One of the best things about my job is the people I get to interact with.   Participating in an investment club attracts people who have a do it yourself belief that they can learn something new and be successful at it.  They are the kind of people who pitch in and get their hands dirty in all kinds of constructive ways.  Like a lot of people that do a lot of good in the world,  they are the ones we are happy to recognize and extend thanks to.

I had the privilege of sharing our 10^th birthday celebration dinner with the Mankato Teachers Investment Club on Saturday night.    It was a real honor for bivio to be able to contribute to acknowledging and celebrating the success they have achieved.  This club was started in 1967 by a group of school teachers.  What is impressive is not just the financial success they’ve had but also the success of their lives.    Financially, participating in their club has meant that contributions that started at $10 per month grew to individual accounts in the six figures.   But being at dinner with this group of friends, it was apparent to me how much more they’ve gotten from their club experience than the financial gains.

They are all retired now but are all still actively contributing to the world in a variety of ways.    With over 40 years of participation in the stock market,  they’ve overcome their fear of the bad days and learned the value of patience and consistency.  In a fast paced world where you can be judged a failure if you do not achieve overnight success, it is an inspiration to meet them and realize the rewards that come in life just by hanging in there and not giving up.

I hope the members of MANTIC will share their club  and investing experiences with their families and perhaps kindle a flame in the younger generations to start like they did and stick with it.   

Thank you MANTIC for participating in our birthday contest and for your hospitality.  I appreciate the opportunity I had to spend some time with you in Mankato Minnesota. It’s one of the special places in the United States it’s great to discover and spend some time in. 

Laurie Frederiksen

www.bivio.com