Taking the first step to investing in the stock market yourself can be quite daunting. Where do you start? How do you know which stock is a good one? How do you monitor your investments and when do you know the right time to sell your stock? These are all questions that I struggled with when I first made the leap into investing in individual stocks many years ago. I focused my stock picks on companies with growth potential. With growth-stock investing, you are focusing on investing in companies that are just starting out. These are companies that haven’t yet reached the big leagues. And by the time they reach the big league, you win with typically large increases in the stock price. I made my stock picks. Some early investments paid off, others, not so much. I soon found myself caught up in the market noise. It was overwhelming, watching the ups and down’s and listening to so many opinions of what would be the next big stock to take off. The stock market is a large and complex world. There are so many different stakeholders with their own vested interests—who do you listen to? It was then that I took a step back. I went back to basics. I’ve always had an interest in understanding why some companies are successful and others struggle. So that’s where I focused my investment research. What factors went into making a great company? It didn’t take me long to discover that it’s less about the financials of a company and more about the key factors that a company should possess to have the best chance of winning. I found that if I ignored all the noise and hype surrounding the stock market and just focused in on the key factors that I believe make a successful company, then I made more successful stock picks. By using these factors, and I have 12 of them, I've had stocks that have grown almost 2,000 percent. I documented these factors over time, and once I had it down to where I know it worked consistently, that’s when I decided to share it with other DIY investors. In the Growth Stock Investing playbook, I provide: A 7-step playbook which shows you how to find, select, buy and maintain growth stocks, and importantly when to sell to maximize your profits. The 12 key factors that can indicate whether a company is likely to succeed and grow into a successful business, and in turn, create larger investment returns for you. The basics on stock market investing Investing is the ultimate spectator sport. But as with any game, you are playing to win. You can win in the stock-market game. You just need to know how to play the game smart and strategically from beginning to end.