Why this book exists

The author

I'm Kothai Karuppiah, a senior at Coppell High School. When I started looking into finance, I realized how hard it is to picture the actual jobs if nobody around you works in the field. Ask what a private equity associate does and most people shrug.

Opening Bell is the guide I wanted: a tour of the different jobs inside finance, from budgeting at a hospital to buying companies to planning someone's retirement. Each job gets a plain explanation of what the person does all day, and then you meet a handful of people who actually do it.

How the stories are gathered

Every professional gets a short questionnaire. They choose whether to be quoted with their name and job title or stay anonymous, and they sign to confirm. Before anything is printed, each person sees a proof of how they appear.

I turn each person's answers into a short profile instead of a question-and-answer list, since reading five identical lists gets old fast. Some people took a straight path into their job. Others stumbled in. Both are normal.

Work in finance and want to help? Share your story.