Merrill Stillwell
@stillwell.bsky.social
Candidate for Littleton City Council District 1
Small Business Owner | Retail Real Estate & Finance | CFA
stillwell4littleton.com
Small Business Owner | Retail Real Estate & Finance | CFA
stillwell4littleton.com
Campaign door knocking with some serious helpers! Had to drag our 3 year old off the streets to get ready for bed (mom was working late at the hospital)
July 16, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Campaign door knocking with some serious helpers! Had to drag our 3 year old off the streets to get ready for bed (mom was working late at the hospital)
Wild read & I'm only 1/3 in (~1920s). Robert Moses was a bureaucrat w/ way more power than almost all politicians in NY. Some of the tactics he was using early on:
-latch on to populist causes (parks for him)
-starting a project made it impossible to stop
-always always underestimate costs
-latch on to populist causes (parks for him)
-starting a project made it impossible to stop
-always always underestimate costs
July 1, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Wild read & I'm only 1/3 in (~1920s). Robert Moses was a bureaucrat w/ way more power than almost all politicians in NY. Some of the tactics he was using early on:
-latch on to populist causes (parks for him)
-starting a project made it impossible to stop
-always always underestimate costs
-latch on to populist causes (parks for him)
-starting a project made it impossible to stop
-always always underestimate costs
I'm running for City Council in my hometown of Littleton, CO! Littleton is an awesome place and I'm excited to work to make it even better.
Please vote for me & donate any amount!
Check out the campaign website for more info & to donate!
stillwell4littleton.com
Please vote for me & donate any amount!
Check out the campaign website for more info & to donate!
stillwell4littleton.com
May 29, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I'm running for City Council in my hometown of Littleton, CO! Littleton is an awesome place and I'm excited to work to make it even better.
Please vote for me & donate any amount!
Check out the campaign website for more info & to donate!
stillwell4littleton.com
Please vote for me & donate any amount!
Check out the campaign website for more info & to donate!
stillwell4littleton.com
Businesses with sustainable moats will benefit the most from AI. Highly competitive industries could be really difficult as AI compete away profits
May 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Businesses with sustainable moats will benefit the most from AI. Highly competitive industries could be really difficult as AI compete away profits
Epic time to finally attend the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting with my mom & brother. It is too cool that an entire sports arena packed with people get together to celebrate old school American business.
May 7, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Epic time to finally attend the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting with my mom & brother. It is too cool that an entire sports arena packed with people get together to celebrate old school American business.
A little more than a month later, the US stock market is now higher than the day before Liberation Day tariffs were announced.
It is so so hard to predict where markets will move.
It is so so hard to predict where markets will move.
May 7, 2025 at 4:31 PM
A little more than a month later, the US stock market is now higher than the day before Liberation Day tariffs were announced.
It is so so hard to predict where markets will move.
It is so so hard to predict where markets will move.
6:30 AM sunrise in line for the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting! With fellow fans my mom and brother
May 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
6:30 AM sunrise in line for the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting! With fellow fans my mom and brother
Wild stat: gold has outperformed the S&P 500 since 2000
April 23, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Wild stat: gold has outperformed the S&P 500 since 2000
One of my favorite investing quotes from Henry Singleton:
"I believe in maximum flexibility, so I reserve the right to change my position on any subject when the external environment relating to any topic changes, too."
"I believe in maximum flexibility, so I reserve the right to change my position on any subject when the external environment relating to any topic changes, too."
April 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
One of my favorite investing quotes from Henry Singleton:
"I believe in maximum flexibility, so I reserve the right to change my position on any subject when the external environment relating to any topic changes, too."
"I believe in maximum flexibility, so I reserve the right to change my position on any subject when the external environment relating to any topic changes, too."
Headed to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in Omaha for the first time in 2 weeks! Anyone have recommendations for events to attend around the main event? (DM me if you want to meet up as well!)
April 17, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Headed to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in Omaha for the first time in 2 weeks! Anyone have recommendations for events to attend around the main event? (DM me if you want to meet up as well!)
Opening up my thoughts publicly has been a major accelerator of my learning process. Both through writing online (Twitter/LinkedIn) + speaking publicly (Toastmasters). Intimidating but hugely positive.The exposure has helped me refine my ideas + meet some amazing people. I can't recommend it enough!
April 15, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Opening up my thoughts publicly has been a major accelerator of my learning process. Both through writing online (Twitter/LinkedIn) + speaking publicly (Toastmasters). Intimidating but hugely positive.The exposure has helped me refine my ideas + meet some amazing people. I can't recommend it enough!
Super simple chart showing the structure of a LIHTC affordable housing project:
(via the @resetbasis Substack)
(via the @resetbasis Substack)
April 8, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Super simple chart showing the structure of a LIHTC affordable housing project:
(via the @resetbasis Substack)
(via the @resetbasis Substack)
The places I hang out & invest all have "parking problems."
Both are true:
-these locations are so popular that parking fills up
-they are popular because the design is less car focused
Both are true:
-these locations are so popular that parking fills up
-they are popular because the design is less car focused
April 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
The places I hang out & invest all have "parking problems."
