|
Create Date: 2008-05-27 13:16:59 | Popularity Level: 104 |
|
| |
2008-11-22 04:00:14
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
| |
|
|
|
|
star trader | 2008-06-27 11:45:41 |
|
|
Interview with Maciej Golinski
This 36-year-old has created one of the most successful futures trading systems on Collective2, Have Fun. In this free-wheeling interview, conducted on June 20, 2008, Maciej talks about his philosophy of trading-system design, gives advice to system developers and subscribers on C2, and finally offers to buy other C2 users a drink. The catch? His bar of choice is in Warsaw, Poland. Read on...
Q: All right, Maciej, Im going to ask the banal question you dread. Why did you name your trading system Have Fun? Since when is trading... fun?
A: Trading is tough. If you
e going to remain a trader for long, you must enjoy yourself. Otherwise, why bother? Combine that philosophy with my other basic rule of trading -- that simplicity is better than complexity -- and you can see how I came up with the name.
Q: Tell us about the algorithm behind your system. Do you use a set of indicators? If so, which ones?
A: For obvious reasons, Im not going to reveal exactly whats going on inside the Have Fun black box. But I can tell you the following. First, its not necessary to make a lot of trades in order to make a lot of money. More important than the number of transactions is their quality. So I look for transactions with a maximum chance of success. Second, a good method of investing does not have to be complicated. The strength of my method lies in its simplicity. Instead of searching for magic formulas or indicators, I rely entirely on what’s crucial, and that is the price. Third, instead of struggling with market forces, I try to make the most of them. I check where stock market sharks are -– those biggest players who influence the market -- and I try to follow them and benefit from the momentum they create.
Fourth, I try to be moderate and use common sense. I always keep in mind that the market is ruled by fear and greed. I try to prevent these emotions from controlling me. If I need to sit on the sidelines, I do. I’d rather miss a bargain than lose my hard-earned money.
Q. You live in Warsaw, Poland, nearly five thousand miles away from Collective2s headquarters. How did you discover C2?
A. Well, obviously it wasn a case of me walking by on the street! I discovered C2 the way you discover everything nowadays -- surfing the Internet. It was quite a long time ago. I was doing a weekly scan of whats new in the markets and I came across this completely new site – C2. I clearly remember my feelings. First, I thought: What a terrible name for a Web site. And second, I thought Collective2 was exactly what I had been looking for. I love the idea of a marketplace where trading-system creators and clients can meet and make transactions. It’s so simple, and so ingenious!
Q. So how does a young man from Warsaw, Poland find himself in the world of trading systems?
A. I’ve been interested in finance ever since I can remember. Free markets were introduced in Poland in 1991. Soon after, I opened my first stock trading account. I remember those days very clearly. It wasn like it is today. In order to place an order at your broker, you had to wait in line. Literally: you needed to stand at a queue and wait for a clerk to serve you! Only the very few privileged people could place orders by phone.
But it didn matter. I was hooked. I was so passionate about the stock exchange that I wrote my MA dissertation on the possibilities of investing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. After I graduated from the department of Foreign Trade at the University of Lodz, I started working for an international company as a manager in a restaurant. I quickly got promoted, and after three years, I became its operating director. As the company expanded, I grew with it. At the age of 29 I became the youngest president of Polish branch in its history.
But I soon realized that working in the corporate world did not fully satisfy me. After 9 years, I decided to leave the company and become professional trader.
I’m 36 now. Looking back, I can honestly say that trading has given me professional fulfillment, independence and financial freedom. I love it.
Q. So, back to your trading system, Have Fun. Surely you must be pleased with the results?
A. Yes, of course. What gives me special satisfaction is the low drawdown.
Another thing that is important to me is that its easy for subscribers to follow Have Funs signals. In this respect, I owe a lot to my clients. Thanks to their feedback, I think I have managed to create a trading system which not only is profitable, but also is easy to follow -- especially for beginning traders.
The last factor that I’m proud of is the really low number of losing transactions in a row. Obviously thats not something we can guarantee in the future, but in terms of historical results, Im very pleased.
Of course, what really matters is what the customers think. So Im going to leave the final judgment about Have Fun up to my subscribers.
Q. Lets talk about those subscribers. What advice would you give to a subscriber who just discovered C2 and is shopping around for trading systems?
That is an extremely important and difficult question. We don have enough time in this interview to answer it fully. But let me take a crack at it. First of all, I would encourage everyone to make sure they fully understand how the C2 site works. It has a lot of useful features designed to help you choose the best system for your personal needs. When you see something on C2 you don understand, the best thing you can do is ask, ask, and ask again. I know from experience how much time it may take to explain to a client how a given system works, but a client has the right to ask.
Next, I would strongly discourage you from trying new, untested systems. For example, I have a new system on C2 called Have Fun Intraday. But before you decide to put your trust in it, you should take the opportunity to observe how it works for at least half a year. Also, you should study how systems behave at difficult moments. What matters more than the amount you can earn is the amount you can lose. Choose systems which try to protect your capital. Systems that make big bets will lose big bets... eventually.
Q. Thats good advice for the subscriber. What about advice for a new system developer -- someone who is considering offering his system on C2?
First of all, I believe in win-win cooperation. A developer should treat his subscriber as a partner with whom he will work for many years to come. Therefore I would encourage everyone to sell systems that are reliable and tested. Don’t make promises that you cannot keep. Customers are intelligent. They can be tempted for a month or two, but if you fail them, then you will lose them forever.
Another important factor to consider when designing a system is whether it is easy to follow. For example, both scalping systems with frequent trading, and trend-following systems with low winning percentages will be difficult to use by clients. In the first case, the issue will be mechanical difficulty -- how can you follow so many signals? -- and in the second case, the issue will be psychological -- how can you ask a subscriber to take your advice after youve issued a long series of losing trades?
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your free time, when not running your trading systems on Collective2?
If you enjoy surfing in summer, or skiing in winter, and are planning a trip to Europe, get in touch. We’ll surf or ski together in the day, and in the evening we’ll try to predict what can happen on the market the next day. And we’ll place our bets. But beware, the loser pays for the first round of drinks in the bar! |
|
|
| |
Add comment
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
