🎙️ 代表作 Vol.034: How a Post-90s Woman Achieved Financial Freedom Through Stock Trading
Wealth as a Reward for Cognition: Vicky's Journey from Quantitative Finance to AI-Powered Investing Platform
Vol.034:90后女生靠炒股实现财富自由,财富真的是对认知的奖赏!
🎧 Listen on XHSFM or on Apple Podcasts.
One-Sentence Takeaway
Vicky, a young prodigy who graduated at 21, achieved financial freedom through strategic stock investing, demonstrating that wealth is truly a reward for cognition, and is now on a mission to make investing accessible to everyone through her AI-powered platform Rock Flow.
Brief Summary
In this episode of 代表作 (Representative Works), host Judy interviews Vicky, a remarkable young woman who achieved financial freedom through stock trading before turning 30. Vicky shares her extraordinary journey from graduating at just 21 years old (with degrees from Fudan University and Imperial College London) to working in quantitative finance in London, joining Baidu, and ultimately founding Rock Flow, an AI-powered investment platform.
The conversation explores Vicky's strategic approach to learning and investing, including how she passed the Chinese judicial exam in just nine days and obtained an American fitness instructor license simply to better understand those industries for investment purposes. She reveals her investment philosophy, including her early bet on NVIDIA that contributed significantly to her wealth, and how she achieved her first million at 23-24, her first 10 million before 30, and her first 100 million through strategic investments.
Vicky discusses her definition of financial freedom, her surprisingly simple lifestyle despite her wealth, and her observations about Gen Z investors who are starting earlier and using investing to express their values. She explains the mission behind Rock Flow to democratize investing and make it accessible to ordinary people, emphasizing that investing should be a part of everyone's life, not just the domain of financial experts.
Throughout the episode, Vicky offers practical advice for beginner investors, stressing the importance of starting small, investing in what you understand, and finding an investment style that suits your personality and risk tolerance.
Frameworks & Models
- The Cognition-Reward Model:
Vicky's core philosophy that wealth is a direct result of understanding and insight:
- Knowledge Acquisition: Deep learning about industries before investing
- Cognitive Edge: Leveraging specialized knowledge from work experience
- Industry Insight: Investing in what you know and understand deeply
- Compounding Returns: Allowing cognitive advantages to compound over time "Wealth is truly a reward for cognition."
- The Strategic Learning Framework:
Vicky's approach to mastering new subjects efficiently:
- Goal Definition: Clearly defining what success looks like (e.g., passing an exam)
- Task Decomposition: Breaking down complex subjects into manageable parts
- Strategic Focus: Concentrating on high-value areas while accepting some losses
- Immersive Learning: Complete focus without distractions for intensive periods "I completely avoided my phone during those nine days, focusing only on eating, sleeping, studying, and using the restroom."
- The Career Choice Matrix:
Vicky's framework for making career decisions:
- Growth Potential: Prioritizing industries with rapid development over immediate salary
- Long-term Value: Choosing opportunities that build skills and value over time
- Industry Trends: Identifying major trends like mobile internet that create opportunities
- Effort Creates Choice: Recognizing that effort comes before having good choices "I believe effort is more important than choice initially, because effort creates more choices."
- The Financial Freedom Definition:
Vicky's practical approach to defining and achieving financial freedom:
- Liquidity Focus: Emphasizing liquid assets that can cover living expenses
- Sustainable Income: Creating passive income streams that replace work income
- Lifestyle Alignment: Ensuring freedom supports desired lifestyle without excess
- Freedom from Work: Achieving the ability to choose whether to work "Financial freedom means having enough liquid assets to cover your living expenses, so from this point forward, you don't need to work for money."
- The Investment Accessibility Model:
Vicky's approach to making investing accessible through Rock Flow:
- Simplification: Removing complexity and jargon from investing
- AI Integration: Using artificial intelligence to guide investment decisions
- Starting Small: Encouraging beginners to start with minimal amounts
- Lifestyle Integration: Making investing a natural part of everyday life "Investing should be a part of everyone's life, not just the domain of financial experts."
Insights
- Wealth as a Reward for Cognition:
Vicky's core philosophy that financial success comes directly from understanding and insight. She demonstrates this through her early investment in NVIDIA, which came from her work in AI investment and understanding of the company's critical role in providing computing power for AI applications. This insight shows that deep industry knowledge can translate directly into investment success.
