long-term business trends behind them. He believes that while technologies evolve quickly, the principles used to evaluate strong companies remain remarkably consistent.
“Technology changes quickly,” Koren says. “The questions don’t. Is the business improving? Can it continue creating value? Those are the things that matter.”
Staying Curious for the Long Term
Away from Wall Street, Koren enjoys surfing, kiteboarding, wake sports, boxing, and mixed martial arts. Each activity requires patience, focus, and the ability to stay composed under pressure, qualities that also influence how he approaches his professional life.
Looking back on his career, Koren believes that experience is valuable not because it provides all the answers, but because it teaches people how to keep asking the right questions.
In a world where information is unlimited, and opinions compete for attention every minute, he believes thoughtful research and independent thinking remain lasting advantages for leaders in every industry.
“There’s always another headline,” Koren says. “What lasts is your ability to think clearly and keep learning.”
