BY Alicia Smith

Charles Schwab, the man, is like the Zen Master of the investment world. His investment advice, often sounding so simple, could also be interpreted as wisdom for life and be quite profound.

“Invest in things that are made to grow.” “The risk is doing nothing.” “Keep your eyes open.” Smart for the investor, good way to approach life and build a business.

Chuck started his company because he believed people other than millionaires deserved to be able to build wealth. Unintimidated by his powerful competition, Wall Street, he set out to build company that was different and better.

“Do your homework,” he advised when talking about the best way to find companies to invest in. “When your fears are at their peak, don’t give in.”

Much of his philosophy for life, and for investing, was formed from his childhood, struggling with dyslexia. Hard work and resilience often prove to be the best competitive edge one can have.

Gracious and warm, after a television shoot that included him, I told him how proud we were to work with his company and how we hoped for a lasting relationship. He said he was pleased with what he was seeing, then paused. “Past performance is not a guarantee of future results,” he said with that signature All-American boy smile. And I knew, never rest on your laurels, be open to change, and do the hard work every day.

Chuck also says, “Experience can be a great teacher.” None better, I believe.