Be a Better Investor podcast with Ryk van Niekerk

‘And alternative investments provide access to risk-and-return sources you wouldn't ordinarily get through traditional portfolios’ – Equilibrium CIO Kamini Naidoo.

Company valuations drew her from the outset, so after a great deal of study, Derinia Mathura found herself a young professional managing the Melville Douglas Global Equity Fund.

You might become a portfolio manager at Sanlam Private Wealth – after trying your hand as a casino dealer, English teacher, lecturer and film producer. Thato Mashigo tells us his story.

In investments you learn that you need to make logical decisions and stay away from the emotive things, says the deputy chief investment officer for alternative investments at Alexforbes Investments.

'Accumulating small margins is how you become successful and build up a good track record and good return for yourself': Richo Venter, Inn8 Invest’s head of portfolio management.

Malawi-born Kondi Nkosi progressed from doing ‘business studies’ at school in the then-Bophuthatswana to being country head at Schroders SA today.

‘If my first stock went to four cents, I sold it; when it came back to two cents, I bought it again’ – that's how then teenager and now CIO at Sasfin Asset Managers Arno Lawrenz started.

‘Don’t just read about investments, read more history; and watch cash flow – if you have growth and you've got that cash flow, when any exogenous event hits the company and it's down 30, 40, 50%, you can buy more’: Sumesh Chetty, portfolio manager at Ninety One.

It’s 'utter nonsense’ that you as the retail investor mustn't even try your hand at it. It’s not rocket science. But it does offer only one ‘free lunch’.

Sanelisiwe Tofile progressed from investing with friends to becoming deputy CIO and portfolio manager at All Weather Capital.

‘It was a lot of fun. There was a lot of talking around in the family, which was exciting. Things are a lot more complex today; being diversified is key so you don't cry too much if something goes wrong’ – Kenny Rabson, Discovery Invest CEO.

‘Indexation-based strategies are rule-based strategies, but a computer can only do so much in terms of running the logic and the theory’: Daniel dos Passos, senior portfolio manager and indexation expert at FirstRand.

‘Ultimately, if you don't have a good grasp or understanding of the risk, you're setting yourself up for failure’: Mohamed Ismail, head of fixed income at Mergence Investment Managers.

'Being part of farm life, you plant, you wait for the season, and then when the produce comes you get your returns' – Fannuel Tigere, chief investment officer at Balondolozi Investment Services.

Try to focus your investing on things you understand and give yourself a time horizon, advises Asanda Notshe from Mazi Asset Management.