Where Investment Language Becomes Clear
We started translating complex financial jargon because too many smart people were making costly decisions based on incomplete understanding. That's still what drives us today.
Making finance accessible since our first terminology guide in 2019
How We Got Here
Back in 2018, Vaughn Estridge was helping his neighbor understand an investment prospectus. Three hours later, they'd barely scratched the surface. The neighbor—a successful small business owner—felt embarrassed about not understanding terms that "everyone should know."
That conversation stuck with Vaughn. He'd spent years in finance watching this same scenario play out. Smart people making important decisions while only half-understanding the language being used.
So he started writing simple explainers. First for friends, then their friends. What began as weekend blog posts became something bigger when readers kept asking the same question: why doesn't anyone else explain it this way?
By 2020, we'd formalized into Sytar Ayoux. The mission hasn't changed—we translate investment terminology into plain language. We just do it for more people now.
What Guides Our Work
Three principles that shape every definition, guide, and resource we create
Clarity Over Cleverness
Finance has enough complexity without adding unnecessary sophistication. We use the simplest words that accurately convey the concept. If a term needs six syllables to explain properly, fine—but we won't add them just to sound impressive.
Context Matters
A definition alone isn't enough. We explain when you'd encounter a term, why it matters, and what questions you should be asking. Understanding how a concept fits into the bigger picture is often more valuable than memorizing the textbook definition.
Respect Reader Intelligence
Not knowing financial jargon doesn't make someone unintelligent—it just means they haven't learned that specific language yet. We explain thoroughly without condescension, assuming readers are perfectly capable of grasping complex ideas when they're presented clearly.
Our Foundation: Real-World Utility
Everything we create must serve a practical purpose. We're not building an academic reference library. We're providing tools that help people make informed decisions about their money. If an explanation doesn't help someone understand their investment options better, we rewrite it until it does.
The People Behind the Platform
Vaughn Estridge
Founder & Lead Content Director
Vaughn spent twelve years in institutional investing before starting Sytar Ayoux. He's written over 400 term explanations and still gets excited when someone tells him they finally understand what a prospectus is actually saying.
He lives in Winnipeg with two rescue dogs who have zero interest in financial terminology. On weekends, you'll usually find him at local coffee shops, testing new explanations on anyone patient enough to listen.
His philosophy: if you can't explain something to a bright twelve-year-old, you don't understand it well enough yourself.
Desmond Falkenberg
Senior Content Developer
Desmond joined in early 2022 after a career split between financial journalism and compliance writing. He brings a unique perspective—he knows both how to make finance interesting and how to ensure every definition is technically accurate.
He specializes in breaking down regulatory language and derivatives terminology. Before Sytar Ayoux, he taught adult education classes on personal finance at Brandon University's community programs.
Ask him about options pricing and he'll talk for an hour. Ask him to explain it simply and he'll do it in five minutes.