Will Gendron

Chief Operating Officer
Will joined Option Alpha in 2018 after serving as the CEO of eForms.com. Prior to eForms, Will worked in NYC as an acquisitions specialist for a family office investing in multi-family real estate. An early believer in auto-trading, Will was Alta5's first investor prior to merging with Option Alpha. During his off time, he enjoys cycling and going on adventures with his wife and dog, Leo.
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Podcasts shows
Show #208
33 mins
The Importance of Deep Work for Traders
What is "Deep Work?" How can it help your investing and your life? In this episode, we'll discuss the concept's roots and share tips to improve your daily routine.
Sep 13, 2021
Show #207
47 mins
The Option Alpha "Handbook"
Learn more about the Option Alpha Handbook, a free, non-subjective, digital encyclopedia for everything you want to know about trading.
Aug 16, 2021
Show #206
1 hour 26 mins
Trendy Short Put Spread [Bot Talk]
Follow along step-by-step as we build a bot and update automations. Learn how to use the Backtester to identify a strategy and create a bot template with simple, specific decision criteria.
Aug 11, 2021
Show #205
36 mins
Hedging vs. Diversifying
What is hedging? What is diversifying? Are they the same thing? This episode takes a closer look at the pros and cons of each concept, portfolio risk management, and what you really need to know about correlation.
Aug 2, 2021
Show #204
22 mins
How to Intelligently Use SmartStops
Learn how to intelligently use SmartStops to optimize your trade exits with Option Alpha's proprietary technology that lets you set a profit target and trail the position with a stop loss.
Jul 26, 2021
Show #203
52 mins
Interview w/ Pete Mulmat - Futures And The Small Exchange
On this episode, Pete Mulmat of the Small Exchange joins the podcast to discuss futures contracts. Learn why Pete is on a mission to make futures more accessible with small, standardized, and simple contracts.
Jul 19, 2021
Show #202
34 mins
8 Popular Decision Recipes for Automated Trading
Decision recipes are the building blocks of automations. On this episode, we highlight eight popular decision recipes used in the autotrading platform.
Jul 12, 2021
Show #201
46 mins
Interview w/ Jason Goepfert of SentimenTrader.com
In this interview, Jason Goepfert discusses investor psychology, managing risk exposure, and whether market sentiment analysis actually works.
Jul 5, 2021
Show #200
34 mins
A Case Study on the Volatility of Bid-Ask Spreads
On this episode, we do a deep dive into the volatility of bid-ask spreads with four case studies, and discuss how you can use automation to address pricing anomalies.
Jul 1, 2021
Show #199
46 mins
Automated Does Not Mean Unattended
On this episode, we talk about the future of automated trading, if automated trading provides an edge, and the possible downsides of automated trading that you should carefully consider.
Jun 14, 2021
Show #198
1 hour 8 mins
State of the Union: Same Mission, Better Tools
On this week's show, we'll do a mini "State of the Union" on what we've been up to, what's new, and what you can expect moving forward.
Jun 7, 2021
Show #197
1 hour 5 mins
Fully Automated Trend Trading w/ Stocks or Options
This podcast walks through the two macro trend bots we built to demonstrate how you can start leveraging the new automation tools at Option Alpha to trade either stocks or options in a trend.
Oct 22, 2020
Show #196
44 mins
Hedging Short Naked Puts
This show is dedicated to helping you understand all the different ways you can hedge a short naked put.
Oct 19, 2020
Show #195
1 hour 6 mins
Short-Term Performance of Long-Term Strategies
It’s well documented that investors not only chase performance, ultimately yielding sub-par performance in pursuit, but they also do not have enough patience to stick with strategies long enough. My hope is that it ends today. You should objectively look at strategies for what their expected outcome range is, not what it’s done recently.
Oct 15, 2020
Show #194
46 mins
Interview with Cameron Skinner
In today’s show I welcome back Cameron Skinner to learn more about his strategy when trading options.
Oct 13, 2020
Show #193
46 mins
An Automated Way to Start VIX Hedging
In this episode I walk through just one type of strategy that I think is the tip of the iceberg for situational trading and hedging bots. This example automates hedging using the VIX.
