About
Hey everyone 👋🏻 For over 6 years, I have been a software engineer at several different startups. I've always worked on early-stage MVPs, some of which earned funding in the 8 figure range, and others that went on to be worth multiple 8 figures. The last couple of years I found myself asking, "Why am I making products for other people when I could be making my own product?" For the past 2 years, I have been building Stockhubs, the ultimate retail investor relations application designed to foster shareholder engagement in a fun and trendy way. Our goal is to provide retail investors and publicly traded companies the means to grow together. We are aiming to launch the first version of our product October 19th, 2023! Stay tuned to watch Stockhubs change the game!
Work
Founder & Leadership
Maker History
Forums
Boom in retail investors explained.
In recent years, there has been an unprecedented surge in retail investors participating in the investing space. Traditionally dominated by institutional investors, the financial markets are experiencing a significant shift as individual investors assert their presence and influence. This article explores the reasons behind the boom in retail investors, the impact of technology and social media, and the implications for the investing landscape. The Democratization of Investing: Historically, investing was seen as a realm exclusive to wealthy individuals or institutional players. However, advancements in technology, access to information, and the rise of online brokerages have democratized investing. Retail investors now have easy access to markets, allowing them to buy and sell securities with reduced costs and minimal barriers to entry. Empowerment through Knowledge: One of the driving forces behind the surge in retail investors is the abundance of information available. Online platforms, financial news outlets, and social media have created a wealth of educational resources, enabling individuals to gain knowledge and make informed investment decisions. Retail investors are increasingly self-directed, conducting research, analyzing trends, and seeking out investment opportunities. Social Media and Collaborative Investing: Social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for retail investors, facilitating the sharing of ideas, strategies, and investment experiences. Online communities and forums allow individuals to connect, learn from each other, and collectively analyze investment opportunities. The collaborative nature of social media has fostered a sense of community and empowered retail investors to navigate the complex world of investing. Impact of the GameStop Phenomenon: The GameStop frenzy in early 2021 showcased the potential influence of retail investors. Organized through online communities, retail investors collectively targeted heavily shorted stocks, causing significant price surges and triggering a short squeeze. This event captured global attention, highlighting the power and impact of coordinated retail investor action. Changing Investor Behavior: Retail investors are bringing unique characteristics and behaviors to the investing landscape. They often have a longer-term investment horizon, focusing on growth potential and emerging trends rather than short-term fluctuations. This shift in mindset is challenging traditional investment strategies and potentially influencing market dynamics. The Role of Robo-Advisors: Robo-advisors, automated investment platforms that use algorithms to provide investment advice, have gained popularity among retail investors. These platforms offer convenience, lower fees, and simplified investment options, attracting individuals seeking passive or hands-off investment strategies. Regulatory Considerations: The rise of retail investors has prompted regulatory bodies to address potential challenges. Regulators are evaluating market manipulation risks, ensuring investor protection, and considering the impact of social media-driven trading. Balancing market integrity with the opportunities presented by increased retail participation remains an ongoing concern. Implications for the Investing Landscape: The boom in retail investors has disrupted the traditional investing landscape. It has forced institutional investors to reevaluate strategies, adapt to changing market dynamics, and pay attention to the sentiments of individual investors. The rise of retail investors also presents opportunities for innovation, product development, and new investment offerings tailored to their preferences. The surge in retail investors participating in the investing space represents a significant shift in the financial markets. Empowered by technology, access to information, and social media connectivity, individuals are asserting their influence and challenging the traditional investing paradigm. As retail investors continue to shape the investing landscape, it is crucial to monitor the evolving dynamics and assess the implications for market participants, regulators, and the overall investment ecosystem. As a solo founder/developer approaching my first product launch, I would love to engage with other entrepreneurs about their launches! Feel free to add me and spark up a conversation.
My newsletter growth hack: How I grew 0 to 1000 subscribers
Hey makers, Are you running a newsletter or you're looking to start one ? These are the 5 things I learnt from growing our newsletter from 0 to 1000 subscribers: 1)Your email provider hugely affects your growth Choosing the right email provider is very crucial before you start your newsletter. Because signing up with the wrong email provider, will mess your email deliverability, open rates and your overall newsletter growth. So carefully pick a email provider depending on your goal. From my experience, If your goal is to grow your newsletter subscribers and monetize it through paid subscriptions, your best pick is either Substack or beehiiv. On the other hand, if your goal is to nurture your newsletter audience and then sell your own products or services to them through automations, Your best pick is either ConvertKit or MailerLite (free plans available) We used substack for our newsletter initially, but then moved to Mailerlite since substack didn't have the automation features we needed for our newsletter. So don't make the mistake we did and choose your email provider wisely. 2)Lead magnets & Freebies are the fastest way to grow When we had 0 subscribers, we tried promoting our newsletter in multiple ways on social media and forums. But the one thing that worked big for us and helped us grow the most, is giving freebies. If you wish to scale your newsletter fast, the fastest way to grow is by giving freebies for subscribing to your newsletter. Offer a free ebook, guide or checklist that'll be useful for your audience, share it on linkedin, reddit, twitter, And ask users to subscribe to your newsletter to get the ebook. We've gained 200+ new subscribers in a matter of days by using this strategy. 3) Cross-Promote, Cross-Promote, Cross-Promote Use crosspromote dot io website to collaborate with other newsletters. Find newsletters with audience who're similar to you, And cross-promote your newsletter to their audience in exchange for promoting their newsletter to yours. This is one of the most ideal ways to grow a niche audience for your newsletter without attracting spam. 4) Plain text emails have the best deliverability Fancily designed emails are good to look at, but they're bad for deliverability. If your email has is designed with too many images, html sections and graphics, yt will 99% land in either promotions or spam. So keep your newsletter plain text & boring for the best deliverability. 5) Send emails at least once a week It's upto you to choose the frequency of your newsletter, but send atleast once per week consistently. And if you can send more that's even better. Newsletters perform much better and have more open rates, if you send emails consistently to your readers. These are the 5 things we learnt while growing our subscribers from 0 to 1000. I'm curious to know what helped you get the most subscribers for your newsletter?
What is your plan in September?
For everyone.... As a software engineer, I have decided to join a startup to utilize my skills and knowledge in creating innovative and valuable products. I am excited about the opportunity to work with a team of like-minded individuals who share my passion for technology and entrepreneurship. By working together, I hope to build a successful startup that will make a positive impact on the industry and society as a whole. Please remember to upvote our discussion. By increasing its ranking, we can encourage more people to participate and share their thoughts.