Both are true:
-these locations are so popular that parking fills up
-they are popular because the design is less car focused
Both are true:
-these locations are so popular that parking fills up
-they are popular because the design is less car focused
Signing a lease w/ a great new small business for the long term >>>>>> selling a property for short term profit
April 1, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Signing a lease w/ a great new small business for the long term >>>>>> selling a property for short term profit
Beautiful parking lot sharers:
-coffeeshop/brewery
-church/school
-gym/dentist
-hotel/office
-library/park
-coffeeshop/brewery
-church/school
-gym/dentist
-hotel/office
-library/park
March 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Beautiful parking lot sharers:
-coffeeshop/brewery
-church/school
-gym/dentist
-hotel/office
-library/park
-coffeeshop/brewery
-church/school
-gym/dentist
-hotel/office
-library/park
A big shift. The pandemic + millennials starting families pushing growth to the suburbs
Cities aren't back.
Immigration drove the 2024 urban population rebound, and that's now over.
The pandemic accelerated the shift to the suburbs.
www.slowboring.com/p/cities-are...
Immigration drove the 2024 urban population rebound, and that's now over.
The pandemic accelerated the shift to the suburbs.
www.slowboring.com/p/cities-are...
March 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
A big shift. The pandemic + millennials starting families pushing growth to the suburbs
Favorite Denver bars
Star Bar
High Lonesome
esp
Herb's
Don’s
Sobo 151
Seven Grand
Star Bar
High Lonesome
esp
Herb's
Don’s
Sobo 151
Seven Grand
March 9, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Favorite Denver bars
Star Bar
High Lonesome
esp
Herb's
Don’s
Sobo 151
Seven Grand
Star Bar
High Lonesome
esp
Herb's
Don’s
Sobo 151
Seven Grand
Conventional power plant (coal, natural gas): ~20% of lifetime cost is up front construction, the other 80% is in ongoing fuel & operations
Renewable facility (wind, solar): ~2/3 of the lifetime cost is up front. The other 1/3 is in operations (fuel is free)
Renewable facility (wind, solar): ~2/3 of the lifetime cost is up front. The other 1/3 is in operations (fuel is free)
March 7, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Conventional power plant (coal, natural gas): ~20% of lifetime cost is up front construction, the other 80% is in ongoing fuel & operations
Renewable facility (wind, solar): ~2/3 of the lifetime cost is up front. The other 1/3 is in operations (fuel is free)
Renewable facility (wind, solar): ~2/3 of the lifetime cost is up front. The other 1/3 is in operations (fuel is free)
Finding great investments is hard enough. Difficult to understand business plans, complicated ownership structures & fat tail risk just aren't worth it.
March 6, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Finding great investments is hard enough. Difficult to understand business plans, complicated ownership structures & fat tail risk just aren't worth it.
Signs of life in downtown Denver! Boutique hotels are always great for pedestrians to walk in & around.
The Populus Hotel (left) & The Slate Hotel (right) here
The Populus Hotel (left) & The Slate Hotel (right) here
March 3, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Signs of life in downtown Denver! Boutique hotels are always great for pedestrians to walk in & around.
The Populus Hotel (left) & The Slate Hotel (right) here
The Populus Hotel (left) & The Slate Hotel (right) here
Stopped by an Eth Denver event expecting everyone to be excited w/ Bitcoin +40% in the last 6 months & the most favorable gov't in its existence...
But everyone was apocalyptic. Pessimism everywhere. All negative due to short term price drops (which seems silly in the big picture)
But everyone was apocalyptic. Pessimism everywhere. All negative due to short term price drops (which seems silly in the big picture)
February 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Stopped by an Eth Denver event expecting everyone to be excited w/ Bitcoin +40% in the last 6 months & the most favorable gov't in its existence...
But everyone was apocalyptic. Pessimism everywhere. All negative due to short term price drops (which seems silly in the big picture)
But everyone was apocalyptic. Pessimism everywhere. All negative due to short term price drops (which seems silly in the big picture)
Adventures in real estate: anyone have ideas for how to get rid of this thing?? Total disaster inside & it was abandoned on a remote mountain property.
February 26, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Adventures in real estate: anyone have ideas for how to get rid of this thing?? Total disaster inside & it was abandoned on a remote mountain property.
Best Colorado whiskey:
1. Laws
2. Peach Street
3. Old Elk
4. Woody Creek
5. Stranahan's
(RIP Golden Moon)
1. Laws
2. Peach Street
3. Old Elk
4. Woody Creek
5. Stranahan's
(RIP Golden Moon)
February 22, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Best Colorado whiskey:
1. Laws
2. Peach Street
3. Old Elk
4. Woody Creek
5. Stranahan's
(RIP Golden Moon)
1. Laws
2. Peach Street
3. Old Elk
4. Woody Creek
5. Stranahan's
(RIP Golden Moon)
All the ski resorts close to Denver are world class but Vail is my clear favorite.
Best skiing + restaurants + nature + fun walkable town
The bowls are one of a kind. Epic snow out there after this all-time storm!
Best skiing + restaurants + nature + fun walkable town
The bowls are one of a kind. Epic snow out there after this all-time storm!
February 20, 2025 at 9:47 PM
All the ski resorts close to Denver are world class but Vail is my clear favorite.
Best skiing + restaurants + nature + fun walkable town
The bowls are one of a kind. Epic snow out there after this all-time storm!
Best skiing + restaurants + nature + fun walkable town
The bowls are one of a kind. Epic snow out there after this all-time storm!
Business lesson from my early career: there are a ton of different ways to make money but some are a heck of a lot easier than others.
February 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Business lesson from my early career: there are a ton of different ways to make money but some are a heck of a lot easier than others.