Oct 9, 2020
Show #192
50 mins
Deep Dive into Options Assignment & Exercising
In this show, we will go through 18 questions to help you prepare for the inevitable moment of options exercise and assignment.
Oct 6, 2020
Show #191
59 mins
The 13 Investor Biases that Ruin Your Performance
This podcast is geared specifically at exposing 13 classic and detrimental investor biases that ruin performance. Any of these sound familiar?
Sep 29, 2020
Show #190
41 mins
A Zillion Ways You Can Save Money to Invest
I’m going to help you break down the zillion ways you can save money to invest in core concepts that I have used my own life to save money at an incredible pace.
Sep 15, 2020
Show #189
1 hour 5 mins
We’re Launching the 1st Automated Trading Platform for Options
In this episode we answer some common questions about the new autotrading platform. We’re also going to go through some of the features you will love about it.
Sep 6, 2020
Show #188
1 hour 17 mins
Options Trading Taxes for All Traders
When it comes to trading, tax concepts and terminology can get complicated fast. Our goal in this episode is to help educate and explain trading taxes for all traders so that it’s useful to you moving forward.
Aug 10, 2020
Show #187
34 mins
15 Options Expiration Questions Answered
We answer 15 of the most popular options expiration questions to help you understand and effectively navigate options expiration.
Aug 3, 2020
Show #186
29 mins
Vacation Checklist for Option Traders
This is a vacation checklist for options traders to use before going off the grid so you don’t have any surprises when you turn your computer back on after a few days of market activity.
Jul 27, 2020
Show #185
51 mins
How to Execute and Fill Options Trades
This show is dedicated to executing and filling options trades.
Jul 20, 2020
Show #184
51 mins
Adjustments Followed by Assignment [FXI Case Study]
This episode is a case study of a recent FXI position in which we were assigned stock. I'll walk through the entire position from start to finish, including all the profit and loss calculations with adjustments and early assignment.
Jul 13, 2020
Show #183
40 mins
The Predictive Power of Investor Sentiment
We explore investor sentiment from all angles and help discover which readings, if any, give predictive power to future stock market returns or trends.
Jul 6, 2020
Show #182
48 mins
Trading Psychology & Emotional Intelligence for Options Traders
This trading psychology podcast was curated to help you learn how to more effectively recognize and manage the dozens of emotional and cognitive responses you’ll encounter in your trading career.
Jun 29, 2020
Show #181
58 mins
Correlation Research Suggests Diversification Fails When You Need It Most
This podcast episode helps to explain why diversification fails when multiple securities autocorrelate during market drawdowns.
Jun 18, 2020
Show #180
35 mins
The Best Covered Call Management Techniques
This podcast episode features the best covered call management techniques for stock and options traders.
May 20, 2020
Show #179
46 mins
LEAPS Option Contracts – A Complete Guide for Traders
We’re diving deep into “LEAPS” options contract in this podcast episode with a comprehensive guide for traders to help you make the best decisions for your portfolio.
May 15, 2020
Show #178
44 mins
Box Spread Basics for Options Traders
This podcast episode takes an in-depth look at box spread basics, their advantages and disadvantages, and how they can be used by options traders.
May 9, 2020
Show #177
35 mins
The Trader’s Guide to Index Options
This is a trader's guide to index options, how they work, how they are different, and what you need to be aware of if you decide to start trading them in your portfolio.
Apr 22, 2020
Show #176
38 mins
Protective Put Strategy Research Findings
After some in-depth research, these are the findings of the protective put strategy and its effectiveness at protecting or hedging stock positions.
Apr 15, 2020
Show #175
51 mins
The Impact of Volatility on Options
In this episode, we discuss the impact of volatility on options pricing.
Apr 8, 2020
Show #174
1 hour 5 mins
We Stopped Trading Earnings After We Saw this New Research
In this podcast, I walk through the research on earnings moves and how different options strategies performed under various setups and conditions.
Mar 31, 2020
Show #173
1 hour 19 mins
The Misbehavior of Markets – Exclusive Interview w/ Co-Author Richard Hudson
We’re excited and honored to have a very special guest on the podcast, Richard Hudson. We discuss the misbehavior of markets and why financial models are flawed.
