Millionaire TradersQ: How did you get started in the financial markets?
A: As a South African, back in the 1980s our education system
did not include any subjects related to finance or investing. We had
a subject calledaccountancy, which is basically like bookkeeping.
But we did not cover anything to do with investments. The cur-
riculum of those previously disadvantaged did not include these
subjects at all. So, with little or no experience, these opportuni-
ties were virtually nonexistent to disadvantaged communities and
people in those communities, including myself.
Q: Do you live in South Africa right now?
A: Yes. I’m currently an information technology (IT) systems
engineer. I originally studied mechanical engineering and then
switched to IT. I was quite successful as an IT engineer and I have
worked for two companies. Both of them were liquidated, and after
the last liquidation, I decided that was it, I’ve had enough. I’ll start
a company on my own, and I went into a partnership with five other
guys. After a year or so that partnership went horribly wrong, and
I ended up losing significantly both financially and in terms of self-
esteem. At that point of my life, I was at an absolute low. I don’t
think I’ve ever sunk any lower than that. I was truly down and out.
I was obviously unemployed. I remained unemployed for almost a
year and honestly, having been brought up to believe that a man
is the only breadwinner in the family, one of the most humiliating
things was lying in bed sleeping while my wife had to get up and go
to work. Looking back now, I learned some very valuable lessons
during that period, which has still stood with me for the past few
years.
Q: Like what?
A : Lessons about planning, being careful, about managing
money, about trust, and having trust in other people. Documenting
things, signing them, making sure you have witnesses to absolutely