Investor Journeys—Aryan
20-year-old Aryan shares how having a Sharesies Kids Account and talking to his dad regularly about money and investing has helped him feel confident about investing on his own.
Tell us about yourself!
I was born in India and moved to New Zealand when I was 15. I’m studying biodiversity and animal welfare management at Unitec in Auckland. Between my study and part-time job, I love playing basketball with my friends.
What’s your money story?
I grew up knowing that my family had a reasonable amount of money and different kinds of investments. My dad talked openly with me about money and was happy to answer any questions I had about investing. He taught me not to waste money too. For example, I knew to turn the lights out if I wasn’t in a room to save electricity and money!
When we moved to New Zealand, my dad set up my Kids Account. Every 6 months or so, he invested small amounts on my behalf. I wouldn’t have known about the importance of investing without my dad, and I’m grateful he introduced me to Sharesies when I was younger. I feel confident investing on my own because of the experience I got under his wing.
How did you use your Kids Account at the start?
I didn’t know about money or the share market, so every fortnight Dad and I sat down together to talk about both. He taught me about inflation, depreciation, and the value of compounding interest. He showed me my Portfolio and told me about the companies he’d chosen for me.
Most of my friends at school spent their money on new clothes or shoes. I thought it was cool to tell them that I was a part-owner of companies I’d invested in.
When did you transition from a Kids Account to your own Sharesies account?
When I turned 18, I got my driver's licence, and I started managing my own Sharesies account. It was exciting and a bit overwhelming too.
In the first year of managing my account, I made a list of companies I wanted to invest in and ran my ideas past my dad. When the share market took a dip during the first wave of COVID-19, I was a bit worried, but my dad reassured me and reminded me to be patient because I’m investing for the long term.
How do you decide what to invest in?
I research online. If I’m thinking about investing in a parent company, I look into the companies they own, to check if I know them or not.
I want to have a diversified Portfolio, so I spread my money across different sectors.
I look at a company’s value and how well it’s performed in the past.
What are the most important things you’ve learnt as an investor so far?
To learn as you go. It’s also useful to talk to someone who has invested in the share market before.
To invest affordable amounts regularly. Sometimes share prices will be low, sometimes they’ll be high. Investing regularly might even out the price you pay on average, over time.
To be patient and consider your situation and goals before you sell.
Why is investing important to you?
I’d like to buy a nice house and car one day, and I’d like to retire when I’m 40 or 50.
I’m also proud to be a shareholder of the companies I invest in. It feels productive. When a company is successful, I benefit from its success.
The people shown in our Investor Journeys are Sharesies investors, and their stories are actual experiences they’ve had with us. They’re paid for their time to record their story.
Ok, now for the legal bit
Investing involves risk. You aren’t guaranteed to make money, and you might lose the money you start with. We don’t provide personalised advice or recommendations. Any information we provide is general only and current at the time written. You should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice when considering whether an investment is appropriate for your objectives, financial situation or needs.
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