# 👨‍🌾 Farm to Table

By [Let Them Eat Cake](https://paragraph.com/@ltecake) · 2022-06-18

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**TL,DR: In order to understand the value of an investment product, you need to understand its origins.** 

**Step 1: The Farm / Issuer**

The food product is planted and cultivated by a farmer looking to raise money

The investment product is conceived and registered by a company looking to raise money

**Step 2: The Factory / Investment Bank**

The food product is sent to a factory to be packaged and vetted for defects in preparation for distribution

The investment product is vetted and prepared for distribution by an investment bank that specializes in public offerings

**Step 3: The Warehouse / Exchange**

The food product is sent to warehouses to store and deliver the product to a network of marketplaces

The investment product is sent to various exchanges and market makers, which give the product credibility and enable distribution to brokerage platforms

**Step 4: The Grocery Store / Brokerage Platform**

The food product appears on the grocery store shelves, ready to be purchased and consumed

The investment product appears on digital brokerage platforms where retail investors can buy and sell the products 

**Step 5: The Kitchen / Investment Account**

The food product is purchased by a consumer and brought home to their kitchen, officially becoming their property and a future snack

The investment product is purchased by an investor and becomes their property and a future source of income

**Step 6: Consumption / Liquidation**

The food product is fully or partially consumed, hopefully to the satisfaction of the buyer

The investment product is fully or partially liquidated by the investor, who hopefully receives more cash during liquidation than they paid during the acquisition

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*Originally published on [Let Them Eat Cake](https://paragraph.com/@ltecake/farm-to-table)*