Acclaimed Author

Featured Book

The Rise of the Activist Investor

The 2021 Meme Stock revolution proved that individual investors have real power to influence publicly traded companies and create meaningful change. Yet the path to activist investing remains unclear, with conflicting advice making it hard to connect your values with your investments.

In this hands-on guidebook, capital markets expert John O'Connell provides a step-by-step process to help you identify your values, invest on your own terms, and influence the companies in your portfolio. Through a compelling fictionalized case study, John demystifies activist investing and demonstrates that creating corporate change isn't reserved for the wealthy—it's accessible to any investor ready to use their voice as a shareholder.

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What Readers Say

Activist Investor Arc 

In his debut book, Rise of the Activist Investor, John introduced the Activist Investor Arc—a framework that maps how retail investors progress from casual stock ownership to meaningful corporate influence. This framework demystifies shareholder activism, proving that creating positive change in publicly traded companies isn't reserved for billionaires—it's accessible to anyone who owns stock and is willing to use their voice. Whether you're taking your first steps or leading proxy battles, the Activist Investor Arc shows you where you are and how to advance to the next level of impact.

Interviews

The Power of Activist Investing | Schwab IMPACT 2025

John explains why activist investors are crucial to the stock market, how social media amplifies their impact, and how investors can use AI to build their own company analysis and drive change.

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Get Real Interview on The Rise of the Activist Investor

Please join Co-Hosts Meg Hanington and Genevieve E. Thayer of GetReal! with their guest John O’Connell, CEO & Founder of The Oasis Group and author of Rise of the Activist Investor. 

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Get Think Tanked Interview

John believes that people who get involved in shareholder activism and have discussions around it can create positive change. He joins the ETF Think Tank to discuss this and where the ESG space might head in the future. 

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Rise of the Activist Investor Presentation

John discusses ESG, Values Based Investing, and The Rise of the Activist Investor in his presentation from the InvestmentFuse USA conference. Learn about the Activist Investor Arc.

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Chief Financial Mom Interview

John discusses the origins of activist investing, why young investors are more likely to become activist investors, and how retail investors will come together to drive change in the companies that they care about.

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Taco Tech Interview

John discusses the Great Wealth Transfer, how young investors will benefit from it, and the social change that young investors have experienced in the past decade. This will drive The Rise of the Activist Investor.

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