Tactical Investing for your Strategic Plan
How military strategy and real-world experience can help you outperform the market with less risk.
There’s no shortage of books on investing. Most of them offer a rags-to-riches story. Often, this comes through a formula or theory that, if followed, you will find success in the stock market. Tactical Investing and Your Strategic Plan shows that successful investing comes from how you think.
This book is not a get-rich-quick guide. It’s about learning to think tactically, to analyze data, evaluate theories, and plan with intent. It’s about understanding the why behind each decision so you can apply those insights to your broader strategic plan.
Whether you’re defining long-term goals or deciding on your next tactical move, strategy matters. This book focuses on the connection between strategic planning and tactical investing. I highlight how the right investment, made at the right time, serves your larger financial mission. What you will find in these pages is a framework for disciplined, purposeful decision-making. I provide a way to align your investments not only with market conditions but also with your personal objectives, resources, and time.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Tactical Investing for Your Strategic Plan will be donated to two organizations that are deeply meaningful to me: Veteran Bridge Home, a group I am personally involved with, and Boulder Crest, a national organization that has helped my son and whose volunteers I have come to know and respect.
About the author
Mark Melrose is a United States Marine Corps veteran and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist with more than 38 years of experience in wealth management, including work with international investment firms, banks, and other broker-dealers. His passion for investing began during his military service, where he developed the discipline, risk awareness, and strategic thinking that continue to define his investment philosophy.
Even while serving in demanding environments, Mark was a dedicated student of the financial markets, carrying The Wall Street Journal wherever duty took him. His first investment in 1984, a modest purchase of Mattel stock that doubled over the following months, reinforced his belief that disciplined curiosity and decisive action can meaningfully shape one’s future.
Mark holds a degree in economics from Chapman University and has spent his career helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate the financial markets with confidence and clarity. Later in his career, he served in senior leadership roles, including management and Managing Director positions. Married for 50 years, he is the father of three children and grandfather to ten. He remains a lifelong student of leadership, markets, and disciplined decision-making, committed to empowering others to build purposeful and resilient financial futures.
Discipline under pressure separates investors form spectators
Podcasts
Building your tactical investing mindset.
Connect battlefield principles with real world investing. Lissners hear how to think strategically, act tactically and manage risk.
A review of today’s financial markets and how the current economic and geo-political environment effects your tactical investments and strategic plan.
Listen to past podcasts, Click here.
Speaking Engagements
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin.
Our presentations are tailored to your audience and designed to deliver practical, real-world value. Topics focus on tactical investing, strategic planning, and real-life stories that highlight the power of discipline and sound decision-making. Drawing from decades of experience in leadership and financial markets, Mark Melrose shares proven insights on how to think strategically, act decisively, and build resilience in an ever-changing world.
To review a sample of available topics, click here.
Blogs & Newsletters
Any fool can know. The point is to know-Albert Einstein.
You’ll learn how to interpret market indicators, trends, and investor sentiment the same way a commander reads the terrain, identifying risks, spotting opportunities, and making informed decisions before conditions change.
We examine today’s markets in the context of yesterday’s lessons, while also addressing the economic and geopolitical forces shaping tomorrow. Every presentation delivers clear, honest, and actionable insights you can put to work immediately. To review past blogs, click here.
Why I wrote “Tactical Investing for your Strategic Plan.”
During that time, I collected hundreds of articles, filled notebooks with ideas, and studied the work of great investors and economists. I knew I had something to say but I hadn’t yet found the right framework to say it. Everything changed in January 2025. I asked myself a simple question: What process has stood the test of time, and can it be applied to investing? The answer was obvious. Military strategy and tactical thinking have guided successful leaders for thousands of years. From Sun Tzu’s The Art of War to modern battlefield doctrine, the principles of assessing risk, controlling uncertainty, and positioning for victory remain just as relevant today as they were centuries ago. Over decades in both the military and the investment world, I could see all the pieces of the puzzle. I just hadn’t assembled them yet. Writing this book became the way to put those pieces together. For years I told my investors, “I wish I could put what I know into your head.” If they could combine their personal goals and temperament with the strategic and tactical knowledge I’ve gained over a lifetime, they could build a far more powerful and resilient financial plan. That is exactly why I wrote this book. Of course, like most authors, my first drafts were terrible. Thankfully, I had people around me who told me the truth. Over the next twelve months, and through countless rewrites, the manuscript took shape. Eventually, it became what I had always intended: a practical, disciplined, real-world guide to investing in uncertain times. Now, I’m proud to announce the result: Tactical Investing for Your Strategic Plan This book is my way of sharing what works, so you can make better decisions, manage risk intelligently, and build a future with confidence and clarity.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Tactical Investing for Your Strategic Plan will be donated to two organizations that are deeply meaningful to me: Veteran Bridge Home, a group I am personally involved with, and Boulder Crest, a national organization that has helped my son and whose volunteers I have come to know and respect.
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“I’ve known Mark for nearly fifty years as a fellow Marine and trusted friend. His leadership, discipline, and integrity—shaped by military service and honed through a successful finance career—are evident throughout Tactical Investing for Your Strategic Plan. In this book, Mark delivers clear, practical investment strategies grounded in proven principles, reflecting his lifelong commitment to service and strategic excellence. A must-read for anyone seeking a solid foundation in investment strategy.”
Jim Perna
USMC Ret.
“Tactical Investing for your Strategic Plan” connects battlefield principals with real world investing, teaching readers how to think strategically, act tactically, and manage risk with discipline.
Today is the day to transform strategy into success.