Obsessive Dedication, Not Clock‑in Mindset, Builds Top Firms
I really appreciate this take, and it’s certainly true. Building a firm from scratch into one of the top performers in the space takes a level of dedication and obsession that you simply cannot accomplish with a “clocking in and clocking out” mindset. And it certainly does not come with the view that “what I do isn’t that serious.” It’s the literal opposite of what these people are critiquing in my original post. Be obsessed, go after it, and take what you do very seriously. Ignore all the pedantic arguments.
Sell Volatility only when the Risk Is Properly Compensated
Selling volatility gets a bad reputation. But most people confuse it with doing something that exposes you to terminal risk. Although often used synonymously, selling uncapped convexity with an extreme tail nature to it is different than selling vol. There is...
Patek Disappoints at Watches & Wonders; Vacheron Shines
Patek kind of dropped the ball at Watches and Wonders this year. I’m pretty disappointed with the releases. Honestly, it feels like Vacheron Constantin came in and did what you’d expect Patek Philippe to do as a fan 😞 What you guys...
Vol Trading Thrives Whenever Fed Steers Markets
2018: Great year for vol trading 2020: Historically great year for vol trading 2024: Good year for vol trading 2025: Great year for vol trading 2026 (Q1): Good start for vol trading All under “Fed control”…….. Lol
US Stock Market Health Drives Global Economy and Consumer Spending
This is part of why this administration cares so much about equity markets. The moment the market enters a real sustained drawdown, 401ks, retirement programs are impacted and Americans begin holding on to every dollar they have. That behavior alone...
Equity Derivatives Offer Abundant Opportunities Regardless of Market Direction
Whether you believe asset prices will go higher or go lower from here there is a LOT of opportunity right now in the equity derivatives market. Weekend filled with digging through different vol surfaces, data, and shocks and slides. Stay...
Know Who’s Trading: Break Down Market Participants
I think this is a useful teaching moment, so I’ll try to expand on it a bit. Over the last few weeks, I’ve heard a lot of statements like “most participants are short,” “everyone is hedged,” and “the pain trade is...
Turn Weekends Into Productive, Enjoyable Power Sessions
Weekends are a great chance to put in the extra work. Live it, breathe it, enjoy it 🫡🫡🫡
Rethink U.S. Defense Spending Amid War Escalation
Nobody wants to see war escalate. Lives being lost is never something that should be promoted to be pursued. However, as a taxpaying American citizen, if Trump does pull back, I do think there needs to be a complete rethinking of...
Volatility Is Volatile: Expect Choppy, Unpredictable Paths
No clue if markets go up, down, or sideways. But throughout this recent debacle, it has been clear to me that a lot of folks do not realize that volatility is very… well….volatile. When people look at charts and data from...
Stone Cold: Pre‑Social Media Viral Marketing Masterclass
Apparently it’s 3:16 day. There are very few men in the history of mankind who could get 60,000 people jumping out of their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs, and millions around the world on the edge of...
Vol and Bond Markets Signal Inside News Ahead
Spot vol beta in the VIX complex was relatively hot yesterday. Nothing insane, but more towards the high end of what we usually see. S&P closed down about 60bps, VIX up about a vol point /VX up about 4%. Strong...
AI Accelerates Market Signal Turnover and Degradation
One thing I feel strongly about regarding AI is that, when it comes to trading, we are going to witness a streamlined cycle of signal degradation. Classical signals will become crowded very quickly. The market will rotate through those cycles faster...