Michael Deaner is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Adolescent Capital, a business magazine dedicated to providing teens and young adults with the tools to understand money, markets, and the forces that influence economic opportunity. Through accessible insights on financial literacy, equity valuation, and the widening gap between the affluent and the indigent, the publication challenges adolescents to think critically about wealth, responsibility, and impact. More than just a magazine, Adolescent Capital is a movement, empowering the next generation to navigate the financial world and make informed decisions in the future.
My philosophy with respect to money has been formed through lived experience within my family and a strong personal interest in how financial systems operate. My grandparents never had the chance to build meaningful retirement savings because they lost my uncle to cancer when he was only fifteen, and every available dollar was redirected toward experimental treatments and medical care. When they passed away young, they had very little money despite having worked sixty years combined. That experience showed me early that financial plans can be completely disrupted by life’s most unexpected events and that money often becomes a tool for survival rather than comfort.
Later, during middle school, I saw my own father lose his job for seventeen months. During that period, he had no choice but to borrow against his retirement account simply to keep the household afloat and the house from going into foreclosure. I saw the stress and tears that defined his life on a daily basis, and I knew I did not want to carve my own path. Watching that unfold made it clear that income is not guaranteed, and that even responsible adults can be forced into difficult financial decisions when there is no safety net in place. It reinforced for me the importance of liquidity, stability, and preparation.
Because of these events in my life, I came to understand that an emergency fund is not optional; it is absolutely essential. I began to view money as something that must first protect stability before it can be used for opportunity or growth. From a young age, I also developed a strong interest in financial markets and economic behavior, reading extensively to understand how individuals build wealth and how they become vulnerable when unexpected events occur.
Several foundational books helped guide my understanding and deepened my interest in finance and long-term wealth building. These include The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton G. Malkiel, and The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. Each of these works reinforced key ideas such as discipline, long term planning, risk mitigation, and the emotional side of financial decision making.
Beyond personal study, I also worked to expand financial education opportunities within my school community. I appealed to district administration to ensure that the high school began offering the National Financial Literacy Exam and the National Economics Challenge, expanding access to invaluable opportunities in finance and economics for students.
I have qualified for Nationals in Financial Literacy in DECA and in the Finance and Insurance category in FBLA, meaningful experiences that further strengthened my commitment to applied financial learning. I also advocated for three months for the school to offer AP Business Principles with Financial Literacy in its first year, even after initially being told it would not be offered, working to demonstrate student demand and the importance of formal financial education within the curriculum. It is unfortunate that so many people grow up without a mandatory financial literacy course, leaving them to navigate essential financial decisions without the tools or guidance they need.
Together, the events of my life reflect a belief that financial security comes from preparation, saving, and a clear understanding of how to protect and grow capital while navigating uncertainty. One path I may explore is the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. All I know is that my passion for saving and investing will guide me to live below my means and to avoid the pressure of keeping up with others.