Scott Reed

Risk and reward may be the two most important words in the investment business. A lot of people want to focus on one or the other, but they go together kind of like high school sweethearts. We all know a couple that has been together forever, and you can’t imagine one without the other. That is how you should think about risk and reward. I like analogies. See if this one makes sense: My office is just off Main Street in Tupelo.

This is the 40th start to a new year that I have seen through the eyes of an investment professional. In that time, we have had seven different presidents. Four Republicans and three Democrats. I have endured six bear markets (defined as a market decline of 20% or more). Since 1985, my first year in the business, we have averaged a market correction (defined as a decline of between 10% and 20%) almost once a year.

Rule No. 2 in my book, “Top 50 Rules of Investing," is “invest in others." At first blush, it sounds like a rule about helping others and how good that will make you feel. You hear that statement a lot, and I would agree with it wholeheartedly. kAmqFE E92E :D ?@E H92E E9:D CF=6 :D 23@FE] %96 3@@< :D 2 4@>A:=2E:@?