Trader Spotlight: Keith

Today, we shine the spotlight on Keith, who needs no introduction really if you've been around the community for any amount of time. I had the pleasure of speaking with Keith and I walked away from that conversation knowing that he's a man with a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a deep-seated commitment to improving his trading craft. Then, mix in nearly four decades of experience and you can't help but be attracted, and grateful, when he starts or joins a discussion in the community.

In every interaction, Keith embodies the spirit of generosity and support, selflessly offering his wealth of knowledge without hesitation. And you don't have to look far to see his "above and beyond" support and help. Whether it's providing detailed explanations as he did here for Dee, sharing his insights like he did just this morning with a new video on the Earnings Edge tool, or simply lending a supportive hand and making sure traders stay safe as he did here and here, Keith's contributions have undoubtedly enriched the experiences of countless traders.

As we shine the spotlight on Keith, we celebrate not just his achievements, but the invaluable impact he has had on our community. His willingness to share his wisdom, his tireless dedication to helping others succeed, and his unwavering commitment to bring people along in his own trading journey. So, please take a moment to read his story and learn from his experiences. Keith, from all of us here at Option Alpha, thank you for all you do and everyone you help!

Who is Keith? What's your story up until this point in your life?

I am from Vancouver, Canada. But it has been almost 30 years since I lived there. I studied Computer Science and landed my first job with a retail brokerage firm in Vancouver. The world of finance was completely foreign to me then. 

The hiring manager explained in the interview that he was looking for a “whiz kid” computer guy who could address business problems that the company’s IT department could not. With no relevant work experience or business knowledge, I landed the job simply because I fit the “whiz kid” stereotype of the time.

This was 1987. An exciting time to start my career. The movie Wall Street was in theatres, and I witnessed the ’87 crash while working at that brokerage firm. The finance industry captivated me, and before I turned 20 years old, I knew I wanted to specialize in the financial industry. I would learn everything about how a brokerage firm operates and then go on to do the same in other banks and insurance companies.

Whenever I meet someone who has been to Vancouver, they ask why I would ever leave such a beautiful city. I was working for an international bank in the mid-90s when I was presented with a relocation offer I couldn’t refuse. I moved to New York for what I considered at the time to be a temporary intercompany transfer. My intention was to get experience working on Wall Street for a few years and then return to Canada with experience that would prove valuable to the Canadian bank. Within four years, I found myself married with two children and living happily in Smithtown, Long Island, a great place to raise a young family. My temporary move ended up lasting 14 years.

With my family in Vancouver and my wife’s family in Toronto and Hong Kong, we were very much an international family. Our kids were raised with a mix of American, Canadian, and Chinese values. As the kids grew older, and wanting the best for them, my wife convinced me to move the family to Hong Kong. This was 2009 post-financial crisis and a fresh start seemed like a good idea. I fell in love with Hong Kong pretty much immediately. For the kids, it proved to be a safe and nurturing place to come of age. Now in my 15th year in Hong Kong, my work has taken me to most every major market in Asia.

Why did you start trading?

Because my career involved blending finance and technology, I always felt that I would be able to apply technology to trading. When the first online brokerages appeared in the mid-90s, I sought out technology that would give me an edge in trading. In the evenings, I would log on using a dial-up modem and download end-of-day price data to analyze potential trades to enter for the following day. I relied on print magazines like “Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities” to learn about trading and technical analysis. Some of the software and algorithms that I used then I still use variants of today, almost 30 years later.

What trading challenges or struggles did you first encounter when you got started?

I guess the biggest struggle was being consistent and staying active. If market conditions changed and strategies weren’t working, I would get discouraged and walk away frustrated.

What did you try or do to help solve these problems?

Each time I returned to trading, I tried to bring a new perspective and apply new tools or education to better my trading. Learning options in 2019 was where it really clicked for me, and I have been trading pretty much every day since then. 

I don’t believe that there is any fast track to success. Everything I had done previously, including making mistakes, was a necessary part of my development.

How has your trading philosophy changed since you started autotrading with Option Alpha?

My trading philosophy has shifted towards seeking simple strategies with relatively few decisions required. I still feel strongly that not all human decision-making can be removed from trading. I will always be trading a mix of automated, manual, or hybrid strategies.

What advice would you share with someone who is considering a similar path?

Be patient, there is so much to learn.

How do you see trading fitting into your bigger life goals?

I see trading as something to occupy my time in retirement, keep my mind active, and continue to grow and learn. A life goal of mine is also to give back by sharing my knowledge with others, so I hope to find a way to do that in my later years as well.

What's next for you? What does the future look like?

Retirement is still many years away, but I am currently taking some time off to see what life is like without work and the impact of not having a salary. In the past year, I have done some extreme motorcycle trips throughout Mongolia, India, and Vietnam. I recognize that time is precious, and with the physical demands of these sorts of trips, I am making every effort to do them while I can.

As always, if you see Keith around the community, please pass along your thanks and appreciation for everything he does to help traders here at Option Alpha!