My One Strike Policy: Why Integrity Is the Only Currency That Matters in Business

The Fake People Problem Is Everywhere

I have a one strike policy at Markowski Investments. The moment I catch someone being dishonest, cutting corners, or putting on a performance instead of being straight with me, they are out. Done. No second chances. No explanations. No redemption arc.

This is not about being harsh. This is about protecting yourself, your portfolio, and your financial future from people who have made a habit of gaming systems instead of building real value.

And let me tell you, this problem is not confined to back alleys or shady operations. It is everywhere.

The Stanford Statistic That Should Alarm Every Investor

Andy Kessler recently published a piece pointing out that 38% of Stanford University undergraduates have registered as disabled and qualify for accommodations including extra time on tests. The national average is 5.3%.

This is Stanford. One of the most selective universities on the planet. And more than a third of their students are somehow eligible for disability accommodations.

We all know what is happening here. It is the same thing I watched sports parents do for years, holding kids back to repeat eighth grade twice so they could be bigger, stronger, and faster than younger competition. It is the same thing I see on the soccer field when a player collapses like he was shot by a sniper and then springs back to his feet thirty seconds later.

Shortcuts. Fakery. Gaming the system.

Why This Matters to Your Financial Life

You might be wondering what soccer flops and Stanford accommodations have to do with your investments and retirement. Everything. Here is why:

• The same personality type that fakes an injury or exploits a loophole for test time is the same type that will misrepresent fees, hide conflicts of interest, or tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to know
• Advisors who cut corners on transparency will cut corners on your portfolio management
• People who game credentials are often the same people who will game your trust
• Pattern recognition matters. One instance of dishonesty is not a mistake. It is a preview

The One Strike Rule as a Financial Survival Tool

I apply my one strike policy in every professional relationship, not just with clients but with the people I do business with, the analysts I listen to, the firms I evaluate. The moment someone gives me a reason to question their integrity, I do not sit around waiting for strike two.

This is not cynicism. It is pattern-based risk management applied to human behavior.

When I was in the investment banking world, I watched smart people get taken advantage of repeatedly because they kept giving bad actors second and third chances. They rationalized it. They made excuses. They told themselves it was just a misunderstanding.

Meanwhile their money, their trust, and their peace of mind were being eroded one small deception at a time.

What You Can Do Right Now

Apply the one strike policy to your own financial relationships:

• Ask direct questions about fees, compensation, and conflicts of interest from your advisor
• Verify credentials independently rather than taking someone’s word for their background
• Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it usually is
• Document everything in writing so there is no room for revisionist history later

The financial world is full of people who have perfected the art of looking legitimate while operating in the gray. Your job is to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt they have not earned.

Fake, phony, fugazi. Call it whatever you want. The outcome is always the same. Do not wait for strike two.