In the beginning...

We'll start off with the very, very basics:

- Where do you like to shop?

- What are some of your favorite [chain] eateries or cafes? (Don't gag at chains! They feed America!)

- What products do you clean your house with?

Now, notice that I didn't throw a barrage of acroynms at you. There's a time and place for everything. We'll get there eventually. Right now, I just want you to think about yourself -- that can't be too hard!

As portfolio manager of an investment fund, I take a close lens to the consumer sector and identify what shoppers are doing en mass. I chose this sector because, well, I'm a consumer. Always have been, always will be. I tell you this because beginning investors should start with themselves -- look at what you like, what your favorite companies are. If you're spending money with them, it's incredibly possible that others are spending their money in the same place. Why not invest in what you love?

In my next post, I'll delve a bit deeper, of course, but I'd like for you to start thinking about you, your habits, your hopes, your dreams. There is a large part of investing in the consumer sector that comes from intuition. Know thyself well.