My No. 1 investing philosophy [Video]

Tess Waresmith had to learn about investing the way most people do — through trial and error.

The 36-year-old founder of Wealth with Tess began investing in her mid-20s and made a mistake right off the bat. Unsure of what to do with her investments, she trusted a financial advisor who charged her high fees and saddled her with an underperforming, overly complex portfolio.

It took some self-education to realize she could do better on her own, and once she took control of her investments, things flourished. Waresmith’s portfolio currently tops $1 million, with the majority of assets spread among real estate, stocks and crypto.

For anyone looking to replicate her investing success, Waresmith suggests starting simple before slowly branching out into new arenas.

“My No. 1 investing philosophy is learn as much as you can about anything you’re interested in and diversify,” she says.

Here’s what she means.

Waresmith began by investing in index mutual funds and exchange-traded …