From chats with my barber, I learned not to fear single stocks as a newbie
Lots of people say beginners should only buy index funds, but I think that's too safe. My barber, Joe, put money into a local store he likes, and it taught him how investing works. He follows the business news now and gets why prices move, which is a big deal for learning. Yeah, it can go bad, but using a tiny bit of cash lets you see real results. My coworkers all talk up ETFs, but I feel starting with one stock helps you get it, lol. So, I tell friends new to investing to pick a company they know and try it out.