If you’re nearing retirement age, you may be wondering how to grow your nest egg into something that can fully support your golden years. The idea of turning a modest $50,000 retirement account into $1 million in just a decade may seem outlandish. However, one retiree did just that using two unlikely high-growth stocks.
John Smith, a 65-year-old retiree, managed to grow his $50,000 IRA into over $1 million in just 10 years. His secret? Investing early in Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Ballard Power Systems (BLDP) – two stocks that ended up skyrocketing over 1000% each in the 2010s.
Here’s how John pulled it off when the odds were stacked against him:
1: Focus on Growth Instead of Dividends
Conventional wisdom states that retirees should invest in stable, dividend-paying stocks. However, John realized that while dividends provide steady income, they limit growth potential.
Instead, he focused solely on growth stocks that had potential for massive returns in the coming years. Even though these stocks were riskier and less stable, their upside made it worthwhile.
As John says, “You can’t turn $50,000 into a million with 4% returns. I needed stocks that could double, triple, or more over the next decade.”
2: Identify True Innovation and Secular Trends
Blindly investing in hyped-up growth stocks is a recipe for disaster. Instead, John looked for under-the-radar stocks spearheading true innovation and secular megatrends that were on the cusp of explosive growth.
The two stocks John identified were:
AMD – This semiconductor company was on the verge of mounting a fierce comeback against industry leader Intel with its new Ryzen and Epyc chips. The secular growth of AI and cloud computing meant data centers would need these high-performance chips.
Ballard Power (BLDP) – This hydrogen fuel cell pioneer had been developing the technology for over 30 years. With hydrogen expected to dominate the energy landscape in the coming decade, BLDP was primed to ride the wave upwards.
In both cases, John managed to identify innovation and secular trends before they caught mainstream attention. This allowed him to get in early and maximize gains.
3: Hold Through Volatility For 10+ Years
When investing in high-growth innovation stocks, volatility is inevitable. Both AMD and BLDP stocks saw plenty of ups and downs throughout the 2010s.
However, John held onto them anyway instead of trying to time the market. He knew such innovative companies take time to deliver on their promise. By holding for 10+ years, he gave AMD and BLDP enough time to fully capitalize on the trends they kickstarted.
“I don’t care if a stock falls 30% next month or next year,” says John. “I’ve done the research on the company and believe in their long-term trajectory.”
This conviction gave him the mental fortitude to hold on through gut-wrenching volatility until his investment thesis played out.
The Payoff: Over $1 Million From $50k In 10 Years
By identifying innovation and secular trends early, investing aggressively, and holding long-term, John managed to turn $50,000 into over $1 million in a decade’s time:
- His initial $30,000 investment in AMD at $2 per share ballooned to over $900,000 at its peak price of $120.
- His $20,000 investment in BLDP at $1 per share grew to over $300,000 at its record high of $22.
In total, his $50,000 retirement account compounded at a staggering 37% annually to reach the $1 million mark in 2025.
“I knew AMD and BLDP had incredible growth runways in front of them,” says John. “But even I didn’t expect over 20x returns on each stock in just 10 years!”
Just As Good A Time To Invest In Innovation Now
While John invested back in 2015 before the meteoric rise of AMD and BLDP, similar opportunities exist today as well. The key is identifying transformative innovations like AI, robotics, genomics, and clean energy that have room for exponential growth.
“There is just as much potential today as 10 years ago,” asserts John. “Find and invest aggressively in the AMDs and BLDPs of today, hold on tight through volatility, and $1 million can be a realistic target.”
Now retired, John spends most of his time researching emerging tech trends to spot the next AMD or BLDP. His million-dollar portfolio continues to provide him and his wife financial freedom to pursue dreams like exotic vacations and cruises.
“I hope my unlikely success inspires regular investors and retirees that you don’t need special access on Wall Street to build significant wealth,” concludes John. “With research, conviction, patience, and calculated bets on innovation, life-changing returns are possible, even with modest starting capital.”
So don’t let modest savings discourage you. Take inspiration from John’s unlikely triumphs, focus on tomorrow’s transformative trends, block out short-term noise, and your retirement account could reach exotic heights as well!