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ABOUT & LEARNING

How a curious kid became a student of the market

The short version: I got obsessed with the question “where does money actually go?” — and never stopped chasing the answer.
I’m Aarav, and I’ve been fascinated by markets since I was fourteen. It started with a simple, almost annoying question I kept asking the adults around me: if a company makes something people love, who decides what it’s worth? Nobody gave me a satisfying answer, so I went looking for it myself.
That search turned into paper-trading accounts, a stack of investing books, and a habit of reading earnings calls the way other people read box scores. Somewhere along the way it stopped being a hobby and became the thing I want to build a life around.
Today I split my time between studying markets, building software, and writing about both. I care most about the intersection: using technology to make investing understandable for people my age, who are told to “start early” but rarely shown how.
This site is my accountability system. Publishing my decisions — good and bad — forces me to think clearly, and I hope it gives other students a real, unpolished look at what learning to invest actually feels like.

ABOUT & LEARNING

How a curious kid became a student of the market

The short version: I got obsessed with the question “where does money actually go?” — and never stopped chasing the answer.

I’m Aarav, and I’ve been fascinated by markets since I was fourteen. It started with a simple, almost annoying question I kept asking the adults around me: if a company makes something people love, who decides what it’s worth? Nobody gave me a satisfying answer, so I went looking for it myself.

That search turned into paper-trading accounts, a stack of investing books, and a habit of reading earnings calls the way other people read box scores. Somewhere along the way it stopped being a hobby and became the thing I want to build a life around.

Today I split my time between studying markets, building software, and writing about both. I care most about the intersection: using technology to make investing understandable for people my age, who are told to “start early” but rarely shown how.

This site is my accountability system. Publishing my decisions — good and bad — forces me to think clearly, and I hope it gives other students a real, unpolished look at what learning to invest actually feels like.

MY EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

THE PATH so far

2022
First paper portfolio
Opened a simulated brokerage account and started tracking every decision in a spreadsheet.
2023
Innovation Academy
Enrolled at Innovation Academy, a STEM magnet school, leaning into business and computer science.
2024
UGA Young Investors Academy
Completed a summer finance academy at the University of Georgia — valuation, portfolio theory, and a pitch competition.
2025
Started building
Began developing the "What If" investing simulator and shadowing advisors at Alpharetta-area wealth firms.
2026
Young Trader Talks
Launched this site to publish my journal, resources, and writing in the open.

Certifications & courses

Recognized Learning & Skill Verification

A curated collection of formal certifications, academy programs, and technical coursework that shaped my understanding of finance, markets, and software development.

Young Investors Academy — University of Georgia

Summer program · equity valuation, diversification, and a live stock-pitch competition.
Verify Credentials

CFA Institute — Investment Foundations

Self-paced credential covering ethics, asset classes, and market structure.
Verify Credentials

Khan Academy — Finance & Capital Markets

Full track: interest, valuation, options basics, and macroeconomics.

CS50 & Python

Programming foundations that power the app I'm building.

Interests & focus areas

The corners of finance and building that I keep coming back to:

Long-term value investing
Behavioral finance
Fintech & product
Index & ETF strategy
Company earnings
Personal finance for teens
AI in markets
Financial literacy

Want the full learning stack?

Everything that taught me — free videos, worksheets, competitions and programs — is organized by grade level.

Browse Resources

CURRENT INQUIRIES

Questions I'm Currently Exploring

A few open-ended questions at the intersection of finance, markets, and technology that I am actively researching and thinking through.

How do investors evaluate uncertainty in rapidly changing markets?

Looking into how decision-making frameworks shift when historical data becomes less reliable.

What makes financial education truly effective for teens?

Analyzing why traditional models fail to engage younger audiences and how interactive tools bridge the gap.

How can technology help people understand long-term trade-offs?

Exploring how software UI/UX can visualize compounding growth versus short-term spending choices.

How does behavioral psychology affect individual financial decisions?

Studying the cognitive biases that drive market participation and personal money management habits.
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