I
Finance Fundamentals

Overview

How finance shapes our world. Its role in our personal lives, the broader economy, and shaping the future.

History

A brief history of the evolution of the financial industry. The development of money, the growth of the banking system, and modern finance.

Structure

Components of the industry and their functions. How they are classified, how they relate and interact with each other.

Buyside

Different players on the buyside and what they do. The role of the buyside in finance, the economy, and how it interacts with the sellside.

Sellside

Different players on the sellside and what they do. The role of the sellside in finance, the economy, and how it interacts with the buyside.

Banks

The role of banks in the industry. The services they provide to the buyside and other players within finance.

Corporations

How non-financial corporations fit within the industry. Their role within the economy and how they use the financial industry to fulfill their needs.

The Investor

What types of investors are there and their roles. How investors are classified, their influence, and interactions with the rest of finance.

Public Sector

The role and impact of government on the system. What services does the government provide to the private sector and how it gets the funds to do so.

The Industry

Sellside Services

What services does the sellside offer to the buyside? To the public? These services are part of what determines which jobs are available.

Banks

Opportunities at different types of banks and financial institutions. Explore the similarities and differences of opportunities at types of banks and financial firms.

Investment Banks

The structure and work done inside an investment bank. In the heart of finance, a myriad of challenging and interesting jobs exist to serve a variety of clients.

Sellside Opportunities

What types of jobs are there on the sellside? An extensive chart broadly describing skills, day to day, work-life balance, and advancement at different jobs on the sellside.

Buyside Opportunities

What types of jobs are there on the buyside? An extensive chart broadly describing skills, day to day, work-life balance, and advancement at different jobs on the buyside.

What's Work Like?

Day to day work on both sides of the industry. Common tasks, skills, workplace practices, and procedures within the financial industry.

Recruiting & Interviews

How to break into finance, tips, and perspectives. Get to know what the recruiting process is like within finance, and how some general guidelines can help during interviews.

Investing

Economic Cycles

Build a fundamental understanding of economic cycles. Get an idea of how the economy ebbs and flows, as well as broader business trends.

Interest Rates

Understand how interest rates influence investments. Interest rates reach every part of finance, so a confident grasp of this concept is essential to investing.

The Federal Reserve

How is investing impacted by the Federal Reserve? The central bank regulates our monetary system, so its policies can have important effects on investments.

Asset Classes

Know what types of assets you can invest in. The characteristics of each asset class and how they relate to different types of investors.

Investment Vehicles

What platforms can you invest through? Deciding on a platform is crucial and impactful to the rest of the investing process.

Investment Products

What types of investment products can you purchase for each asset class? Knowing the types of products available can help an investor reach suitable investment decisions.

What is a Company

Understand the structure and composition of a business. At the most basic level, how do we think about companies?

Company Financials

Purpose of the 3 financials statements. How they are constructed, and what they reflect about a business.

Equity Valuation

How to fundamentally value stocks (equity) of companies. A deep dive on the some common techniques used to value companies.

Technicals

Where do technicals come into play? Factors that impact stocks other than from a perspective of fundamental value.

Our Emotions

Managing our emotions in the investing process. Guidelines and things to watch out for when challenging environments arise.

Sentiment

How prevailing sentiment affects our investment decisions. What is sentiment, for either single stocks, sectors, or markets?

Mr. Market

Make him your friend, or he will be your enemy. A parable to beautifully illustrate how the market can work for the investor or against the investor.

Single Stocks vs. Market

Know the types of risks you are taking on. An investment does not occur in a vacuum. Our actions exposes us to risks that we might not have intended to take on at first.

Bonds

Get to know fixed income investments. A core part of many portfolios, understanding fixed income will help the investment process as a whole, and equity investors as well.

Asset Class Interplay

How different asset classes affect each other. The investing world is connected. Certain assets affect other assets, and sometimes a third variable affects several assets.

Stock Market History

Know history, or be doomed to repeat it. Historians would probably make great investors. It's a task of temperament and discipline more so than numbers.

Tying It Together

Using different perspectives to form your investment thesis. Know what you know, and know what you don't know. A methodical, clearly stated plan and thesis goes a long way.

Where To Begin

Preparing for the real world of investing. How to get started, and things to keep in mind.