About the stock bloggers: David Kretzmann

Posted Jul 25th 2006 7:23PM by David Kretzmann
Filed under: About the Stock Bloggers

We've asked each of our bloggers to introduce themselves and talk a little about why they love the market and what positions they call their own. We encourage our bloggers to own common stock and abide by a common code of conduct.

Who are you, and why are you passionate about stocks?
My name is David Kretzmann and I live in Nevada City, CA.

I enjoy investing in stocks because I feel they are the best choice for long-term investors. For each stock in which I invest, I have a minimum of a seven-year time frame placed with that stock, because I believe that is the time you should let a stock "run." I have always liked the idea that you can actually invest in your favorite companies, whether it be Starbucks, Whole Foods, or Palm. It is a fun way to see your money grow.

What was the first stock you owned?
I first starting investing in stocks last July when I was 12 years old, starting by investing in a total of nine different companies (which was a mistake, because I didn't do nearly as much research as I should have). Some of those companies included Palm, 7-Eleven, Netflix, and Electronic Arts. All of the stocks I invested in were recommended by either David or Tom Gardner of The Motley Fool from their various newsletters.

What was your worst investment ever?
I haven't had that terrible of an investment yet, because I've only sold a stock twice (AT&T and Cutter & Buck), and you don't lose any money on an investment until you've sold. So, I haven't had any disappointing investments yet. Only if in seven years I see one of my investments is down, will I consider it not-so-good investment.

What is your investing success story?
Since I have only been investing for a little more than a year, I think it is a little early to answer this question. I have had some investments that have done well so far, some that have done badly, but I won't make judgments for another 7-10 years.

What do you own now?
I now own 20 different stocks, including Tata Motors, Makita, India Fund, CDW Corp., and Denny's. I try to keep my portfolio diversified among different sectors and industries, countries, conditions (which means you don't plop all of your money into one market or economic condition, you invest it over time), and strategies. You can see all of my recent investment choices by taking a look at my Pencils Fund project.

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