- The Power of Strategic Learning:
Vicky's ability to master complex subjects quickly, such as passing the Chinese judicial exam in just nine days, reveals her systematic approach to learning. She focuses on understanding the core requirements, strategically allocating time to high-value areas, and accepting that some areas can be sacrificed. This approach has served her well in both her career and investment research.
- Career Choice Philosophy:
Despite receiving a job offer from a Singapore sovereign wealth fund that paid ten times more, Vicky chose to join Baidu because she believed in the potential of the mobile internet industry. This decision reflects her long-term thinking and willingness to prioritize growth opportunities over immediate financial rewards, a philosophy that ultimately paid off significantly.
- The Simplicity of Financial Freedom:
Despite her wealth, Vicky maintains an extremely simple lifestyle, with minimal interest in luxury goods or status symbols. She defines financial freedom not in terms of extravagant living, but simply as having enough liquid assets to cover living expenses without needing to work. This perspective challenges conventional notions of what it means to be wealthy.
- Gen Z Investment Trends:
Vicky observes that younger investors are starting earlier than previous generations and using investing as a way to express their values and identity. They invest in companies they know and love, such as Tesla or Bilibili, and see their investment portfolios as an extension of their personal brand and social identity.
- The Accessibility of Investing:
Through her platform Rock Flow, Vicky aims to democratize investing by making it simpler and more accessible. She believes that investing should not be the exclusive domain of financial experts but should be integrated into everyday life, with tools that help ordinary people make informed investment decisions.
- The Importance of Starting Small:
Vicky advises beginner investors to start with small amounts they can afford to lose, focusing on investments they understand. This approach allows people to gain experience and confidence without taking on excessive risk, gradually building their investment knowledge and portfolio over time.
- Industry-Specific Investment Advantage:
Vicky suggests that people should leverage their professional knowledge when investing, as they have unique insights into their own industries. She gives examples of luxury goods employees investing in Hermès or tech workers investing in companies they understand well, demonstrating how specialized knowledge can provide an investment edge.
- The Evolution of Investment as Social Currency:
Vicky notes that investment portfolios are becoming a new form of social currency, with people sharing their holdings on social media and connecting with others who have similar investment philosophies. This trend reflects the integration of investing into lifestyle and identity for younger generations.
- Risk-Reward Alignment:
Throughout the conversation, Vicky emphasizes the importance of aligning investment risk with potential rewards, understanding that higher returns always come with higher risk. She advises investors to be clear about their goals and risk tolerance, and to avoid investments they don't understand.
Quotes
- On Wealth and Cognition: "Wealth is truly a reward for cognition."
- On Strategic Learning: "I completely avoided my phone during those nine days, focusing only on eating, sleeping, studying, and using the restroom."
- On Career Choices: "I believe effort is more important than choice initially, because effort creates more choices."
- On Financial Freedom: "Financial freedom means having enough liquid assets to cover your living expenses, so from this point forward, you don't need to work for money."
- On Investment Philosophy: "You should invest in what you understand. If you're in an industry where you work ten hours a day and can't even identify good stocks, you shouldn't be in that industry."
- On NVIDIA Investment: "I bought NVIDIA because I was working in AI investment at the time. AI requires GPU computing power, and NVIDIA was the absolute leader. Your industry work brings you cognitive advantages that you can amplify through market investments."
- On Gen Z Investors: "Gen Z investors start earlier than any previous generation. They use investing to express their values and identity, and it's becoming a part of their lifestyle."
- On Investment Accessibility: "Investing should be a part of everyone's life, not just the domain of financial experts."
- On Starting Small: "Start with the smallest amount you can, just to experience it. Use money you can afford to lose to gain experience."
- On Lifestyle Choices: "It's not that I can't afford luxury goods, it's that I don't see the need. My philosophy is 'good enough is good enough.'"
