SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Islandpreneur hosted Invest in 2026, a hands-on financial education workshop that helped more than 20 residents understand investing, the stock market, and how to build long-term wealth from St. Maarten.
Held from 3:00 to 7:00 PM as part of Islandpreneur’s Essentials series, the workshop covered how the stock market works, how to choose between stocks and ETFs, and how to start investing locally.
The workshop was facilitated by Isaiah Peterson, a National Youth Pitch (NYP) alumnus and 2021 winning team captain who has invested since age 12, and Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion, also a long-term investor. Together, they combined practical investing knowledge, financial literacy, and technology to empower residents with tools for better financial decisions.
Live demonstrations brought the concepts to life, showing participants how compound interest, dividend growth, and portfolio management drive long-term financial growth.
The session also featured AI-powered tools that helped attendees organize information, compare scenarios, and simulate investment outcomes — supporting research and informed planning rather than replacing personal judgment.
Topics covered during the workshop included:
- Stock market fundamentals, including how markets function and the differences between stocks and ETFs;
- Compounding, dividends, and building a simple, realistic investment plan;
- Understanding risk, diversification strategies, and how to invest from St. Maarten;
- Using AI tools to enhance financial learning, research, and decision-making;
- The importance of long-term investing, consistency, discipline, and avoiding emotional decisions;
- Overview of beginner-friendly investment platforms and tools available to Caribbean residents.
Throughout, facilitators emphasized that investing is a long-term wealth-building process rooted in education, consistency, and responsible decision-making — not a get-rich-quick scheme.
“Financial literacy is not only about personal wealth. It is about opportunity, confidence, and giving people the tools to make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their future,” the organizers stated. “Invest in 2026 was designed to remove the fear around investing and show that the stock market can be understood when it is explained in a practical and accessible way.”
Islandpreneur continues to create learning experiences in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and AI education across St. Maarten and the wider Caribbean, making important financial topics more accessible through practical, technology-supported instruction.
Invest in 2026 reinforced a central message: investing is not only for the wealthy — it is a skill anyone can learn, at any time, on the path to financial freedom.
For more information about Islandpreneur’s events, including workshops, visit https://islandpreneur.co/events. To become an official member and get free access to tools, events, and international network, go to https://community.islandpreneur.co/p/member_signup
