“Ultimately, there is one investment that beats all others: invest in yourself. No one can take away what you have in you, and everyone has potential that they have not yet tapped into.” — Warren Buffett
Last 12 months I interviewed 52 remarkable people for my research.Smart Women and Men: How to Invest in Yourself“, which was released on March 8, 2023. Below are 10 stories told by people from different places and cultures in response to the query: How do you put money into yourself? I even have found that there are few queries which can be more insightful relating to the Know Your Client (KYC) concept.
Donovan BaileyCEO, Bailey Inc., five-time Olympic gold medalist and world sprint champion, Toronto
“How do I put money into myself? Well, for context: my sporting profession. . . is well documented. I’m the primary man in history to be world champion, Olympic champion and world record holder within the 100 meters at the identical time. I’m a two-time Olympic champion, three-time world champion and two-time world record holder. I’m also the one person to be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame twice. How did I achieve all of this? My top priority is investing in my body.
“When I started as a professional athlete, I invested over 60% of my earnings in my body: I had to buy the best food (I had to eat six meals a day!), the best physical therapy, whatever it took to achieve my goals Aim to become the greatest athlete in the world. At 54, I no longer compete, but I make sure to exercise regularly, eat high-quality food and sleep well. As you get older, it’s important to find a structure that suits you.”
Anna Jonsson, Head of Institutional Customers and Sales, Storebrand, Stockholm
“There are so many ways to invest in yourself – the key is that you have to take the time to pursue what works for you. Make sure it happens. I don’t feel guilty about finding the right balance for myself. I prefer to spend less time with friends because I socialize a lot through my work events and make daily exercise a priority. I tell my five-year-old daughter that I’m a better mother when I run. You can’t have everything, but you can have a lot.”
Christophe BristielSales Manager, Château La Nerthe, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France
“After studying business administration, I worked for many years, mainly for Citibank in New York, Frankfurt and London. Although this has been an exciting career, I consider it to be the most important “investment” I even have [made] At the tip of 2004 I left the banking/trading world and graduated as an authorized sommelier from the Université du Vin in Suze-la-Rousse, which is barely about 30 kilometers north of Châteauneuf du Pape. Châteauneuf du Pape is the oldest appellation in France, having been founded as an independent AOC [appellation d’origine contrôlée] in 1936, and I’m proud to say that Château La Nerthe has been certified organic since 1998 and I’m delighted to follow in my father’s footsteps as Sales Manager.”
Anita KunzArtist and Illustrator, Toronto
“My profession has been my most vital investment in myself. I now live in Canada, but for over 20 years I lived in London and New York, contributed to magazines and worked for design firms, book publishers and promoting agencies world wide. I even have created covers for a lot of magazines including , , , , , and . I even have also illustrated greater than 50 book covers.
“I like investing in others: I want to give something back. The Ontario College of Art has been remiss in telling its students that it’s one thing to be an artist, but quite another to run a small business. Once a month I teach in different cities around the world: I have a lot of useful information and I don’t want students to make the same mistakes I did. It took me years to learn to say no and ask for more money.”
Harjot Singh, Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann, London
“How do I put money into myself? In three broad categories. First, I like and respect my physical comforts: a house that’s calming, sensual and visually appealing. I wait patiently until I can put money into what I do know and consider is probably the most comfortable and exquisite, similar to my handmade Hästens horsehair bed. I waited several years before I could buy it. Second, I respect what fuels my body – each in physical form by way of what’s in my body and by way of the most effective emotional nourishment I can devour. I seek enrichment through art, music, spiritual learning, literature and theater. Third, I’m very selective with the people around me and put money into my relationships. I enjoy giving and sharing – to witness and make good things possible [for] good people.”
