Business

The Gamification of Investing

Published

4 years ago

October 21, 2021

“The Emeritus Wealth Team pictured at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ after donating over $15K to Cancer Research with their proceeds from their annual charity golf outing.”

As the global pandemic forced us inside and online, it also had some interesting side effects. Being unable to spend our time on the pre-pandemic activities we were used to, people began turning their attention and focus to other at-home activities. Some took up DIY home renovations, others tried their hand at the culinary arts, but many began dipping their toes into the world of investing.

With easy access to online investing platforms such as Robinhood, Acorns, Coinbase and more, investing became a part of everyday life for many. Wake up, put the coffee pot on, turn on your favorite investment channel and check your stock trading app. This seemed to be the daily routine for both greenhorn and seasoned investors alike.

Armed with freshly minted pandemic checks from Uncle Sam, it was time to start chasing those returns. When the stock market was down 30% during the height of the coronavirus, Robinhood opened nearly 3 million new accounts—and half of those accounts were opened by first-time investors.

Turning to online forums and word of mouth, the American public was infatuated with capturing the riches that the markets have to offer. It started with looking at companies that were fundamentally sound, but may have gotten caught up in the pandemic panic selling. Somewhere along the line, things changed.

Today’s online financial “gurus”, Tik Tokers and crypto fanatics have taken over the internet. The influence these talking heads have not only on the psychology of their followers, but on the markets themselves was unprecedented.

But at what risk?

Newer investors should be careful (the term “investor” is used very loosely here). No one should rely solely on a 30-second video to determine which stocks, funds, or index are best to invest in. Adding to market risk, there needs to be consideration when it comes to taxes, business risk of individual stocks, and other systematic risks. For example, you just sold AMC for a gain of $15,000 in your brokerage account. Time to go buy that Tesla!

It’s time to pump the brakes. You could have triggered a short-term capital gain. Do you know how that is taxed? Is there a way for you to offset this? What’s the difference between a short-term gain and long-term gain? Will my exposure to market volatility impact this at all? When are the taxes due? What is the “wash sale” rule?

I guess Reddit didn’t explain this part to you. Don’t worry, keep reading, we have you covered.

What are the next steps?

Get educated, do your research and don’t be afraid to ask for help. The internet is an amazing tool, but when looking for investment advice, every investor’s situation is so unique that you have to be careful what you are following on YouTube and Tik Tok. As a relatively new investor, it may benefit you to consult with a financial advisor to make sure you’re investing to meet your specific goals.

The right financial advisor understands the tax liabilities, risk levels and evaluations that come with investing. These are topics that shouldn’t be ignored when building a long-term investment strategy.

Working with a financial advisor means you won’t go into investing blind. You’ll have a stable strategy and feel secure in your financial future.

Invest the Right Way with Emeritus Wealth Group

The Emeritus Wealth Group, a financial advising and wealth management firm are licensed wealth managers with clients throughout the country.

Their passion stemmed from seeing many clients who were uneducated on how to build wealth. This led them to start Emeritus Wealth Group in 2019.

If you’re looking for financial advising and wealth management to protect your assets and build wealth, contact Emeritus Wealth Group.

Business

Scaling Success: Why Smart Habits Beat Growth Hacks in Modern eCommerce

Published

1 month ago

July 26, 2025

Matthew Wiles

There’s a romanticized image of the eCommerce founder: a daring risk-taker chasing the next big idea, fueled by late-night caffeine and last-minute inspiration. But the reality behind scaled, sustainable brands tells a different story. Success in digital commerce doesn’t come from chaos or clever hacks. It comes from habits. Repetitive, structured, often unglamorous habits.

Change, a digital platform created by eCommerce strategist Ryan, builds its entire philosophy around this truth. Through education, mentorship, and infrastructure, Change helps founders shift from scrambling for quick wins to building strong systems that grow with them. The company doesn’t just offer software. It provides the foundation for digital trade, particularly for those in the B2B space.

The Habits That Build Momentum

At the heart of Change’s philosophy are five core habits Ryan considers non-negotiable. These aren’t buzzwords; they’re the foundation of sustainable growth.

First, obsess over data. Successful founders replace guesswork with metrics. They don’t rely on gut feelings. They measure performance and iterate.

Second, know your customer deeply. Not just what they buy, but why they buy. The most resilient brands build emotional loyalty, not just transactional volume.

Third, test fast. Algorithms shift. Consumer behavior changes. High-performing teams don’t resist this; they test weekly, sometimes daily, and adapt.

Fourth, manage time like a CEO. Every decision has a cost. Prioritizing high-impact actions isn’t optional; it’s survival.

Fifth, stay connected to mentorship and learning. The digital market moves quickly. The remaining founders are the ones who keep learning, never assuming they know it all.

Turning Habits into Infrastructure

What begins as personal discipline must eventually evolve into a team structure. Change teaches founders how to scale their systems, not just their sales.

Tools are essential for starting, think Notion for documentation, Asana for project management, Mixpanel or PostHog for analytics, and Loom for async communication. But tools alone don’t create momentum.

Teams need Monday metric check-ins, weekly test cycles, customer insight reviews, just to name a few. Founders set the tone by modeling behavior. It’s the rituals that matter, then, they turn it into company culture.

Ryan puts it simply: “We’re not just building tools; we’re building infrastructure for digital trade.”

Avoiding the Common Traps

Even with structure, the path isn’t always smooth. Some founders over-focus on short-term results, chasing vanity metrics or shiny tactics that feel productive but don’t move the needle.

Others fall into micromanagement, drowning in dashboards instead of building intuition. Discipline should sharpen clarity, not create rigidity. Flexibility is part of the process. Knowing when to pivot is just as important as knowing when to persist.

Scaling Through Self-Replication

In the end, eCommerce scale isn’t just about growing a business. It’s about repeating successful systems at every level. When founders internalize high-performance habits, they turn them into processes, then culture, then legacy.

Growth doesn’t require more motivation. It requires more precision. More consistency. Your calendar, not your to-do list, is your business plan.

In a space dominated by noise and novelty, Change and its founder are quietly reshaping the conversation. They aren’t chasing trends but building resilience, one habit at a time.