Guides
Step-by-step guides
Longer, practical walkthroughs — from reading financial statements to valuing a company.
How growth on top of growth works, why time matters more than the starting amount, the rule of 72, and what fees and inflation do to it.
Getting startedDiversification: spreading your risk, and how to start with little moneyWhy owning many companies instead of one reduces risk, the ways to diversify (companies, sectors, countries, time), and how to start with small amounts.
Getting startedHow to choose a broker: what to check before you open an accountThe checks that matter when you pick a broker: regulation and investor protection, how your shares are held, the real costs, taxes and what you can buy.
Getting startedWhat is a stock, and how do you make (or lose) money with it?What owning a share actually means, the two ways it can pay you — dividends and a higher price — and the risks that come with it.
Financial statementsHow to read a balance sheet (beginner's guide)A plain-language walkthrough of the balance sheet: assets, liabilities and equity, and what they tell you about a company's financial health.
ValuationHow to value a company: a beginner's guideA plain-language introduction to company valuation: the three main approaches — multiples, discounted cash flow, and net assets — and when to use each.