Popular Investor on eToro: "Invest in AI!"

Reporter: What were your first steps to becoming an investor?

Lena Birse: I understood very early in life that if I wanted to achieve my financial goals I would have to take on some level of risk in the form of investment as a savings account can't achieve a high level of growth, My first investment strategy was buying investment property in the UK . Some years later after the sale of our company I used those funds to start investing in the stock market with the aim to clear the mortgages from my property portfolio at a faster rate. This has been a successful strategy for me as today I am mortgage free and have achieved my financial freedom.

Reporter: What has been your evolution as an eToro Investor?

Lena Birse: I started with not much knowledge of investing in the stock market but a huge amount of determination to learn and be successful. This I did thanks to all the resources eToro provides to all their users and also by tapping into the eToro community and learning from other investors. All of this has helped me achieve my ambition to become a successful stock investor and achieve my financial independence.

Reporter: What are your investment goals for the future?

Lena Birse: I am always looking at increasing the value of my portfolio and right now I believe that the AI space has much to offer for investors with a longer term outlook.

Reporter: To what extent has the experience you had in your field before you started investing contributed to the evolution of your investments?

Lena Birse: Having been a key member in a start up company made me I understand the importance of understanding the fundamentals of a business and the importance of allowing enough time for a company to grow and be successful.

Reporter: What is your investment strategy?

Lena Birse: I am an investor who buys shares and holds them for the long term to achieve high growth. I invest in innovation especially in the technology sector and AI.

Reporter: What advice do you have for first-time investors? Is there anything investors should pay particular attention to?

Lena Birse: Investing in the stock market is not as risky as you think, especially if you diversify with Index Funds or ETF's and if you are focused and disciplined. However you must have a long term horizon of at least 5-10 years. Studies have shown that the average return for the SNP500 is about 10% annually.

If you do decide to be an individual stock picker my best advice is do your research and follow the company closely and set out a clear plan and stick to it.

Reporter: How do you approach the risks associated with investing?

Lena Birse: There are several ways I reduce risk; firstly I do my research, then I spread my risk by allocating across my portfolio. And finally I take a long term approach to allow sufficient time to ride out down times and give companies time to grow into their potential.

Reporter: What do you think about crypto investments compared to other assets in the market?

Lena Birse: I think crypto will have a role in our future economy as we can see already many businesses are incorporating crypto assets into their portfolio. However as it is volatile I would recommend investing with a long term strategy.

Reporter: In which segment do you think a businessman should invest, in the current macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions (tariffs, high inflation, energy crisis, border war)?

Lena Birse: I would recommend a business person to invest in AI as many big companies and governments are doing today.

Reporter: Is there a perfect time to invest?

Lena Birse: If your horizon is long term then today is the best time to start investing.

Reporter: What should investors consider when choosing an online investment platform?

Lena Birse: Ease of use and fees associated with trading.

Reporter: Is there an investor's decalogue? What are the top three rules?

Lena Birse: My top 3 rules are a) always do your research, b) know your risk tolerance as this will be different for everyone c) and have safety net so that you never need to exit the market before you have achieved your financial targets - don't invest money you might need in the short term.

Reporter: Thank you!