GROW YOUR FUTURE

If you’re new to investing, you’ll eventually see analysts describe a company’s “moat.” It’s one of the simplest ideas in finance, but also one of the most important. A moat is just a company’s ability to keep competitors from taking its customers, profits, or market share.

Most young people have no real sense of how long a working career actually is. When I speak to high school students, I tell them something that always gets a reaction:

There’s something unforgettable about your first real job. It doesn’t matter whether you’re bagging groceries, scooping ice cream, working retail, or helping at a family business — that first job is the moment you begin earning your own money. And with it comes a quiet shift inside you: You’re creating a revenue stream.