How to Make Money in Stocks Success Stories is treasure trove of success stories you should read carefully. Author Amy Smith has been investing for many years, saying that her discovery of Investor’s Business Daily and the CAN SLIM Investing Strategy are what helped her learn how to invest so well.
I first met Amy many years ago at a large, local IBD Meetup event where I spoke. She was a member, and I recall after my presentation, she and others stayed behind to talk. I could tell Amy had figured out how the market works, and other members in this group were also very sharp.
The next time I met Amy was when an associate wanted to hire her and asked if I’d like to meet her. In the interview, she answered questions skillfully and was emphatic about how IBD and CAN SLIM were the keys to good investing. We hired her on the spot as Director of IBD Meetup Development. Years later, she’s created a considerable number of new clubs and spoken to thousands of investors who shared their own experiences with Amy.
This book was a logical follow-up to my earlier book, How to Make Money in Stocks. In Amy’s collection of Success Stories, she catalogs the investing journeys of everyday people as well as a few pros, all of whom achieved a great deal. And she likens the journey of an investor to that of a martial arts student learning the discipline and steps to the Black Belt, which is the highest honor. I found the book full of insights and ideas about what made investing work well for these individuals. Each person shared clues about getting started, developing winning routines, and how they learned to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. These are powerful insights, and most of these investors told Amy they felt investing was worth the time and effort—and that it had changed their lives.
I’ve no doubt if you read this book and scrutinize their approaches, you can benefit too. Amy and these individuals are living examples of what you can accomplish if you want it badly enough. And I’m convinced that you can do this. The information is ready for you to study and absorb, but getting started is up to you.
Remember, investing is not easy, but if you’re determined to learn to make money in the market, then that determination and focus will be your winning edge. But if you’ve decided in the past, or even as you read this now, that it sounds like a lot of work and you’re not sure? Then I think both Amy and I have earned the right to tell you: You are missing out on one of the greatest chances to change the course of your life! Sounds pretty dramatic, yes? Yet, if hundreds of thousands of individuals have made this system work, there’s nothing holding you back but your own doubts or unwillingness to even try.
Maybe this book will lend the encouragement you need, as you read about a woman whose husband died and, shortly after, she lost her job. She is now independently wealthy. She had no background in investing at the start but took up the challenge and made it work. What Amy’s interviews will show you is that many good investors started without experience—and not much money. Even some of the pros she talked to knew very little at first. You’ll learn their approaches and how they overcame their mistakes and hesitations. You may recognize yourself among some of these people and realize that investing is worth pursuing.
I don’t want you to feel that because I’ve invested for years that it sets me apart from you. I had virtually no experience when I began learning to invest—nor did Amy or many others. Investing is not an elite club, or something you cannot do. If you think that way, I believe you are dead wrong. Your biggest challenge will be your own doubts or hesitations. I hope you take up this challenge, promise yourself to stick with it through thick and thin, and remain determined and positive. Then it can work. After you read this book, see if you don’t feel encouraged. I read it and felt hopeful for each one of you who wants to succeed. You can do this!
We’re here to help you on your investing journey.
Wishing you the very best.
Sincerely,
William J. O’Neil
Chairman and Founder
Investor’s Business Daily