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Happy Monday!

Today, I’ll explain how I built my stock portfolio from $0 to over $260k by the age of 25.

I'll walk you through all 3 of my investment accounts, including the dividend growth portfolio that I've been updating every month on the channel for the past 4 years.

Why I'm Sharing This

Investing in the stock market is one of the most reliable paths to build wealth. I prioritized investing at a young age to help secure my financial future. Now I have the momentum of long-term compounding working in my favor.

The best part is, anyone can do it too. You don’t need to be a genius.

3 Simple Strategies for Building Wealth

1. Growing Personal Income: Income is your #1 wealth building tool. I focused on increasing my earnings by always having a job or a small business venture on the side. Even today, I see room for improvement in my income, but starting early gave me a significant advantage.

2. Living Below Your Means: You must keep expenses low so you’re able to invest earned income. The difference between your income and expenses is your personal "free cash flow," which can be invested to build wealth.

3. Delayed Gratification With Investing: Invest your savings for the future. Instead of spending on immediate gratifications like new cars or expensive vacations, I chose to invest my surplus cash in the stock market. This allowed me to acquire ownership stakes in some of the world's greatest businesses.

Let’s look at my investment portfolios below!

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The Key Story

How I Turned $0 into $263K in Stocks By 25 - My Full Portfolio

My Investment Approach

I invest in individual stocks because I'm passionate about analyzing businesses and the investing process itself. I've learned a lot from studying greats like Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger.

However, I understand that not everyone wants to dive deep into individual stocks, and that's perfectly fine. Investing in ETFs that track indexes like the S&P 500 is a simple and effective alternative.

A Look at My Portfolios ($263k Combined Value)

• Dividend Growth Portfolio ($188.2k Value): With an initial investment of $122.2k, I have a total unrealized gain of $65.9k (53.95% total return). My top holdings are Visa, Microsoft, Altria Group, and Exxon Mobil. These stocks form the core pillars of my portfolio, offering a balance of high dividend growth and high dividend yields.

• Non-Dividend Account ($41.9k Value): This account includes early investments in Tesla, Berkshire Hathaway, and Amazon. I bought Tesla back in 2016 and have seen over a 1,500% total return. Despite significant gains, I believe in the long-term potential of these companies and have no plans to sell.

• Roth IRA ($32.7k): This is a 72.5% total return. It is currently allocated entirely to Tesla, since January 2023. I believe Tesla is poised for massive long-term growth, and I'm considering doing a full stock analysis video on it soon.

The Power of Compounding

I used my Dividend Snowball Effect Calculator to project how my portfolio could grow over time, even without adding new money. By reinvesting dividends and assuming an average annual growth rate of 10% for stock price and 8% for dividend income, my portfolio is estimated to reach a total value of $13 million by the time I'm 60.

This exercise underscores the importance of starting early and letting time amplify your investments.

Final Thoughts

Building wealth through investing doesn't require extraordinary talent—just discipline, patience, and smart financial habits. Focus on increasing your income, living below your means, and making consistent investments.

Whether you choose individual stocks or opt for ETFs, the key is to start now. Time is your most valuable asset in the journey toward financial security.

Remember, the best time to start investing was yesterday; the next best time is today.

My Top Stock Pick From September is an Even Better Deal in October!

It’s trading at a better price now! Click the button below to read my full stock analysis. Sign up so you can get my best stock pick every month.

*This is available to all Dividend Data Members. If signed up through our software, then view this on your dashboard on DividendData.com. This is on the “Our Stock Picks“ page. Become a paid member to read*

Thanks for the read! Let me know what you thought by replying back to this email.

— Zach

Disclaimer: Dividend Dividend (Dividend Data LLC) is not a professional financial service. All materials released from Dividend Data (Dividend Data LLC) are for educational and entertainment purposes. Dividend Data (Dividend Data LLC) is not a replacement for a professional's opinion. Contributors to the Dividend Data (Dividend Data LLC) might have equities mentioned in the newsletter