Laura Maia de CastroJournalist, Sao Paulo
“Above all, I invest in myself by meeting people and making contacts. As a journalist, I spend a lot of time listening to stories and learning different perspectives: it’s a great way to open my mind. I always have to come up with story ideas. Whether I’m waiting for an Uber on the street or sitting in the waiting room at my doctor’s office, I listen to people and it adds another layer to my existence. I have many stories stored in my repertoire. I’m a compulsive interviewer, and the other day I asked my statistics colleague at the bank to explain to me exactly what she does. I also asked the interns, “Why is there so much hype around a particular meme?” I’m curious about everyone’s jobs and stories, and that’s good for me both professionally and personally. Being curious doesn’t cost money, except that time is money. I could work on email while sitting in the doctor’s office, but I prefer talking to people instead. It takes a lot of presence to be where you are and actually connect with people.”
Li Ping Chu, Co-Founder, Apex Language Consulting and Training, Taipei, Taiwan
“I think it’s really important to invest in diverse experiences: go to Osaka and eat a five-course meal made up of only the freshest and finest Wagyu in the world, but also eat a tea leaf salad that you have with bought from a street vendor in Osaka, Myanmar. Then take a moment to reflect and realize that both meals were equally delicious and meaningful. Both meals were one of the essential experiences of this culture, but economic and sociopolitical conditions allowed one dish to be considered “haute cuisine” and the opposite to be considered “haute cuisine.” Street food.’ If you need to develop into a world citizen, it’s essential to put money into yourself and understand what it means to be a human being on Earth from as many perspectives as possible.”
Laurel Teo, CFA, behavioral scientist, Singapore
“I put money into myself in three other ways. 1. Education and Knowledge: If I stay in a job for too long, I get bored. I want fresh content for my brain. I’m all the time attempting to improve. Looking back, I realize that I mainly began a brand new profession every ten years. In my 20s it was journalism, then consulting and finance in my 30s, followed by science and behavioral science in my 40s.
“2. Relationships: Research shows that girls are inclined to live longer than men, so there’s a high likelihood that I’ll outlive my husband. I feel it is so necessary to have friends and most girls I do know enjoy social relationships far more than men.
Minter dialProfessional speaker, writer, filmmaker and elevator, London
“When we discuss investing in yourself, I feel it pays to be organized. I even have an advanced, color-coded spreadsheet that tracks exactly how I spend my time, and I even have three priorities.
“Priority 1: I even have to fulfill a brand new person on daily basis. I’m coloring this appointment green. Priority 2: I hearken to or play music for no less than half an hour a day. I even have been singing and playing guitar for over 40 years and have seen The Grateful Dead over 200 times. Yes, I’m a Deadhead, and the last time I made a special trip to see them was on October 31, 2021 on the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Yes, I saw the dead on Halloween. Priority 3: I meditate and do stretching exercises every morning.
“I can’t emphasize enough how crazy I am about investing in myself through time management. In fact, I like to be the best steward of everyone’s time: I think punctuality is an important value – respect yourself and other people. I take an elevator philosophy more than an elevator pitch: If you ever get stuck in an elevator or something similar, always bring something to do. This is especially true if someone you meet is late. For this reason, I usually carry a book with me, just in case. You never know when the battery will run out. Don’t be a victim of other people’s timing.”
Laurence (Cante) Kerjean, Product Officer, Lily Facilite la Vie, Marseille, France
“These days I invest probably the most in myself by taking time for myself, away from my husband and three children. I get up two hours before everyone else. First thing every morning, I read no less than one page of private development book for 20 minutes after which do my Beachbody on Demand workout.
“Traditionally, people hire babysitters once they ‘exit’ at night, but I all the time felt like I wanted the babysitter to be there the following morning so I could have a while to myself. One of my best self-care ideas was to rent a nanny to take care of my children while I read. I feel this might be an ideal idea for a small business – I should put together a listing of nannies that you would be able to call on a whim and ask, “I’m drinking coffee and want to be alone, and the kids win.” Don’t let me. Can you come over?'”
Next level KYC?
How do your customers put money into themselves? It’s necessary to take the KYC concept to the following level and learn the “why” of your customers. Listen fastidiously to their backstories about their passions and the the reason why they put money into themselves specifically ways. Not only will you’re feeling more valued, but you may also get to know them higher and gain a deeper understanding of their investor personas and the way they need to capitalize on the potential they have not yet realized.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images / BlackJack3D
