CPA Reacts: Are We Heading Toward a Market Crash?

Hi there. I’m Noel. I’m a CPA, and I make videos on YouTube.

I wanted to make my own video on these market crash type videos because I see a bunch of them on YouTube, and I wanted to chime in. I didn’t want to rehash the same type of video, so this is my take on: are we headed toward another market crash?

Living Through the Dot-Com Bust

I’ve lived through two of the worst market crashes in modern history. The first was the Dotcom Bust. I was there.

I was making money hand over fist with tech and internet stocks. It felt like the only direction for stocks was higher. Anything with a dotcom in its name soared. Even companies with no revenue or business plan saw their stocks jump overnight.

If you weren’t invested, you felt like an idiot. Friends wouldn’t stop bragging about how much they were making. I remember sitting at a local bar where everyone was talking about the hot stock of the week. That should have been the sign that the market was topping out.

Then came the crash. Margin calls wiped people out. My friend Jim—may he rest in peace—called me in a panic asking how my stocks were doing. I told him “not good,” and honestly, I had to get off the phone. I didn’t even want to face it.

Afterward, we all said the same thing: why didn’t we pull some money out and buy real estate?

The 2008 Financial Crisis

Years later, the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 hit. By then I was older and a little wiser.

I didn’t have as much in the stock market that time around, but I saw the signs: high valuations, speculation, irrational exuberance. I was more cautious.

When the housing market started correcting, I bought my home around that time—and I got a pretty good deal.

Warning Signs I See Today

So when I say the warning signs of another crash are flashing again today, I’m not trying to scare you. I’m not even trying to prepare you. I’m trying to prepare myself—and maybe those around me.

I’m seeing the same kinds of things I saw before both crashes: stretched valuations, hype, and overconfidence that stocks will just keep going up.

History doesn’t repeat exactly, but it does rhyme. And right now, it’s rhyming a lot with 2000 and 2008.

Lessons for Investors and Beginners

If you’re new to investing, here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:

• Don’t chase hype.

• Don’t assume the market will always go up.

• Fundamentals matter.

• Leverage and margin can wipe you out fast.

Crashes happen. But if you stay disciplined, diversify, and respect risk, you can survive them and even find opportunities when markets recover.

What I Tell My Kids

I like to tell my kids there are two ways to learn things. You can either learn from your own mistakes, or you can learn by observing and learning from the mistakes of others.

I’ve lived through two big crashes, and I’ve seen the signs—the hype, the euphoria, the blind optimism. And I’m seeing echoes of that again today.

That doesn’t mean a crash is coming tomorrow. It doesn’t mean everything is doomed. But I think it’s always wise to pause, step back, and remember that markets don’t go up forever.

Eventually, they correct. Sometimes gently, sometimes violently. But they always do.

I’ve made mistakes in the past, and I don’t want this to be about regret. It’s about perspective. If this gives you something to think about, something to reflect on, then I think it was worth sharing.

Conclusion

So, are we heading toward another market crash? Nobody can say for sure, but the signs are worth paying attention to. 

Watch the full YouTube video here for my complete breakdown and share your thoughts in the comments. Do you think another crash is coming?

Thanks for spending this time with me. And if you found this helpful, consider sharing it with someone who might need it.