Hannah Moser (age 10) and Ainsley Moser (age 8) put their tooth fairy and birthday money to work. They invest in Starbucks, Under Armour and Apple, as well as four other companies, but then what do you expect from the daughters of Jason Moser ’95, an analyst for The Motley Fool?
In typical Fool fashion (which means that it’s easy for the average person to understand), Moser shares investment tips, and sometimes parenting advice—especially when it comes to money.
Moser says he started talking with his daughters about the stock market over lunch at Panera Bread Co.
“At the time I owned shares in Panera, so I just said, ‘Hey, we own a little bit of this business,’” says Moser. “Now they definitely appreciate the fact that when they put on their Under Armour gear or when we shop at Whole Foods, they are paying themselves. They think it’s cool to own part of a business, to be on board and support what they’re doing.”
Working at The Motley Fool allows Moser the flexibility of taking and picking up his daughters from school each day. He loves the time with them, whether they talk investing or not, and he loves his job.
“I can’t speak highly enough of this place,” he says. “I’ve been with The Fool for more than five years, and I don’t feel like I go to work…. It’s like Montessori school for adults. You come in and do…. Every day is a new challenge and a new opportunity. It’s never mundane and never boring.”
After graduating from Wofford with a B.A. in economics, Moser went to work as a PGA professional at golf courses in South Carolina and Maryland. He met and married his wife, Robin, then went to work with Bank of America before joining his wife in work for the U.S. Department of State in Cairo and Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan, he discovered The Motley Fool, but after returning to the U.S. Moser worked with Travelers Insurance before landing the job with The Fool.
“The reason I know how to invest is because my dad taught me,” says Moser. “Whether it’s golf or investing or whatever, there’s so much value in learning about things when you are young. The lessons take hold, and when it comes to investing, time is the individual investor’s greatest advantage.”
If Moser could give one bit of investment advice to current Wofford students, he says that it would be to start early.
“I know it’s extremely difficult to get in the mindset of saving when you’re a student and taking out loans, but start as early as you can, even if it’s just getting started as soon as you graduate. Make sure you’re investing in your company’s 401k plan if nothing else,” says Moser. “You can’t start soon enough.”
by Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89
To read Moser’s blog or connect with him via social media, visit my.fool.com/profile/TMFJMo/info.aspx »