What I’m doing with $100,000 Investment Fund

Does playing FIFA or PES make you a better football player? Maybe not. But, does it make you more knowledgeable about football? Absolutely.

No, I do not have $100,000. I was given by Investopedia. I mean I am playing an investment simulation game on Investopedia. So, this is how I am investing $100,000.

I am not going to give deep details like accurate pricing and precise cash available because I am typing all this off the internet and really in a rush. I have so many blogs I plan to share with you over the next few days.

So, on the first day: May 31, 2019.

I knew I was going to invest in Microsoft, no matter whatever. It’s a great company at the moment. Things are going well on every side. I knew I wouldn’t put my money into Apple or Google. The trade war between US and China will largely affect these two companies than it would Microsoft.

I bought 100 shares of Microsoft. At around 125 dollars or so, that’s some 12,500 dollars. In the short term, I do not see Microsoft going past the 1 trillion dollar mark it reached weeks back. But in the long term, the growth would be continuous.

Then, I looked at Facebook. I saw a market cap of 520 billion dollars. I looked at the growth chart for the past days, weeks, months, and years. I still remember they lost over a hundred billion dollars in a single trading day in 2018. I know Facebook suffers whenever there’s a privacy breach or security threat even if and when it’s not related to the company. They are making some good strides to push forward with Oculus which isn’t news, but I still think 500+ billion dollars for Facebook might be too much in the near short term. So, what did I do?

I shorted Facebook. Haha! I have suffered in this my journey of understanding finance. Shorting Facebook (or any company) implies that I’m making a bet that Facebook shares would still slump and I would make a gain by somehow trading the shares by shorting it.

I shorted 100 shares of Facebook. The price was around 185 dollars, I shorted at 180. And by the close of trading, it was around 179 or thereabout!

This method of investing is wack by all standards. But, I’m just starting!

MSFT and FB in the bag. Who next?

I bought General Electric shares. Around February last year, GE had a market cap of around 300 billion dollars. Now, they are worth less – lower than 100 billion dollars. I do not think they will be worth as much as 300 billion dollars going forward, at least not anytime soon. But, looking at their revenues and other financial statements, as well as knowing that they have listed some companies such as Baker Hughes while GE Healthcare might be going public soon, I knew they are divesting their public holdings. I bought 1,000 shares, I think.

Tesla and Elon Musk are going through some tough moments. Currently worth a little over 30 billion dollars, the value of this company has reduced by around 50 percent because I remember it used to hover around 50-60 billion dollars. They have themselves to blame. Even if the company is sold today at 30 billion dollars, they wouldn’t have enough cash to liquidate shareholders equity. They owe around that mark. I won’t go further about Tesla issues; everything about them is well covered by the media.

I know of the bad financials and reduced demand. But, I am really for Tesla. I am for Musk. I believe the company will earn investors’ trust again. I believe the EV/AV market is still there, perhaps just some consumers getting scared of trade direction between countries. I bought 100 shares as well.

At this point, I was having a little over $70,000 in cash.

Misses

I wanted to buy JCPenney just to have a closer look at the company, but the game wouldn’t allow you buy shares that are not up to one dollar.

Intraday goings-on, Microsoft stock was slightly down. Meaning, my MSFT shares had lower value than I paid for them. But, GE was up, TSLA was up too. FB was trading around the mid to late 170s! I was on a profit of 250+ dollars.

June 1 2019

This was definitely not a trading day. But when I checked my portfolio, I saw MSFT still down. FB down too (meaning I was gaining on FB since I shorted it), TSLA up, and GE up. I was on a gain of 300+ dollars.

I wasn’t gonna rest.

More Trades

I ordered for more stocks which should be completed on Monday, June 3, 2019. What I bought:

I bought Opera Software stocks. I know well (maybe not so well, but a good knowledge) what the company is doing and where they are headed. It is a growth direction. So, I bought some shares.

I bought Baker Hughes too! The company is growing and in my eyes currently underpriced.

