When people ask you what do you do, what do you tell them?
I am a Product Manager; I build software products for organisations. I am also an Investment Enthusiast.
What does financial wealth mean to you?
Time control. The freedom to control my time and not be constrained in pursuing whatever I want to do due to lack of money.
How did you start investing?
I started in 2017 after gaining some level of understanding about money. Then, I started being deliberate about what investment options were out there that could grow my money.
What was your first investment, and how did it go?
My first investment was investing in an Agric produce business. It went well at the end of the day. I learnt a lot that formed some of the guidelines I have when investing.
What investment options were out there in 2017?
There were few available that appealed to me, and treasury bills was a thing back then (when the rates were favourable). So I went for that and the Agric business I mentioned earlier. Nairaland also helped a lot in my search.
How do you approach investing today?
Well, I will say I am pretty principled when picking my investments. I am also an aggressive investor. Due to my age, I have enough time to accumulate wealth and allow compounding work for me. Firstly, I stay off Ponzi schemes. Next, I always look for opportunities that can beat the prevailing inflation rate of the Naira. This is one of the investment guidelines I have.
Break down your investment stack for me
Currently, that would be: Foreign stocks, crypto, Venture Capital Investments and a Real Estate fund.
What platforms do you use to invest
Trading 212, Binance and Risevest.
What Portfolio do you have with Risevest?
Real Estate. It gives me that balance I need for my aggressive portfolio
What is the investing hill you are willing to die on?
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
What is your wildest gain since you started investing?
Hmm, that was 2020 going into 2021, I made 20x of my investment, on a mixture of different assets. It felt gooooddd.
Have you made any loss since you started investing?
Yes, I have.
That will be crypto. The lesson learnt is to do more due diligence and not rush into an opportunity no matter the circumstances. Always approach any investment in a calm state.
What’s the hardest decision you’ve had to make since you started investing
Cutting my losses, no one likes to lose money. But if you know you made a bad call on an investment, it’s better to stop the bleeding early and draw out a plan on how to move forward.
What do you wish you had known before making your first investment?
I wish I knew about the financial markets earlier.
What does a dream investment look like to you?
Access to investment opportunities across multiple countries.
How does this investment compare with your reality?
Still, a long way to go, but I will get there.
How do you feel about your current position generally?
Fantastic, I think I am doing well.
What will you tell a beginner about investment?
Start early and be deliberate about your wealth journey. The best investment you can make is in yourself by investing in knowledge. Also, you can join investment clubs. It is easier to learn in a community. Join the Risevest community, they do a great job in providing free financial education to the community.