Unfortunately, investors often move in and out of the stock market at the worst possible times, missing out on that annual return. First things first: You need a brokerage account to alpt — and thus make money — in the stock market. It takes only 15 minutes to set up. More time equals more opportunity for your investments to go up. The best companies tend to increase their profits over time, and investors reward these greater earnings with a higher stock price. That higher price translates into a return for investors who own the stock.