And to keep in touch with the Sage of Omaha, I bought Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares; I couldn’t buy the Class A (it’s worth almost 300,000 dollars).

Misses

I couldn’t invest in Zoom Technologies and Beyond Meat because they were newly listed on the stock exchange.

Last Words

I can’t wait for Monday to see how things are playing out. I am still a rookie. And I remain a tech enthusiast. The investments I made clearly show that. I’ll gladly invest in other sectors if I find something worthy and great, but this is where and how I am starting.

A Beautiful YouTube Quote

If you ever follow anybody's advice when it's in contradiction with your own heart, you're giving your LIFE away.

For two of my best university friends

Hint: It's none of the guys in the picture. The two guys know themselves and each other.

Dear Friend,

Do you remember all the fun we had

Remember all the dreams we dreamt

All the fantasies we thought were goals

And the small ideas that never changed the world

Boy,

You told me I was wasting

But methinks not

Now you know I wasn’t wasting

But we were both wasting

Weekly banns, granule foods

Yeah, we’re getting started

Tour places, build platforms

Now it’s dawn, but nothing is done

Hey,

Stupid is what describes you

Maybe more, but that is first

Remember our late nights in 500

Chicken Rep was contact point

Too much talk till 2am

Clueless kids acting sapient

Now we’re squabbling

Like chickens. Cubes!

For two of my best university friends. 

Rise

Be the voice in the noise

Be the one who says it as it is

Don't lick anyone's ass

Be Different

Reflection: 10 Powerful Life Lessons that Can Work for You

Like millions of my age group, I didn’t sleep all night. Like millions of my age group, I wasn't doing anything of specificity. Like millions of my age group, I was just scrolling web pages.

My night wasn't entirely unproductive, though. I had several thoughts in my head. There were new births in form of ideas. More than anything, however, I was somewhere between looking behind and looking ahead. I was on the search discovering new things; having a look at some inspiring profiles.

The result of my thinking in between the lines is what I want to share with you. These are lessons I have learnt. Things I have thought about. They are tips I hope are relevant to your story.

Make Silent Killer Moves

Social media has become the path of least resistance. There are no more secrets or personal information. I usually say “Everyone knows everything about everyone.” Now, this may not be true in its entirety. But, it is a compass to what is contemporarily obtainable.

Let go of the urge to constantly update people about your next moves. Step back from sharing unsolicited life goals. You will do better and go farther when you stop discussing your imminent moves publicly. You should have inner circles, but even they shouldn’t know your baby’s name when she is still a foetus.

Keep Searching

I believe many people like me are on the search. This is an important stage in our lives. We don’t want to waste any more time. Some of us have found what they can devote their lives or years to. Some haven’t. Some will discover themselves early on. Some would later on.

But, discovering oneself isn’t an end. As long as you live, and as long as you hope to remain resourceful and relevant, you will keep on at it. So, irrespective of the level you are, keep digging.

You will be ecstatic when you find gold. That will be a turning point. You will feel great when you find diamond. And that will be another turning point. Although finding gold was a major starting and turning point, diamond will open you up to greater realms. You will keep finding more assets and gaining greater perspectives as you dig deeper.

Follow the Procedure

In primary school, some of my teachers as well as the proprietor counseled my dad that I should write entrance exams a year earlier. This same phenomenon occurred in high school. He was against it. There are fundamental equations and principles I have learnt in that regard. Every end has a process. There are steps to be taken. You don’t want to miss any of these steps.

Be on the Fast Lane

I am not particularly a fan of hasty impulsivity. I am equally against being maniacally procedural. If you don’t take the time to process the true meanings of my words here, you might miss it altogether.

Up above, what I mean is learn what you need to know. Don’t skip the fundamentals. Right here, I mean learn fast. Be the one who learns what they need to know in a snap. Do quickly whatever you deem important.

Slow Down

I think this and the two other points above might seem confusing. This is one of the things I’m totally bad at. I slow down at times, not just enough. I’m usually caught looking ahead. Sometimes, you just have to slow down. See life in a broad perspective. Raise your horizon just a little higher. Appreciate the moment.