Mar 27, 2020
Show #172
2 hours 1 min
Mastering Covered Calls (Free Audiobook)
This episode is a recording of the newest book Option Alpha released entitled “Mastering Covered Calls.” I encourage you to pick up your copy now (did we mention it’s 100% free) and follow along as you listen to this audiobook.
Mar 21, 2020
Show #171
29 mins
Covered Calls – Top 3 Performance Insights from New Research
On this episode we go over the top three performance insights we learned from our massive study on covered call performance.
Mar 14, 2020
Show #170
24 mins
The 5 Critical Factors for ANY Trading Strategy
In this episode I want to cover the 5 critical factors that your trading strategy should have. To us, these serve as the foundational elements for choosing which investing vehicles, indicators, or systems most appropriately fit your portfolio.
Dec 31, 2019
Show #169
1 hours 3 mins
Interview w/ Kevin Davitt – Former Market Maker & CBOE Senior Instructor
Check out our interview with former market maker and CBOE instructor Kevin Davitt. You're going to love this candid and wide-ranging discussion as much as we enjoyed the time with Kevin.
Nov 30, 2019
Show #168
48 mins
The 27 Biggest Options Trading Fears
This is a list of the 27 biggest fears and questions traders in our community have about options trading.
Nov 1, 2019
Show #167
22 mins
Options Trading Profit Targets – When Should You Break the Rules?
These are the 3 potential market setups that lead us to break our profit-taking rules, based on the Profit Matrix research about holding positions longer towards expiration.
Oct 24, 2019
Show #166
22 mins
Understanding the Put-Call Ratio the Right Way
In this podcast episode, we'll discuss the put-call ratio and investigate if it is a useful market indicator.
Oct 18, 2019
Show #165
56 mins
Trading Options? Here Are the 11 “Golden Rules” to Follow
In the world of investing, and specifically trading options, you need to live by certain rules that keep you safe and protected from the unknowns of the market. These are the 11 golden rules to follow.
Oct 7, 2019
Show #164
24 mins
The 2 Major Problems with Buying Options During Low IV Markets
Since we are option sellers and our edge comes from selling overpriced options when IV is high, it's natural to assume that buying options during low IV markets is a way to make money. This podcast explains why that is not always true.
Sep 30, 2019
Show #163
42 mins
The 5 Month “Grind” Following XLE Short Put Option Assignment
This episode provides an in-depth look at a short put options trade that resulted in assignment of long shares of stock. With patience, mechanical adjustments, and proper position sizing we were able to manage this position over many months.
Sep 27, 2019
Show #161
45 mins
Interview w/ Kevin Smith & Tavi Costa of Crescat Capital
In this podcast episode, we interview Kevin Smith and Tavi Costa from Crescat Capital, a top performing macro hedge fund.
Jul 22, 2019
Show #160
1 Hour 34 mins
Option Alpha’s New Autotrading Platform Updates
This is an updated look at the progress of the new autotrading platform at the time of recording. Will and Rob from the Option Alpha team join Kirk for an in-depth discussion about the new platform.
Jul 16, 2019
Show #159
54 mins
How to Build an Options Portfolio with Just $3,000
Learn how to build an options portfolio with $3,000.
Jun 24, 2019
Show #158
44 mins
What Should We Do About this Losing Option Trade? First, Trust the Process
The truth is that you are going to have losing trades, a lot of them, over the course of your career. The first step on your road to elevating yourself is to ask yourself, "Can I trust the process?"
Jun 21, 2019
Show #157
35 mins
The Untold Story of the 3 Little Pigs that Traded Options
In this podcast I talk about why it's important we know the story of the three little pigs that traded options. I'll walk through each of the different portfolios the three little pigs used and how volatility and variance can impact long-term performance.
Apr 19, 2019
Show #156
23 mins
The 4 Market Situations You Should Avoid Aggressively Trading
In this podcast I walk through the four general market situations I avoid trading aggressively.
Apr 6, 2019
Show #155
27 mins
Ask Yourself These 7 Questions Before You Put on an Options Trade
Before you place your next options trade you need to ask yourself these 7 questions first.
