Nope. If someone has zero industry knowledge they have no business being in this play. That's the same standard that I would apply to any investment play whether it is banking, durable goods, technology, insurance, or even starting a donut shop.

Reid was financing these plays before Treaty, and that qualifies as greater than zero industry knowledge. York also has greater than zero industry knowledge even if he was ineffective.

If you want to invest in a start up oil company and make 20-30 fold returns without having to do so much as pick up a book on the fundamentals of drilling or petroleum geology, good luck on not pulling out all of your hair.