I’ve always been obsessed with cars. It’s no surprise that today I work in the automotive industry, selling BMWs. But my very first stock had nothing to do with BMW… it was Renault.
Growing up in Belgium, close to the French border, Renault felt familiar. At the time, it seemed like a great buy. And here’s the key part – it was my call. My decision. My conviction. I believed in it.
Unfortunately, the market didn’t share my enthusiasm. The stock went down. Hard.
That was my first real investing lesson: don’t just buy because you “like” something – or because it feels right. The market isn’t a popularity contest, and your belief in a company doesn’t guarantee everyone else shares it.
Looking back, that loss was cheap tuition for the wisdom it gave me. And it’s one I still carry with me today.
