The Field Trip That Changed My Life

A Trip to the NYSE Charted My Career Path

I still remember the excitement I felt that morning as I laced up my sneakers and boarded the yellow school bus with my classmates. We were headed into New York City for a field trip, but this wasn’t just any city tour. We would visit the New York Stock Exchange — the beating heart of American capitalism and the center of global finance.

I was in the 6th grade and had no idea that day would change my life.

A Place Where Ideas and Ambition Meet

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), founded on May 17, 1792, began with just 24 stockbrokers under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street. They signed the Buttonwood Agreement, creating a system for buying and selling shares of companies in a way that was fair and transparent. What started as a simple agreement would grow into the largest stock exchange in the world, powering the dreams of entrepreneurs and investors alike.

When I stepped onto the trading floor as a kid, I was struck by the energy. Phones were ringing, traders were shouting, and screens were flashing with numbers I didn’t yet understand. But I knew one thing: this was where big things happened.

It felt like I was standing inside the engine of the economy.

Small Sparks Lead to Big Dreams

That visit planted a seed. I started asking questions about stocks, companies, and how people made money by investing. I learned that the stock exchange wasn’t just about numbers — it was about believing in the future of businesses, taking risks, and growing wealth over time. Most importantly, I learned that even small investments could grow into something meaningful.

Years later, that spark turned into a lifelong love of investing and personal finance and ultimately into a passion for teaching kids those same lessons.

From the Trading Floor to Picture Books

That experience inspired me to found Nolyne Publishing, and write my first book about the NYSE – Bull & Bear Race at the Big Board and other books like Bull & Bear Build a Bright Future with Bonds and Bull & Bear Learn Piggy Bank’s Golden Rule, because I want kids to feel the same excitement and curiosity I felt on that 6th grade field trip.

I believe that every child deserves to understand money, markets, and the power of investing. You don’t have to be born into wealth or be a Wall Street expert to start. All it takes is a little knowledge, a few dollars, and the confidence to believe in your future.

The Legacy of the NYSE in My Life

The New York Stock Exchange shaped how I think about money, risk, and opportunity. It taught me that behind every stock ticker is a story of an entrepreneur chasing a dream or a company building something new. That understanding gave me the confidence to become an investment portfolio manager, write books about investing and personal finance, and help families everywhere start their own financial journeys.