Alec Shklyar began his career in finance at just seventeen years old.
He grew up in a money-savvy home, watching his father thrive as a bond trader and learning bits and pieces about the industry through CNBC, a constant staple on his family television. Alec eventually decided to get involved in the sector on his own, and after reading books about the stock market, analyzing the profitability of various trades, he bought his first stock in a biotech company.
In addition to its potential monetary value, Neuralstem (CUR) stood out to Alec for personal reasons. One of his mother’s lifelong friends has lived with ALS for many years, and he was inspired by a particular pharmaceutical drug which Neuralstem offered. Realizing that not only his family friend, but millions of others could benefit from the company’s products, he bought the stock at about a dollar even and held on to it for over two years. At one point the stock rose to hit 4.8, and in the end Alec decided to sell it at 1.75 and still made a sizable profit. This stock experience was all the convincing he needed that this was the industry for him.
Since that experience, Alec has been building his career around the stock market and finance in general. He currently owns shares of Facebook and Starbucks and is getting more involved in investment banking as well. At this point he is still branching out in the industry, gaining experience in various sectors and sharpening his expertise. He most recently interned at a real estate investment fund in New York, and he is fascinated by asset valuation and the ability to calculate risks versus potential profit.
It was at this firm that Alec gained a deep fascination with the real estate industry. By paying specific attention to local news and falling trends, he immersed himself in the business. Although the idea behind real estate is that it will always go up in value considering it is limited in supply, Alec also found that it is an incredibly nuanced business. From agents to buyers to sellers to lawyers, there are so many individuals involved in the purchase of a home. The complexity lying behind each step in purchasing a home keeps him engaged and wanting to learn how to maximize profit. Considering Alec’s affinity for asset valuation and interest in risk versus potential profit, it only makes sense that an industry like real estate which is so open to interpretation and fluctuation would naturally draw Alec.
Alec initially studied economics, international relations, and Russian at Tufts University in the greater Boston area. He then transferred to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where he will graduate with specialties in economics, government, and the Russian language in 2017. Because he continually combines his international studies with his focus on finance, Alec is gaining a global economic perspective which will allow him to reach greater heights in his career down the line.
