Ian Weinberg

The investment landscape is undergoing a generational shift as young investors are redefining the industry with fresh perspective and digital savvy. Seaholm High School senior, Ian Weinberg, is part of the new wave of investors.

This past March, Weinberg and his father, David Weinberg, appeared as guests on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” program to discuss the younger Weinberg’s investing success and his self-published book, “Invest Early to Grow Your Wealth,” which is currently available on Amazon. The show was filmed in New York City.

Weinberg says, “I’m big on networking so I have been on LinkedIn as early as I could be. A producer from CNBC 'Power Lunch' found me there and reached out. It was pretty surreal.”

According to the author, his interest in finance and investing was piqued during the pandemic when he was bored at home and started reading a book on investing.

“I always knew what investing was – my dad reads The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s and watches CNBC, and he opened a portfolio for me when I was 13 years old. 'Blue Chip Kids' (a book he was reading) had great information, but it was written by an older adult and wasn’t really relatable to most young people.”

That investing book sparked Weinberg’s interest in becoming actively involved in managing his investments while tapping YouTube, CNBC, and other sources for information. It also inspired him to write his own investing book targeting a younger audience. Weinberg’s book launched over a year ago and has sold well, particularly in Michigan. It has experienced a recent sales bump nationally after his appearance on CNBC.

“My book was written for a younger audience, especially teenagers and their parents, but it really is for all ages – anyone who wants to learn to invest and grow their wealth,” Weinberg explained. “I’ve heard feedback from adults that have read my book and appreciated that it starts with the basics and is highly informative but easy to understand.”

The young investor has experienced remarkable success in the three to four years since becoming actively involved in managing his investments.

Weinberg explained, “The average stock market return is 10 percent [annually] and I am up 300-400 percent. I prefer to focus on tech stocks which can be more volatile, but since I’m young I can take more risks with my investments...I know the market will fluctuate day-to-day and I try to be careful not to make irrational decisions.”

Unsurprisingly, the lifelong Birmingham resident has enjoyed taking finance-related courses in high school, including classes focusing on personal finance and investing. Outside of school, he enjoys working out at Limitless Performance Gym (LPG) in Birmingham.

Weinberg also works part-time at his dad’s Birmingham-based affiliate marketing company, Cactus Media. "We connect brands and influencers and I help with outreach for the company. It’s an amazing, invaluable work experience,” he said.

In the fall, Weinberg plans to pursue a BBA degree at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. As for his future post-college, he said, “I plan to see where life takes me. I may start a business or join a private equity firm.”

For aspiring investors, Weinberg advised, “The most important thing you can do to build wealth is start investing early in life, but don’t just jump in and buy stocks. You need to pay attention to trends and research – there are tons of research tools available. I love the research part and can lose track of time...I like to buy companies I know and that’s why I end up focusing on investing in the tech industry.”

He added, “A lot of people my age think investing is for ‘old people’ – but it’s not.”

Story: Tracy Donohu

Photo: Laurie Tennent