The $1000 / month cofounder
- Thread starter Aquarians
- Start date
How can you tell them apart?
Problem: proprietary trading strategy. End product: prop shop, started by shop runners, used by shop runners. No snake oil as "I've built this amazing software product which really makes money, not a scam really, I'm using it myself and make tons of money, let my grandma die if I'm lying (she's dead already), so much money actually that I'm generously selling it to you too for a very reasonable fee so you too can make money like me and be successful. It's also very easy to use, anyone can do it, the entire UI consists of a single button labeled 'Make money!
', a significant improvement from the previous UI which also had a button 'Lose money! 
' and silly clients kept pushing it".Programming is not a problem, I can do anything by myself. The problem is finding an edge. And while I'm working hard on it and eventually I *will* find it (them), I'm also considering the option of joining forces with someone in my situation.
I *did* find people interested in what they call a collaboration, problem's the value they attribute to that collaboration.
Essentially I've found lot of guys looking to test their wild research idea for free, me coding it for them and splitting the profits, should the thing prove to be profitable.
There are several problems with this:
1) The only value "free" has is zero and I'm not wasting my time on something that's worth nothing.
2) I'm never in a shortage of ideas myself and experience says most of them fail lamentably and very few have some slight value which can be used in further research, asymptotically achieving profitability.
Problem's to get those ideas I'm investing time (overtime work after day job), money (buying marketdata fees, renting an apartment close to work so I save commute time and use it for development instead of wasting it in transit) and above all knowledge (programming at a level where I can essentially do *anything* that's done today and math / quant finance at PhD level, continuously accumulating new stuff and filter the existing to get a grasp what works and what not).
So I'm *very* well aware of how hard it is technically, monetarily and finding the time to work on it. And I'm sorry to say but NOONE of the guys who proposed "code my ideas for free" is remotely close to what I'd consider valuable in terms of knowledge, time worked or at least spending some measly HARD MONEY on their ideas.
Therefore NO FREE CODING from me. I'm re-instating the 2x$1000 / month idea in order to make such guys evntually grok their problem: FREE IS WORTHLESS. If you don't invest HARD MONEY in TESTING your ideas (which you are very aware they have a very high chance of failure so you're not committing hard money on them), then you're gonna have to find another sucker or just (learn to) program it yourself.
Problem: proprietary trading strategy. End product: prop shop, started by shop runners, used by shop runners. No snake oil as "I've built this amazing software product which really makes money, not a scam really, I'm using it myself and make tons of money, let my grandma die if I'm lying (she's dead already), so much money actually that I'm generously selling it to you too for a very reasonable fee so you too can make money like me and be successful. It's also very easy to use, anyone can do it, the entire UI consists of a single button labeled 'Make money!
Got it. I am taking a different approach. Rather than focussing on discovering a single profitable strategy, I am building a platform that will dramatically reduce the time required to find profitable strategies. As I see it, a huge problem for Algo traders is finding strategies that have an edge and determining when their strategies no longer have an edge. So the product is not a magical strategy that will make the customer rich, but rather a toolbox that can quickly help to test their ideas so they can find their own strategies.
I am sorry, I thought it was the other way around. Sounds like you one of type of people I would hire in the past and most likely in a few years down the line. "We" started 18 months ago only the other way around, my best friend has more than full time job and does all the programming part time and in 40 years, I have more than one hundred concepts on how to trade futures, stocks and options. Big issue for me has been except for three people, I don't trust anyone, and all three will be involved in Hedge fund we are starting. One partner and other two later on so we can have business pay salaries/stock options. One them live in the states and other elsewhere, one will have to relocate. Although all have said I given away way too much of a business to a programmer, I trust him, and that is bottom line. But I do know I gave away 50% to someone without me has no chance of ever getting out of his profession-too late to start elsewhere, and at my age starting such an endeavor is really a gift I am giving my friend-a new start on life. He has zero experience owning a business, so I been teaching him, where he will really earn his 50% is later. I have accomplished all my financial goals, so new goals of forming businesses to employ people on tech side and others are directions we will start, I don't believe in retirement when you work at what you love.
What you up against, unless you find an very experienced trader who is tired of going at it alone(most have already programmed), what you are paying him is way too little and to be honest, no one with huge experience is going to give you much percentages even though I can see you are talented from your web pages, but I have hired guys like you for much less than being a part owner.
My best advise is contact physicians and dentist who are too getting burned out from what they do, in my experience they are very good at options. And if you still available in 2-3 years, would fly you out for interview on ground floor of new business. I think your situation best would be at beginning of a new business and getting stock options/relocation/salary/ for a quality of life company.
Good luck to you Sir.
How is it going to be different than is what is already out there for retail?