Shareplicity 2 Book Review: Danielle Ecuyer Makes Good Investing Easier

Shareplicity 2 by Danielle Ecuyer touts itself was “A guide to investing in US stock markets” and it certainly is that. Upon reading the book, I was struck by its thoroughness and good nature. More than anything, I am left with the impression that this is the author’s heartfelt gift to would-be investors who need someone trustworthy to guide them on the journey.

As she tells it, Danielle Ecuyer’s mother was sucked in by the Poseidon stock bubble. Now I’m too young to remember exactly what that was, but the short version is that it was a massive pump and dump mania. Ecuyer’s Mum got sold on it by a family friend who was a broker, and the error was compounded when the broker refused to follow her instructions. A young Danielle Ecuyer bore witness as her single Mum lost the majority of her life savings, and suffered mentally, as a result.

Shareplicity 2 has all the fastidiousness, thoroughness and storytelling prowess you’d expect if Ecuyer was writing for her own Mum, or even to a young version of herself. Perhaps it was a desire to help those growing up without much financial education in the household, that inspired her to write. After decades working as an equity analyst and then as a private investor, Ecuyer’s effort has been well spent.

Shareplicity 2 will help any reasonable person become a successful stock market investor. It will steer novices away from pitfalls, and help them find the businesses that create value for their shareholders over the long term. An educational book cannot guarantee success, but it sure can skew the odds of success drastically in favour of the reader.

As I mentioned, Shareplicity 2 is very thorough, and reading the entire book could take someone from very little knowledge, to really quite knowledgeble. Certainly, all the building blocks you could need, are there.

Personally, though, I found chapters 5 and 6, on secular megatrends, most inspiring in terms of teaching people what to look for as long term investors. On the other hand, there are sections specifically devoted to ETFs, which might be of special interest to “low touch” investors, but were less relevant to me.

Will Shareplicity 2 Teach Me How To Build A US Stock Porfolio?

Yes. Chapter 8 of Shareplicity 2 is my overall favourite. It is titled “Building a US Stock Portfolio” and does exactly that. Arguably, Chapter 8 alone easily justifies the purchase price of the book.

For all the hype, buzz and excitement about robinhood traders and meme stocks, there is a generation of new investors who needs some heartfelt, trustworthy and easy-to-read guidance. Chapter 8 of Shareplicity 2 succinctly and easily sets would-be investors on a path of success.

One paragraph which is perhaps emblematic of Ecuyer’s style as teacher is when she lists a bunch of ideas for the individual stock component of a portfolio (which sits alongside ETFs). While she calls her list “conservative stock selection”, some of the selections would give bearded value investors (who probably own tobaccos stocks) a serious conniption. While she includes Wells Fargo, Paypal and Disney, she also includes some of the megatrend stocks such as Crowdstrike and Shopify (both of which I own) and Tesla (the ultimate battleground stock). While I probably wouldn’t call these stocks conservatively priced, I like the idea that businesses with long term competitive advantages are conservative investments in terms of business quality.

Chapter 9 of Shareplicity 2 contains a useful set of definitions, as well as some musings on market phenomena that even old hands would find informative. Overall, Shareplicity 2 could be read from start to finish or in chapters. Certainly this guide will leave any novice investor extremely well equipped to proceed, and the book would be a great assistance as a reference to refer back to when needed.

Should I Buy Shareplicity 2 by Danielle Ecuyer?

Shareplicity 2 is a great book to buy for anyone who is considering investing in US stocks. In some ways, Shareplicity 2 would have the most value for people who may not realise they need it. In any event, it is an excellent companion to anyone in the first few years of their investment journey. If that’s you, you should buy this book. And if you know someone in that position, then I thoroughly recommend Shareplicity 2 as a gift. It could end up having a life changing impact on the reader, and I will personally be handing on my own copy to a good friend of mine.

I recollect an old saying that seems like it might fit here. I think it goes, “give a woman a fish and you feed her for a day. Teach a woman to fish and you feed her for a lifetime.”

Was that it?

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