I graduated from TCU in May 2008 with a B.B.A. in Finance and I currently work in the Insurance & Risk Management field. Oddly enough, despite having a Finance degree, I didn't become all that interested in investing until the stock market began to tank in the Fall of 2008. My father, a CPA by trade, offered to transfer all of my outstanding student loans to me so I could use the money to invest a little (as he paid cash for my education but took advantage of the low-interest federal student loans I qualified for). I made the decision to take him up on his offer and, though I had the responsibility of taking over all future payments, I used the capital to fund my first stock portfolio. Sad that it took a ...More once-in-a-lifetime financial crisis to spark my fascination with the market, but I haven't looked back since.
I'm a value investor at heart and a devoted follower of Warren Buffett, so dividend-paying blue-chip stocks form the bulk of my portfolio. However, unlike The Oracle of Omaha, I don't own any insurance companies and as a result I don't have the ability to use billions in premium float to fund my blue-chip investments. As a result, I also allocate a small portion of my portfolio (currently 22.4%) to 'special situation'/spec plays and/or growth stocks. As a guy in his 20s, I recognize that the earlier you start saving and investing, the greater impact it will have when it comes time to retire (thanks to the effect of compounding interest). With conservative fundamental analysis, a (very) small consideration to technical analysis, and a bit of patience and risk, the returns earned with this portfolio mix have adequately outperformed the S&P500 over the last few years.
I research potential investments and do a lot of financial and economic reading in my free time and, while I'm keeping my day job, it's becoming quite a habit.
Jordan Callaway