I started investing at 19 with $200 in a brokerage account and zero clue what I was doing. Here's what I learned the hard way so you don't have to:

1. Your savings account is losing you money.

Inflation averages ~3% per year. If your bank pays 0.5%, you're losing purchasing power every single day. The market averages ~10% annually over the long run. Parking cash is a choice — and it's expensive.

2. Time in the market > timing the market.

Everyone wants to buy the dip. Almost nobody can do it consistently. Dollar-cost averaging into index funds beats trying to predict the bottom. The math is clear on this.

3. You don't need to pick stocks to get rich.

An S&P 500 index fund returned ~12% annually over the last decade. That turns $200/month into $100k+ in 15 years. No stock-picking required.

4. Compound interest is insane — but only if you start early.

$5,000 invested at 20 is worth more than $25,000 invested at 40 (at 10% returns). Your biggest asset isn't capital — it's time.

5. Nobody is coming to teach you this.

Schools don't cover it. Parents often don't know it. The information is out there, but you have to go find it. That's exactly why I started The Capital Brief — to make this stuff simple and actionable for people who are just getting started.

If you're 18-25 and want to actually understand money, this is for you.