When Ross Mayfield made his first trip to the University of Southern Indiana as a guest speaker in February 2023, he created his presentation based on topics he thought business students would ask. This time around, he reached out directly to hear what students wanted to learn.
Hundreds of questions rolled in—everything from “Should I be traveling in my 20’s, or should I focus on saving money instead?” to “What career opportunities exist in the investment analysis field?” While he couldn’t get to every single question submitted, he’s hopeful he was able to give students some perspective into the world of investing and reduce uneasiness about their futures.
Mayfield, an investment strategist at Baird Private Wealth Management, presented “Markets, Building Wealth as a Student and Careers in Investing” in the Romain College of Business on Tuesday, February 13 in front of a full house of students, faculty and administrators.
“Maybe I just wasn't curious enough when I was in college, but I felt like I graduated and then all of a sudden, I had no concept of not just what I wanted to do but what was even out there,” Mayfield said. “So, if I can reduce that uncertainty by even just 5%, that’s the goal.”
Mayfield’s presentation covered a variety of areas such as different career paths in investing, how to save money while in college and the difference in stocks and bonds. He also answered more specific questions related to cryptocurrency, the housing market and the impact of AI and “robo-advisors.”
“Students wanted to learn about things I would’ve been asking as an undergrad student,” Mayfield said. “Things that if you’ve been doing this for 10 years, you may take for granted. But they’re those building blocks of investing and building a career right at the beginning.”
While he covered a variety of topics, if there’s one general takeaway, he hopes students leave the presentation with something simple yet, important – be optimistic.
He discussed how the market can be negatively impacted by the language used in news articles and the constant change in emotions amongst the public. That rapid change can cause people to overreact and make irrational decisions. It’s why he urges students to always stay positive – a rule that can be applied to more than just investing.
“Be optimistic about the future,” Mayfield said. “Being a rational, reasonable optimist about the world is the best way to go through life. It may not be the most practical takeaway, but I think it’s the most useful.”
Mayfield is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) professional who works closely with financial advisors to educate clients about the economy and
markets. In addition, Mayfield creates investment strategy content aimed at helping clients achieve long-term financial goals. He authors investment research for advisors and clients focused on financial markets, the economy and the benefits of long-term investing.
A Louisville, Kentucky, native, Mayfield serves as President on the Board of the CFA Society of Louisville. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Kentucky and earned his MBA from the University of Louisville.