[Question to all forum members - Suggestions needed please]

Do you feel confident enough as an investor?

Do you have any person/firm in mind who you want to work for?

Do you have enough financial cushion to lead a normal life without any income for few years?

You did mention that you spent last three years learning about everything, how about practicing?

Have you thought about managing money for others directly? If yes, have you done it for your friends or family members?

 

I know I am throwing more questions rather than answering.  Given that this is your first post, without knowing more about your situation it's difficult to give even decent suggestion. Mine or some one else's suggestion might be way off the target but at least it will be bit more informed.

 

-Confidence - probably not enough to ask everyone I know for their money to invest, I feel I need to learn a LOT more

 

-I do have enough of a cushion to live without income for a couple of years.  I do have savings outside of my current equities, however I wouldn't be able to continue to contribute to my investment portfolio.

 

-I have been investing for myself for the past two and a half years which I know is only a drop in the bucket. I opened my brokerage account on April 8 2009 :), of all times.  Therefore my returns have been great so far, but I feel it is more of an anomaly because of my timing

 

- I am 33 years old, no kids, not married (yet:)), with a very supportive girlfriend,

 

-Net worth- not enough to live on with 10-20% returns. 

 

-If it is very hard to break into the business working for someone else in your 30's to 40's do most just start out on their own from the very beginning?  I thought maybe there are some types of careers that could lead future investing opportunities.  I have met with Merrill Lynch for financial advising but wonder if that would take me down the wrong path.  Not really sure what to think, hence why I posed this question here.

 

Thanks again to all for any comments or suggestions.  Feel free to ask and additional questions.

 

 

[Question to all forum members - Suggestions needed please]

Hello all,

 

This is my first post although I have spent many, many hours reading the posts on this forum.

 

Here is my situation:

 

My name is Brady.  I recently left the business that I helped found and run for the past nine years.  The business we were in designed and manufactured life-size animated monsters and characters for theme parks and haunted houses. 

 

About three years ago I picked up Lowenstein's "Making of an American Capitalist" and the rest was history.  I have always been entrepreneurial and something clicked when I read Buffett's story.  Please note: that I know that I am no Buffett:)  However, once

I discovered investing my world was opened to the thousands of companies that I could take partial ownership in through equities.

Like many of you I am sure, I have spent every waking hour of the last three years to learn everything I can about financial markets, equity analysis, qualitative and quantitative business fundamentals.

 

That brings me to now:  I decided to leave my business to pursue a career in the financial industry.  For the last couple of months I have been trying to decide which career path I should follow.  Although I love the analysis the most I know that I need to "walk before I run."  I do have a college degree in Communications and Business though no formal experience in finance (besides running the financial side of things in the business I just left.

 

So my question to you all is: What type of career would you recommend for me to "get my foot in the door."  The options that I have come up with thus far are: Financial Advisor, Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Analyst, Investments on the Banking Side, Insurance Investments.

 

I do not have any close friends that are into investing like the members on this board which is why I thought I would pose this question here.  Although no of you know me personally I feel you all would offer the best information.

 

I am looking for any comments or suggestions.  Feel free to be honest.  Thank you for you time and I appreciate any responses!

 

Brady