Habits
- Deep Industry Learning:
Develop comprehensive knowledge of industries before investing:
- Immerse yourself in industry-specific knowledge through work or study
- Obtain relevant certifications or qualifications to deepen understanding
- Network with industry experts to gain insights
- Follow industry trends and developments consistently
- Strategic Exam Preparation:
Master complex subjects efficiently using Vicky's approach:
- Clearly define the passing requirements and scoring system
- Break down the subject into manageable components
- Focus on high-value areas while strategically accepting some losses
- Create an immersive learning environment without distractions
- Long-term Career Planning:
Make career decisions based on growth potential rather than immediate rewards:
- Identify industries with significant growth potential
- Prioritize learning and skill development over immediate salary
- Consider how career choices will expand future opportunities
- Be willing to take calculated risks for long-term gains
- Simplified Living:
Maintain a minimalist lifestyle regardless of financial success:
- Focus on needs rather than wants when making purchases
- Avoid luxury goods and status symbols
- Choose practical options over premium ones (e.g., economy flights)
- Find fulfillment in experiences and knowledge rather than material possessions
- Beginner Investing Approach:
Start investing with a focus on learning rather than returns:
- Begin with small amounts you can afford to lose
- Invest in companies and industries you understand well
- Use investment as a way to learn about businesses and markets
- Gradually increase investment knowledge and portfolio size over time
- Industry-Specific Investing:
Leverage professional knowledge for investment decisions:
- Identify the best companies in your own industry
- Use your insider knowledge to assess company potential
- Invest in companies whose products or services you use and believe in
- Consider how industry trends will affect company performance
- Continuous Market Learning:
Stay informed about market trends and opportunities:
- Follow financial news and market developments
- Learn from both successful and unsuccessful investments
- Study investment strategies that align with your personality
- Use AI tools and platforms to enhance market understanding
- Risk Management:
Develop a disciplined approach to investment risk:
- Align investment risk with your personal risk tolerance
- Understand that higher returns always come with higher risk
- Avoid investments you don't fully understand
- Diversify investments to manage overall portfolio risk
Sources
Primary Sources
- "代表作: Vol.034:90后女生靠炒股实现财富自由,财富真的是对认知的奖赏!" podcast episode
- Vicky's personal experiences and investment journey shared in the interview
Educational Background
- Fudan University - Vicky's undergraduate institution
- Imperial College London - Vicky's graduate school
- Nine-day Chinese judicial exam preparation and passage
- ACE (American Council on Exercise) fitness instructor certification
Professional Experience
- Quantitative finance work in London
- Baidu investment department experience
- Rock Flow - AI-powered investment platform founded by Vicky
Investment Achievements
- First million earned at 23-24 through stock trading
- First 10 million earned before 30 through shorting stocks
- First 100 million earned through NVIDIA investment
- Early investment in AI-related companies based on industry insights
Industry Insights
- Mobile internet industry trends and opportunities
- AI industry development and investment opportunities
- Gen Z investment behaviors and preferences
- Future investment opportunities in various sectors
Resources
Core Podcast
- 代表作: Vol.034:90后女生靠炒股实现财富自由,财富真的是对认知的奖赏! - Xiaoyuzhou FM
- Apple Podcasts - Apple Podcasts Link
Investment Platforms
- Rock Flow - Vicky's AI-powered investment platform
- Major Stock Trading Platforms - For beginners to start investing
Learning Resources
- Judicial Exam Preparation Materials - For understanding Vicky's learning approach
- ACE Certification Resources - Fitness industry knowledge for investment insights
- Industry Analysis Tools - For deepening industry knowledge before investing
Investment Education
- Beginner Investment Guides - For those new to investing
- AI in Investment Resources - Understanding how AI is transforming investing
- Risk Management Education - For developing disciplined investment approaches
Financial Planning
- Financial Freedom Calculators - For determining your financial freedom number
- Minimalist Living Resources - For understanding Vicky's lifestyle philosophy
- Career Development Resources - For making strategic career choices
Conclusion
"代表作: How a Post-90s Woman Achieved Financial Freedom Through Stock Trading" offers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of Vicky, a young prodigy who achieved remarkable financial success through strategic investing and deep industry knowledge. Her journey from graduating at 21 to becoming financially free before 30 demonstrates the power of cognition in wealth creation.
The episode challenges conventional wisdom about career choices, lifestyle, and investing, emphasizing that true financial freedom comes from understanding rather than speculation. Vicky's practical approach to investing of starting small, focusing on what you know, and finding a style that suits you, provides valuable guidance for beginners and experienced investors alike.
Through her platform Rock Flow, Vicky is working to democratize investing, making it accessible to everyone regardless of their financial background or expertise. This episode serves as both an inspiration and a practical guide for anyone looking to integrate investing into their life and work toward financial freedom.
Crepi il lupo! 🐺