I have been doing this since late October. Maybe not entirely slowing down, but driving at a slow pace. Most times, ideas come when you are reflecting and gearing up for the next trip.

Look Within

Many of life’s answers, I have learnt, lie within us. We find answers to most of our challenges when we look within ourselves. You just have to be patient enough.

Remember, you don’t need to have answers to everything. You just have to be ready when the answers surface. This has been true for me several times.

Start Where You are with What You Have

I recently read a piece delivered by a former chairman of Microsoft India. He emphasised what I said earlier, “You don’t need to have answers to everything. You just have to be ready when the answers surface.”

It is imperative to keep investing in yourself. This is because unlike movies and jackpots, life is procedural. People don’t transform in seconds. There is a stage you want to reach, and it would take something. Invest in the process. There is a reason you are where you are. Start right there. Start with the resources in your control.

Ideas are worth 10 a Penny. Don’t Overthink

As a pure thinker myself, I do not like to partner with people who dwell too much on thoughts. As an executor, I equally don’t appreciate crudity. In the end, ideas are just what they are – thoughts. There are billions of them. Also, people who have lots of ideas tend to overthink. I am a victim too. But if your thinking isn’t leading to any substance, spare it! Ideas aren’t important if they are left crude. You have to do more than think, and it’s not overthink.

Then, what is it?

Ideas are Money. Refine them. Work on the Best

Refine them and execute the best. Ideas, in their very best form, can change the world. Every item you use was once an idea. I think that is an evident disclosure. Ideas are potential wealth. They are foetus. Incubate them. Bring them to life.

Everyone is Multi-talented. You Inclusive

I specifically chose this as the last point. Many people in my circle would have heard me say this several times. I believe in the parable of the talents as told by Jesus. I believe everyone is talented. More so, I believe everyone has multiple talents. This implies that there are several things you can do and excel at. They may not be millions, but they are more than one.

If one thing doesn’t work, look around for something else. No one’s destiny is tied to a single thing. If you sit down and write down those things you can do, you will be amazed at the unique talents you possess.

PS: A man’s gift opens door for him – King Solomon

Last Words

I didn’t intend to write this. I didn’t plan to have a ten point listicle. The ideas came and I poured them out. Eventually, the points reached a round figure. I hope you have taken some points away. 

Book Review: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

I do not hope to read Malcolm Gladwell's book anymore. This may be a bad statement to make in public, but I mean it.

Although enlightening, this book was largely boring. The title is so catchy that I kept reading the book because I thought I could still learn some stuff. The chapters are equally eye-fascinating.

This is barely a 300 page book. Gladwell spent about 50 pages talking about Sesame Street -- a kiddies TV show -- that has little to do with his audience.

Since I do not intend to write only the good stuff about books I read, the above is crucial. However, I also love to talk about the good stuff in the books I read.

One of the reasons why I think the book doesn't live up to my expectation is because I saw it as a business book. The book intended to tell why and how some things become sticky or viral and others don't.

In the business realm, this book is mediocre. But for generalists, for the sake of understanding things from many perspectives, Gladwell's research and the manner he documented his findings are top quality.

I think it is similar to The Outliers in many ways. In fact, it is possible for you to think you are still reading the Outliers. This is because the books have some common grounds.

It's been months since I finished the book. I can still remember some things, just not many. Divided into eight chapters (conclusion inclusive), one great lesson I can take from this book is that people are dynamic. We often change our beliefs, and our actions many times do not correlate with our words.

The Tipping Point isn't a book I'll recommend for business folks.

If you are looking for a book that exposes your mind to interesting things around the world, history, life in different parts of the world, how commercial ads form, and a beautiful mind travel, perfect.

Dogma -- The One Thing I hope You Let Go This Year

If there is anything I hate, it is doing what others do, thinking like others, acting like others, being the representation of the norm. Don't get me wrong. Even if I'm in a place where everyone is doing fantastic, I'd still be fantastically different.

