Hello! My name is Mark Riddix and I am the creator of Buy Like Buffett.
My Background
I have always loved finance from an early age. I knew the minute that I set foot on a college campus that finance would be my major. The first time that I learned about a stock I was hooked. I wanted to learn everything that I could about investing. I started investing in my first mutual fund in my sophomore year of college and have been investing every since. I hope that I am a better investor today than I was back then.
I have been a finance junkie for awhile. My first job was working in finance and I have worked in this field ever since . I run an independent investment advisory firm that provides personalized consulting services in investment and asset management. I have been doing this for the past 6 years. I was born and raised in the state of Maryland. Go Ravens! I am a huge sports fan.
About Buy Like Buffett
Most individual’s lives are complicated enough, so I thought it would be a good idea to start a site to make investing and financial decisions easier. I blog about anything related to finance on the site. My favorite topics are investing, saving money, reducing debt, managing money, and building credit. The number one topic discussed on the site is investing. I detail investments that I am buying and my reason for doing so.
I have long been a fan of Warren Buffett. I have read many books about him and studied his strategy of value investing. My goal is to follow the pattern that turned Buffett into the world’s wealthiest investor. I figure that if I can have half of the success of Buffett then I will be doing okay!
Why I Started Blogging
I would speak to people on a daily basis that had a lot of questions about investing and managing their money. They had questions about things like how to get started investing and how to pick a good stock. It became time consuming answering all of these questions individually so I got the idea to start a blog. I then proceeded to create a site that would try to make investing easier. I started Buy Like Buffett to answer questions that people might have about any financial matter.
I have been blogging since November of 2008. Time really does fly! It just seems like I started yesterday. I love the freedom of being able to post on whatever financial topic that I want to with no restrictions. Whenever I write for financial sites there are normally suggested topics and guidelines. This is not the case with blogging. Blogging gives me the freedom to write about anything that crosses my mind. Over the past year I have written for a number of different financial sites and just recently I published my first book on personal finance.
Blog Networks
The Yakezie Network has been a godsend. Before I stumbled across the Financial Samurai’s site, I knew absolutely nothing about page ranks, Alexa rankings or SEO. I was not using any social networks and did nothing to promote my site. I just figured that if you wrote pretty good content that people would find you. Over the past few months the Yakezie Network has given me a lot of helpful tips about what it takes to become a great blogger. My Alexa ranking has dropped from 1.1 million to 198, 241 since June. Thanks Yakezie Network!
The support of other bloggers has really helped increase the exposure for my site. I have found some really great blogs that deal with all aspects of finance. There are a lot of good blogs out there on saving money, reducing debt, building credit, and investing. I have tried to highlight some of these blogs to my readers. It helps to know that there are other writers out there plugging away day after day. We can all grow in our knowledge of money matters and this network is a great way of improving financial literacy. You never know who may happen upon one of your posts and be helped by your financial insights.
My Philosophy
I think that wealth is a tool that is to be used to help improve the lives of others. As we all improve our financial lives, we can reach back and help others along the path of financial freedom.
Join us for further discussion in the Yakezie Forums.
Hey BLB, thanks for sharing your story. I look forward to working with you.
What would be your worst single stock investment, and what would be your best?
Any area you are focusing on at this time?
Hi Dr. Dean,
My worst investment ever was Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. I bought that stock only to watch it sink like a rock! I was fooled by all of the store openings. My best investment ever was a mid sized steel company called Reliance Steel. That stock tripled in value in a year. Right now, I actually like the banking sector. It’s just so beaten down that I think there are some great long term values.
Hey Mark, congrats on cracking your first goal of 200K in alexa. Sounds like the group really has done wonders for you. It is great to be around a like minded group of people that are positive and striving for more in their lives.
I don’t do much stock investing at the moment, but know I need to get back into it. Just the financial stock market sector makes my head spin at times. Will keep tabs on your post, help promote you so you can crack the 100K market, and hope to network with you in the near future.
All the best!
Hi Freddie,
Thanks! You are right about that. The network has helped tremendously. That’s the next goal to get into the top 100k! I like the title Invest with Passion. I think real estate is a great investment over the next few years. I will definitely be keeping up with the site.
Hi Mark, What an incredibly “catchy” blog title, I love it! So glad to get to know you and look forward to visiting more often. (Go GIANTS-I think we have a bit of a rivalry here!)
Hi Barb,
Thanks! It is great meeting you and I really enjoy your site. I will be downloading the book this weekend. A Giants fan. Yes, we do have a friendly rivalry!
I really need to work on learning more about investing so I’ll be checing out your blog a lot. That’s good that you knew you wanted to be in finance so early since a lot of people have trouble with deciding. Congrats on breaking 200,000 and I’m sure you’ll be getting down to 100,000 before you know it. Congrats on publishing your own book.
Thanks Kevin!
How impressive that you knew what you wanted to do so young, and actually stuck with it and was successful! I cannot imagine investing in college, but then again, I was just trying to get by.
Going to check your site out right now!
Thanks!
I wish that we had an updated list of Yakezie member. I never knew you were in the group! Either way I’ll definitely be reading your site occasionally (probably more often when I actually have money to invest). Keep up the great work.
Hi Jeff,
I joined back in June and it has been a great help.
Hey Mark, thanks for sharing your story. I like your blog’s name…and you’re right if we have half of Buffett’s success we’ll be doing pretty damn well!
Thanks Mike!
Yakezie is a great idea. I am suprised myself how ranking can change really fast. You have a great story to share!
Hi Aloysa,
Yes, Financial Samurai had a great idea. We have all benefitted from the Yakezie Challenge. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your story! If we can all trade like Buffett, wouldn’t that be awesome?? I can only imagine…
Hi Charles,
That’s the goal! Thanks.
