You wouldn’t learn to drive without an instructor, so why invest your hard-earned money online without guidance?

For many investors new to the self-directed investing world, the idea of taking command of their money can be in equal parts exciting and nerve-racking, since no one wants to make a mistake with their own hard-earned money, and the options can feel so overwhelming.

Jason Storsley, president and CEO of RBC Direct Investing, says the biggest hurdle direct investors face is gaining the confidence they need to feel like they can succeed.

“Being a self-directed investor is really about building confidence and ensuring the decisions you make are the right decisions for you,” Storsley said.

Contrary to what the online investment world was like many years ago, a majority of online investors today are not sophisticated day traders but regular people looking to meet their own, varied financial goals with direct investing.

Many more first-time investors are going online every day, and Storsley says the overwhelming message they are projecting is that while they want to take control of their own investments, they don’t want to be left out in the cold.

“What we’re hearing from our investors is they do want to do this themselves but they don’t want to do it by themselves — they’re looking for some guidance,” Storsley said.

Going it alone can be a daunting prospect for even the most seasoned investors so RBC offers a wealth of help and advice in its guidance and planning section on the main direct investing site. There, investors can get informed on all aspects of the investment world, starting with basic concepts and goals all the way up to advanced trading and investment strategies.

For newer investors, having a strong understanding of the investment process will give them a powerful foundation from which to build a successful investment strategy.

“You need to know things like, ‘How do I start and how do I even set investment goals?’” Storsley said.

With the personalized learning section, you can create a learning plan that will be tailored to your specific needs ...[next page]