In September 2008, days before Lehman Brothers collapsed and the financial markets spiraled into chaos, businessman and investor Braeden Lichti’s company closed a financing and listed a U.S.-based company public through a reverse merger.
The timing was surreal. “It felt like everything was imploding,” Lichti recalls. “But instead of retreating, we got busier than ever. We went hunting for opportunities—and we found them.”
Despite the market meltdown, the company Lichti helped take public went on to grow, execute, and ultimately was bought out a few years later. Investors made solid returns. “What saved the company was simple,” he says. “Strong business fundamentals, astute management that were excellent stewards of capital, that stayed focused on execution and growth.”
Today, Lichti sees striking similarities between that moment and what’s unfolding now in the financial markets.
The Market Is Shaky, But the Opportunities Are Abundant
Lichti, now the Founder and CEO of NorthStrive Companies, a California-based investment management and investment firm, is urging his peers—especially investors in their 30s and 40s—to zoom out and rethink what this market really is.
“There’s a lot of fear, but not a lot of logic,” he says. “Many companies are getting sold off in the broader market pullback, even though they’re minimally exposed to tariffs. They’re being mispriced—plain and simple.”
He’s not talking about speculative plays. NorthStrive is focusing on domestic names that have pricing power, operational moats, cash-generating businesses—often overlooked companies that fly under the radar. “These companies aren’t making headlines, but they’re essential to the economy and consumers, they’re being discounted as if they’re part of the hype cycle.”
Money Is Still on the Sidelines—And It Won’t Stay There Forever
Lichti believes the next wave of capital deployment will flow into companies that are prepared—those with solid financials, disciplined teams, and the ability to show resilience in the face of disruption.
I’ve met a few smart CEO’s that saw the tariffs coming months ago and prepared their business accordingly. These are the operators I’m backing”, Says Lichti
“There’s still a lot of money sitting in government bonds, just watching,” he says. “That capital is going to rotate. You don’t want to be the company scrambling to get ready after the money starts moving—you want to be ready now.”
Helping Companies Navigate, Restructure, and Grow—With Eyes Wide Open
At NorthStrive, Lichti and his team are hands-on with their clients and portfolio companies—making deals, renegotiating vendor contracts, cutting inefficiencies, and even internalizing services to drive profitability.
“We’re analyzing our clients’ P&Ls, identifying where capital is leaking, and turning those leaks into strategic moves. In some cases, we’re making moves and acquiring businesses to internalize costs and create entirely new revenue streams,” he says.
Lichti is also preparing private companies to go public in the US, guiding them through the capital markets—skills he’s been honing for over 15 years. “This isn’t just about surviving. It’s about setting up for a decade of growth.”
Forget the Noise—Here’s the Real Risk
“Today’s media makes it harder than ever to think clearly,” Lichti says. “Between breaking news alerts, daily charts, and algorithm-fed narratives, investors are overloaded. Our brains are full of noise. But smart investing hasn’t changed—it still requires clarity, discipline, patience and no emotions. That’s what we’re doing now at NorthStrive.”
Lichti believes investors are overreacting to tariff headlines and underestimating the strategy behind them.
“Let’s not forget—Trump literally wrote The Art of the Deal. That book was one of the first books I read when I got interested in business,” Lichti says. “He’s been at the negotiation table for decades, and this kind of hardball is part of how he operates. You have to assume there’s strategy behind this.”
Instead of reacting to the chaos, Lichti suggests focusing on the businesses that can navigate or even benefit from these dynamics. “A lot of com\anies being sold off aren’t even affected by tariffs. They’re just caught up in the noise.”
The Bottom Line
If you’re a 30- or 40-something investor, Lichti says now is the time to reframe your thinking.
“This market feels scary—but so did 2008. If you let fear be your investment strategy, you’re going to miss the setup. There’s real opportunity in this cycle, and it’s not going to last forever.”
He’s betting big on America. He’s betting on its companies and the economy. And more importantly, he’s betting on people who are ready to look past the noise, build and invest with discipline—just like he did 16 years ago.
