#MADEINHEC - From HEC Paris to e-Investing - the entrepreneurial journey of Daryoush Shirazi and Nicolas Domnesques
When Daryoush Shirazi and Nicolas Domnesques crossed paths during the Master of Science X - HEC Entrepreneurs, a simple coffee break quickly led to the creation of e-Investing, a highly successful entrepreneurial venture! This article delves into their HEC Paris experience, the evolution of e-Investing, and their future aspirations.
The HEC Paris experience
Having already obtained degrees in Finance, both Daryoush and Nicolas sought greater opportunities and visibility on their future entrepreneurial paths when they chose to study at HEC Paris. For Daryoush, the Master’s in Management and the Master of Science X-HEC Entrepreneurs were eye-opening. The stimulating and competitive environment of aspiring entrepreneurs from different cultures and ambitions really pushed him to test his limits.
For Nicolas, the most impactful aspects of the program were the hands-on projects, like the HEC Launchpad, and study trips to London and San Francisco. Being surrounded by intelligent, ambitious individuals striving to make a larger impact challenged him to refine his entrepreneurial vision and think bigger.
e-Investing, a personalized investment guide
Financial education is a huge problem in France. People do not know how to confidently manage or invest their savings, and only 52% of adults understand financial concepts like inflation, compound interests or risk diversification. So, e-Investing was born as a solution. Sharing common values, vision, and work ethic, Nicolas and Daryoush co-founded e-Investing, by leveraging over 12 years of combined education in finance, and years of experience at top private and investment banks.
e-Investing is a step-by-step personalized guide that helps clients build and optimize their long-term stock market portfolios. The goal of e-Investing is to minimize clients’ risk while maximizing their portfolio performance and returns.
Everyone has different values and objectives, so each portfolio needs to be tailored to an investor’s risk profile and specific needs. By offering individualized coaching, extensive high-quality videos, well-written guides, books, and even live sessions with financial experts, e-Investing equips clients with the tools and knowledge to successfully manage their portfolios and achieve their objectives.
The average French person holds their savings in dormant accounts that provide returns far lower than the rate of inflation. As Warren Buffet famously said, 'If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.' e-Investing helps clients do exactly that by generating long-term financial growth.
Over a million followers on social media can’t be wrong
During the Covid lockdown in late 2020, Nicolas’s academic courses were online. With extra time on his hands, he sought to do something constructive. After seeing videos on TikTok, he understood that he could add great value to the platform - educational content focused on finance. He posted his first video and gained over 1,000 followers in just one week. Nicolas continued creating content, expanding to other platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube and now has a tight-knit community of over one million followers (Instagram: @nicolas.finance).
This strong social media presence is a result of the high quality, variety, and practical nature of the content. It has also had a significant impact in the rapid development of e-Investing. Clients, both existing and prospective, immediately recognize that Nicolas and Daryoush have strong practical and technical expertise, and this enables them to build client relationships based on mutual trust. Mastering marketing strategies, including creating sales funnels, producing valuable content, and developing products that meet real needs, has also been key to their success. Nicolas holds the best performing portfolio on Shares, a growing investment platform in Europe, further demonstrating his significant investment experience and expertise in portfolio management. This combination of experience and expertise puts Nicolas and Daryoush ahead of any of their competitors in the market.
Looking ahead in their entrepreneurial journey
As e-Investing continues to grow, Nicolas and Daryoush now have thousands of satisfied clients that have joined them to boost their investment journeys. As they help more people, they gain deeper insights into what clients need to improve their stock market investments. The exponential growth of e-Investing has led them to expand their team rapidly, including employing other HEC Paris alumni and financial experts from around the world.
e-Investing educates clients on safe, long-term stock market investments, and they plan to broaden their scope to include real estate, cryptocurrency, and alternative investments. Ultimately, they set their sights on developing a global Fintech platform to democratize finance and make investing accessible to everyone.
Daryoush is half Iranian and half Mexican and grew up in London, while Nicolas is half French and half Italian. This shared international outlook and multicultural mindset is reflected in their global ambitions. Although e-Investing currently caters for French-speaking clients, expanding internationally is one of their future goals. For Daryoush, improving financial literacy in his home country of Mexico is a particularly important objective, as it would significantly contribute to the country's development and future prosperity.
A passion project with tangible impact
Developing, managing, and growing several businesses requires commitment, hard work, and long hours. Yet, Nicolas and Daryoush's passion is their driving force. Knowing that e-Investing helps people achieve their financial objectives and realize their dreams is a constant source of motivation. Some clients have little or no knowledge about investment, while others have already tried investing. Empowering clients to confidently manage their wealth and avoid hidden fees brings immense satisfaction.
Nicolas and Daryoush could have easily pursued high paying careers in top investment banks, but they find it far more rewarding to help clients make informed decisions that lead to financial independence, dream vacations, or early retirement. They know they’re making a tangible impact and are confident they’ve chosen the right path.
Find out more about the Master of Science X-HEC Entrepreneurs