Being different is at the core of being human. Many of us just stick to the status quo, leaving behind our uniqueness.

Since the day I saw a Facebook post that said "Even those who don't give in to societal norms, still give in to other norms", my thirst for being undogmatic just became greater. After several months, I've found that post to be true. Humans, no matter how maverick, are susceptible to being dogmatic. I read this extensively in Malcolm Gladwell's book Tipping Point.

People and media form opinions they want you to believe are true and never changing. No doubt, you might believe some; but consult your brains, your instincts! Being dogmatic, I have known, leads to directionless living. You'd think you are progressing, but you are aimlessly drifting.



The best definition I have found for DOGMA so far is culled from Merriam Webster Dictionary: belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted.

There are billions of dogmas in the world today. You know the ones that apply to you. You know the ones your circle of friends have held to their heart. Debunk the myths and live with your own opinion of the universe.

The Universal Dogma

One of the dogmas people around me (and my industry) believe is that tech is the only next thing. Dogmas come in different shapes and sizes. LOL! Even these high grossing, highly intellectual folks still consume irrational opinions.

While I think tech has lots to offer in the subsequent years, we should know that tech has always been the next thing! It will always be. Tech started being the next thing since the days of Standard Oil, General Electric, Ford, Intel, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Uber. It will continue that way.

Innovation, particularly software, will continue to power the world. There is nothing scary about this. This shouldn't make you change career path from something you are passionate about to something you have no talents in.

Now, many want to learn coding which I don't think is entirely bad. In fact, it is a great development. The bad thing would be leaving your area of strength to learn how to code.

I'm seriously betting on finance as a great career path for anyone. It has always been a great path like tech. I could ask you the difference between World Bank and IMF and I'm sure most educated chaps have no clue. Have you sat down for a week watching the stock market? It's just as difficult to comprehend as software engineering. And there's a reason FinTech is now a sector on its own.



How about energy? Energy has continued to be a challenge. The USA emitted more carbon in 2018 than in 2017. 1 billion people still don't have access to electricity. Solar is still not very efficient and cheap.

Streamlined Entrepreneurial Thinking

Lemme tell you of another dogma. These days, everyone says being an entrepreneur is really about finding the solution to a problem. Yes, it is. But no, it's not entirely true. Being a successful entrepreneur or businessperson is about bringing an improvement to human life. It could be a giant leap or a slight increment.

The world didn't need a mobile tablet. Autonomous vehicles do not solve any problem. In fact, many of the innovations that will be coming in subsequent years won't solve any underlying problem. They'll only make the human race extremely modern and digitised.

Think about your present state. Or the world at large. Is there any fundamental problem that needs to be explored? There might be. But now, think about the world again. Are there things that can be improved from zero to one, one to hundred? Lots.

This is the way you should think. Stop searching for problems. Investigate how you can improve human life. Make it happen. And people will say you solved a problem.

I know many will argue this. Just give me a call or schedule a meet-up. I just love thinking different when everyone says or does the same.

Smart Work vs. Hard Work

Smartphones, smart watches, and smart cities have brought with them a new phrase: smart work.

The difference between where you are right now and where you want to be is effort. And effort is work. Whether it’s hard, soft, smart, or unsmart. Just do it!

Leave behind the societal buzzwords (I hope someone really checks what buzzword means). In fact, I could replace dogma with buzzwords or myths. I just think dogma is good enough. We get carried away in the thinking of others. We let the media and people who have never walked in our shoes dictate what we believe as right or wrong.

I feel this is the time you have to be opinionated. Even if it’s just for your own sake, think through. Don’t just sit there, scroll web pages, watch TV, and give in to generic thoughts and opinions.

If only one million people in Nigeria were like this, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

In a Wrap...

The world would be at a great loss if we all exert our focus on software development, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, and IoT. We would all lose if we keep thinking the same.

These dogmas are corporate dogmas. There are street dogmas in our communities and institutions. The earlier you unplug yourself, the more directional you drive your thought. And your life!