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How to Become an Individual Investor: A Roadmap from Getting Started to Going Full Time

This beginner-friendly guide explains the steps to becoming an individual investor. It also introduces the lifestyles of full-time, part-time, and salaried investors, along with ways to use real estate investment.

Last updated: About 1 min read

An individual investor is someone who invests independently rather than as part of an organization. No special qualification is required to become an investor, and you can start as soon as you open a brokerage account.This article explains the steps to becoming an investor and the lifestyles of successful investors.

How can you become an individual investor?

Step 1: Make your debut as an investor

The first step is to open an account with a brokerage firm and begin trading, even with a small amount.Open the account with the intention of trading FX or stocks. Today, more services allow you to get started with a modest amount of capital.

Step 2: Build your assets steadily

Use automated trading tools and limit orders, and set achievable goals such as 5,000 to 10,000 yen per month so you can accumulate profits consistently and step by step.

Step 3: Invest in higher-value products

Once your investment capital reaches several million yen to around 10 million yen, it becomes possible to enter real estate investing or higher-yield investment funds. The larger the amount you invest, the greater the potential profit.

Step 4: Make investing your livelihood

To earn an annual income of 5 million yen from an average stock dividend yield of about 1.6%, you would need roughly 310 million yen in stocks. A more realistic approach is to combine investment funds yielding 3% with real estate investments yielding 8% to 10%.

What are the three lifestyles of individual investors?

Full-time investor

An investor who makes a living solely from investment income. For a day trader, a common routine is to check economic news at 6 a.m., trade stocks from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and review the U.S. market at 11:30 p.m.

Part-time investor

An investor who balances investing with other work. One advantage is that even when market volatility creates risk, other income can provide stability.

Salaried investor

Many investors are said to be salaried investors.A common style is to gather information during lunch breaks or after work and then focus on swing trading or long-term investing.

FAQ

Q. What age is best to start investing?

The earlier, the better, but even if you start at 40, it is still possible to build sufficient assets by age 50.

Q. Do individual investors need any qualifications?

No special qualifications are required for investing. Any adult can open a brokerage account.

Q. Is real estate investing suitable for individual investors?

Some properties offer yields of 8% to 10%, making them a strong option for stable income gains. However, because the initial investment is large, it is advisable to build your assets gradually before entering this area.

Daisuke Inazawa, President & CEO of INA&Associates Inc.

Author

President & CEOINA&Associates Inc.

President & CEO of INA&Associates Inc. Leads real estate brokerage, rental leasing, and property management across Greater Tokyo and the Kansai region. Specialises in income-property investment strategy and advisory for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Daisuke Inazawa is the President and CEO of INA&Associates Inc., a Japanese real estate firm headquartered in Osaka with a Tokyo branch. He leads the company's three core businesses — real estate sales brokerage, rental leasing, and property management — across the Greater Tokyo Area and the Kansai region.

His areas of expertise include investment strategy for income-generating real estate, profitability optimisation of rental operations, real estate advisory for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and institutional investors, and cross-border real estate investment. He provides data-driven, long-horizon advisory to investors in Japan and overseas.

Under the management philosophy "a company's most important asset is its people," he positions INA&Associates as a "people-investment company" and is committed to sustainable corporate-value creation through talent development. He also writes and speaks publicly on leadership and organisational culture in times of change.

He has passed eleven Japanese professional qualification examinations: Licensed Real Estate Broker (Takken), Certified Real Estate Consulting Master, Licensed Condominium Manager, Licensed Building Management Supervisor, Certified Rental Housing Management Professional, Gyōseishoshi Lawyer (administrative scrivener), Certified Personal Information Protection Officer, Class-A Fire Prevention Manager, Certified Auctioned Real Estate Specialist, Certified Condominium Maintenance Engineer, and Licensed Moneylending Operations Supervisor.

  • Licensed Real Estate Broker (Takken)
  • Certified Real Estate Consulting Master
  • Licensed Condominium Manager
  • Licensed Building Management Supervisor
  • Certified Rental Housing Management Professional
  • Gyōseishoshi Lawyer (Administrative Scrivener)
  • Certified Personal Information Protection Officer
  • Class-A Fire Prevention Manager
  • Certified Auctioned Real Estate Specialist
  • Certified Condominium Maintenance Engineer
  • Licensed Moneylending Operations Supervisor