All I’m gonna say is when you get super duper rich from all your savvy investing strategies will you buy me a house? I think that would be very nice of you. You’re ranking change is awesome. Go YAKEZIE!
Hi Ninja,
LOL. If I make it there, you got it! You are well on your way to riches with your debt reduction plan and all your BMX trophies. Thanks! It’s an incredible network.
Haha. Oh yea my bike trophies. Want to buy some of em :)
You gotta post some pics or videos of you doin tricks man!
LOL. I am sure they are worth more to you than just about any amount of money.
I too am a huge fan of Warren Buffett, and love the blog title. I totally agree with your statement about networking. There is so much to learn out there, which makes it so essential to link to other peoples blogs and contribute where you can as well. Good Luck!
I will have to visit your site. I don’t think I have been there yet. Thanks College Investor. Good luck to you as well!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Debt Ninja, Invest With Passion and Elle, Kevin. Kevin said: Yakezie – Personal Finance and Lifestyle Blog Network – Yakezie.com http://t.co/ePcXLuX via @Yakezie […]
I saw that you’re in maryland, any chance you make it to DC for a happy hour?
Hi Daniel,
Yes, there is a good chance. I get out to DC about once a month.
Great Story. Do you get annoyed by the tons of PF Bloggers who rip on investment and financial advisors?
Thanks JourneytoMillions. No, I don’t. There are a lot of advisors bilking clients out of their money with tons of fees and commissions. I think that the average investor can invest on their own. I think if a person is investing 100k or more then an advisor may make sense.
I always think of Buffett as the sage from Omaha, so it’s interesting to see a photo of him as a younger man.
Great job on the progress in the Alexa challenge, and I’ve also enjoyed your articles especially lately. You’ve been a real team player in promoting other members… keep going!
Hi Kevin,
Thanks. I definitely will. You have been a big help promoting the site as well!
Hey Mark. Looking forward to reading your blog.
Thanks Techbud!
Your latest post about money market is really helpful. I had two shares of BRK-B before the split. :)
Hi Retireby40,
Thanks. You probably have 100 shares now since the conversion.
Great name for a site primarily about investing. I hope you DO have half the success Buffett has had! Looking forward to reading your site and learning more about investing…an area I am pretty naive about.
Thanks Joe. I am trying my best! will be sure to check out Personal Finance by the Book.
I’m glad we have some investment buffs in the group. It’s one of my great weak spots, despite all my attempts to figure it out. Hoping to learn a thing or two from all of you investment types in Yakezie!
Hi Beating Broke,
Thanks. We all have some area in our financial lives that we could improve on. Good article on the credit fallacy by the way.
You are the one blogger that I see guest post on that rival Crystal at Budgeting in the Fun stuff!
Warren is my financial hero #2 (Benjamin Franklin being #1), and he is inspirational the the nth degree! I would settle for a 4th of his success…
Thanks for sharing your story!
Hi Money Reasons,
My favorite book is the Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. It’s a great read. A fraction of his success would be great.
Same here about me, I didn’t know about your site until recently. Great to have someone who does this for a living on board! Buffett is also one of my favorite investors.
It’s great to find another investment junkie!
Glad to read about your background. Having an MBA concentration in Finance (though I don’t work directly in the field now), I have an untapped interest in the the more analytical side of personal finance. I’ll have to check out your blog! Thanks for sharing.
It sounds like you have a wealth of knowledge about finance yourself.
Wow blogging since 2008, that’s a long time. Great to hear a bit about your background. I’m a big fan of Buffett too!
Thanks youngandthrifty! I burned out a little during the summer of 2009 but kept going.
Congrats on your Alexa progress. Being in two blog networks with you, I’ve gotten a great chance to know your site and now I visit it regularly.
Is that picture really Buffett? He looked so different when he was younger! I see the resemblance, though, in the lower half of the face.
Thanks Dividend Monk! I believe it is. Financial Samurai found it. I have seen your site grow tremendously over the last year. Keep up the good work.
Mark, I’m glad to learn more about you and why you picked the blog name. A lot of people would agree that Warren Buffett is the man to aspire to.
I agree with you that it’s fun to have total control over a blog’s content.
Thanks Kay! I just recently discovered Bucksome Boomer and its loaded with helpful budgeting tips.
I have not been over to your site much for some reason (sorry) but just started seeing you around a bit more. You seem very knowledgable and congrats on the book.
I hope to start investing in 1-2 years so need to start learning very soon!
Congrats on your Alexa.
Hi Forest,
That’s no problem. I am glad you checked out my site, Thanks! You are preparing early so I am sure you will have much success.
Thanks :)
You’re welcome Forest!
Mark, I think it’s awesome you have such a neat investing background…I feel like even though there are so many PF blogs, an investing background is pretty rare. So you definitely add a ton of value and perspective!
Thanks Andrew!
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Hey Mark! I think it’s great that you knew what you wanted to do so early. Many people actually graduate with no clue what they want to do with their lives.
I’m glad that you’re writing about something that you do for a living and as I get back into investing, I will definitely check out your advice!
Hi Khaleef,
Thanks!
I am a HUGE Buffet fan. I even made the pilgrimage to Omaha to see Warren and Charlie at the last BRK annual meeting. I plan to head back again in April.
You are very lucky! I have always wanted to attend a Berkshire shareholders meeting. I am either going this year or in 2011.
I have been loving these intros because I may never have “met” you without them! I am huge on budgets but almost clueless when it comes to individual investments, so people who love that amaze me. Feel free to guest post at BFS if you’d ever like to! Between you and Barbara, I might actually stop neglecting the whole investment arena, lol.
LOL. Venturing into the world of investing. That’s a good thing! Thanks. I will be sure to do that and feel free to do the same.