Part 1: A beginner's guide to SEC EDGAR, what it is, the filings that matter (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K), and how to compare companies and ask better questions instead of guessing from stock prices.
I almost bought NVIDIA because I work in infrastructure. Then I tried to actually defend it as a buy at today's price — and couldn't. Liking an industry isn't a thesis. New rule: start every name on a study list, never a buy list, until I can explain the valuation in plain language.
I used to think stock analysis was mostly about revenue growth, profit margins, free cash flow, debt, and competitive advantage. Those things still matter, but I was missing the environment around the business: interest rates.
The beginner mistake is quitting before the curve bends. Why time in the market beats timing it, and what 30 years of $300/month looks like.
I "knew" META. I used Instagram. I still lost $28K because I bought without a thesis. The 3-sentence rule I now use before buying any stock.