Finance 101: Investing for Dummies - How to Start, Beat Fear, and Harness Compounding

Trey Peterson and Yelisey Kuts share beginner-friendly investing lessons, emphasizing that the biggest risk is not investing and that starting early—even with small amounts—lets compounding work over time. Trey recounts learning investing fundamentals after entering retirement planning in 2015 and describes how consistent 401(k) contributions became rewarding as his balance grew. They discuss why people avoid investing, including fear, lack of education, sitting in cash too long, and loss aversion, and cite market history showing frequent intra-year dips yet many years ending positive. A client example highlights how over-correcting to a more conservative allocation in 2020 led to missed gains. They cover inflation’s differing impact on investors vs. non-investors, advocate index funds and dollar-cost averaging, and outline steps to begin: capture 401(k) matches, open a Roth IRA (noting income limits), and use low-cost diversified ETFs while automating contributions.

00:00 Welcome and Investing Basics
00:38 Trey’s Investing Origin Story
02:49 Compounding and Starting Early
07:35 Why People Avoid Investing
09:32 Market Timing and Volatility
10:57 Fear of Loss Mindset
12:46 Client Case Overcorrecting Risk
15:57 Inflation and Asset Protection
19:26 Core Concepts Indexing and DCA
21:01 How to Get Started Steps
22:09 ETF vs Mutual Fund Costs
23:02 Automate and Final Takeaways
23:31 Wrap Up and Disclosures

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Have questions about retirement planning or other financial topics? Email Yelisey and Trey, and your topic might be featured in a future episode! Don't forget to leave a review and share this podcast with anyone looking to boost their financial knowledge.

Schedule a meeting with us:
Trey C. Peterson: [email protected]
Yelisey Kuts: [email protected]

Phone: (612) 286-0580
Contact us: https://atfwealth.com/contact-us

Trey C. Peterson is a Retirement Planning Specialist with All Things Financial. Trey is a graduate of Oral Roberts University with a degree in Corporate Communication. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in leadership. He is also a graduate of The National Institute of Christian Leadership.

Yelisey Kuts is a Fiduciary Wealth Advisor with All Things Financial. He holds a master’s degree in business from Oral Roberts University. Aside from being a financial advisor, Yelisey has taught classes on a wide range of retirement topics since 2015.

At All Things Financial, our mission is simple—help individuals and families create lasting financial freedom. We take a personalized, strategic approach to every plan, aligning it with your goals, values, and vision for the future. https://atfwealth.com