Investing and portfolio management are tricky for many aspiring entrepreneurs. There’s a lot of advice out there, and it can be difficult to cut through the noise and get to the real heart of the message. Startup growth and portfolio management expert Ryan Alvey, who has consulted with and mentored countless business leaders and entrepreneurs over his 15 years of experience, offered some no-nonsense, straightforward advice about managing your portfolio and investing effectively.
“The #1 tip I give everyone who asks me about portfolio management is to start investing as soon as you possibly can, even if you feel like it’s not possible financially,” shares Ryan Alvey. “You might feel like you can’t invest if you’re young, if you’re in school, if you’re currently living paycheck to paycheck, or if your current income isn’t sky-high. But nothing could be further from the truth,” Ryan Alvey explains.
Ryan Alvey continues, “In fact, the time you spend investing is even more important than the amount of money you put in each time. If you start investing at age 25, you will have a serious nest egg available for retirement even if you start out at just $100 or $200 per month,” Ryan Alvey shares. “By contrast, if you wait until you’re 45 or so, you’ll likely have far less by the time you’re ready to retire, even if you start out putting more money into your 401(k) or Roth IRA.”
The second tip Ryan Alvey has for aspiring investors is to start out conservatively. “Don’t jump on the bandwagon of what everyone else seems to be buying,” says Alvey. “A rapidly rising price might make something appear desirable, but a lower price could mean that you end up making more of a profit, even if it’s not the hot stock of the moment.”
Lastly, Ryan Alvey suggests that investors diversify their portfolios in order to maximize their potential profits. “You don’t want to take a gamble on high-risk stocks only,” he explains, “but you also shouldn’t stick to ultra-conservative stocks when you could potentially get a big payoff in others. Diversify your portfolio in an index fund for the greatest possible return.”
Ryan Alvey is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Tietronix, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas. Over the course of his lengthy and exciting career, he has built businesses up to over $100 million in annual revenues, managed teams of over 300 at any given time, and closed over $10 billion in contracts.
