Category: Investing

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Investing Personal Finance

I just bought while the stock market is 7% down, was I wrong?

I got some dividends lately (though not a lot) which went to a cash account. Today I logged in to my account and the Philippine Stock Market/Index was down 7%. Hmmm, but I went ahead anyway and bought a stock selling only about half of what I believe is fair value (according to COLFinancial – let’s just say they’ve proven their valuations to be valuable to me). I will just post this and I’m logging off to sleep (it’s trading hours there but it’s evening where I’m based at)

Many will say
* I should have waited for a bottom
* I shouldn’t have bought in the first place
* I should have sold instead (take profits and go on vacation)
* I should have… shouldn’t have (or maybe you wouldn’t care what I do – possible as well)

If you are a fundamental + technical investor then maybe yes, should have waited for a bottom or technical indicators for a rebound. Or not buy (or in fact sell) if technical indicators really say it’s that bad.

But more than buy-sell I suggest you choose a strategy first and stick with it (unless you don’t really believe in it – then maybe that means you haven’t done enough work/reading to see if that strategy would fit you – in which case keep looking). Maybe I have a reason why I cannot check for technical indicators (automated or otherwise).

I definitely appreciate those making it simple to encourage more people to invest in the stock market (I believe in the value of public exchanges/market) but I highly encourage everyone to choose a strategy instead of just following an advice that might not be the best for your situation. You might get lucky but blindly following an advice is very risky for you.

I do not want to lose money, it is very important to me and my family. It probably is for you as well so if you are in the market, learn as much as you can. I did not (do not) gamble, I believe the stock is cheap and I just don’t have time (or facility to automate) at this time to spend time on watching indicators. That’s why. And I think the “why?” is a better question than “is it right or wrong?”.

My outlook for the Philippines is positive and if the news are right it has a very strong economy (definitely somewhere in the top of the list) so I intend to support it any way I can and encourage everyone to do so. And hopefully these dips are temporary.

So yes, I may be wrong (in the opinion of a lot of people) but one thing for sure – I’m gonna sleep soundly tonight – that one at least no one can argue I got right…

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Investing Startup Venture Capital

Venture Capital 101 – Google Hangout with Dr. Clint Korver

Had a great opportunity to talk to and discuss about Venture Capital investing with Dr. Clint Korver – Co-founder and Partner of Ulu Ventures, serial entrepreneur earlier today.

Venture Capital is not everybody’s game and there’s not a lot of information about there and even more know, the number of VC firms struggle to stay afloat, you can almost imagine that some will keep their trade secrets. Client and Kauffman Fellows are one of the few (if not the only) who goes out of their way to share on this topic.

This is part of VC101 (NovoEd) class where Clint was one of the mentors (along side others from Kaufman Fellows Academy)

Learned a great deal in the very limited minutes (not to mention Google Hangouts technical issues) and most of all got a lot of my questions answered. Including:

  • How involved are VCs with valuation vs seeking expertise outside the firm
  • How VC on a high level come up with exit multiples
  • How to become a VC (straight from a VC)

Sharing here (in two parts due to some technical issues)

Aside from Engineering & Leadership, I hope to learn more and share about building and funding things of great value and it might take time but as they say seek your path and this is one of mine.

Thanks Clint for sharing your time and knowledge, hopefully soon I could pay back the honor or pay it forward.

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Community Investing Startup

Philippines Startup Report

Thanks to the nice folks rappler.com I’ve had the chance of watching online what’s happening (or has happened) in Geeks on a Beach – a brand new conference for everyone who is passionate about startups, technology, design, and making the world a better place that was held yesterday in Boracay Island, Philippines (the best beach/island in the world – though I might have a slight bias since I was born 2 hours away from those islands).

rappler online video coverage here

Although from a global perspective, the startup scene here is average (needs more entrepreneurs, needs more information, more funding) with my interest in this subject (with my goal to be an angel investor) and having the privilege to know some social entrepreneurs in the country I would say that these are exciting times for the startup and enterpreneurship in the Philippines.

Philippines Startup Report – 2013 from Ron Hose

Stay tuned!

Oh and I just learned too that Ms. Philippines won title of Ms World 2013 (Megan Young)! Hurray for the Philippines…