Mar 17, 2019
Show #154
51 mins
The 17 Most Asked Questions by Option Alpha Members w/ Answers
This podcast is dedicated to the 17 most popular questions we are asked by Option Alpha members.
Feb 13, 2019
Show #153
38 mins
TLT Iron Butterfly & Covered Call Walk-Thru
If you trade iron butterflies today's case study is for you. We walk through our assignment and covered call adjustment that ultimately netted a profit.
Feb 7, 2019
Show #151
34 mins
Adjusting Short Straddles for $540 Profit (EWZ Case Study)
In this show we'll focus on our most recent case study in EWZ, a trade in which we turned a losing set of straddles into a $540 winner with a little patience and some mechanical adjusting.
Jan 16, 2019
Show #150
30 mins
How to Manage Your Money & Generate Wealth the Right Way
Learn how to manage your money and generate wealth with this 3 step process..
Dec 21, 2018
Show #149
53 mins
Assigned Option Contract Case Study in Gold ETF GLD
Were you recently assigned an options contract in your account? Here's a case study on how to manage the new stock shares moving forward.
Dec 10, 2018
Show #148
38 mins
The 5×2 Trading Psychology Matrix
This episode focuses on what I'm calling the 5x2 trading psychology matrix. This "victim matrix" has 2 paths you can follow every trading event, and each path has 5 stages or steps.
Nov 28, 2018
Show #147
47 mins
Interview w/ Former CBOE Options Market Maker David Lincoln
On this show, I have the opportunity to interview former CBOE options market maker and volatility trader David Lincoln. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
Nov 8, 2018
Show #146
32 mins
Are You Making These 11 Common Options Strategy Mistakes?
Do you trade options? Struggling to be profitable? See if you are making these 11 common options strategy mistakes.
Oct 17, 2018
Show #145
26 mins
Backtesting Results Trading Monthly vs. Bi-Monthly Options for 10 Years
In this episode, we use backtesting results take a deeper look at whether it is more profitable to sell options 60 days out or 30 days out from expiration.
Oct 13, 2018
Show #144
53 mins
Interview w/ Larry Connors – "Buy the Fear, Sell the Greed" Book Review
On this podcast we interview a very special guest, Larry Connors, and discuss his new book, "Buy the Fear, Sell the Greed."
Sep 24, 2018
Show #143
31 mins
What’s the Rationale Behind Entering New Option Trades?
Choosing which ticker symbols and options strategies to use when entering new options trades can sometimes seem overwhelming. This podcast breaks down the key factors when entering new option trades and building out your portfolio.
Sep 21, 2018
Show #142
31 mins
EWZ Short Put Option Assignment Case Study
In this podcast, I want to walk through a recent trade in which we were assigned on a short put and help you understand how being assigned options impacts your account and how you can still trade around these events using a couple key strategies.
Sep 3, 2018
Show #141
27 mins
Ultimate Guide to Contango and Backwardation Option Pricing
In this podcast episode I want to slowly walk through the concept of contango and backwardation. I will offer a couple of different examples showing how it works in real life and how we might be able to use this awareness of futures pricing part of an options strategy in our portfolio.
Aug 29, 2018
Show #140
29 mins
Why Some Option Trades “Explode” in Your Face & What to Do About It
Ever feel like some of the options trades you make blow up in your face? Here's why it happens and what you can do about it.
Aug 20, 2018
Show #139
34 mins
The 4 “Not-So-Obvious” Ways to Avoid Blowing Up Your Trading Account
When it comes to options trading, there are a lot of things you can control, and a few you cannot. This episode provides tips on how to manage the risks you can control and avoid "blowing up" your trading account.
Aug 15, 2018
Show #138
53 mins
The “Expected Probability Paradox” for Options Traders
In this episode, we dive into the three main areas of the expected probability paradox to help you understand why option selling still outperforms the market, even if you can't find perfect pricing.
Aug 6, 2018
Show #137
35 mins
The Ultimate Guide to Option Skew & Volatility Smile
This podcast is a deep dive into options skew and the volatility smile for both inter-month and intra-month option contracts.
Aug 1, 2018
Show #136
25 mins
How to Calculate Break-Even Prices on Iron Condors & Iron Butterflies
Today's podcast is essential to help you understand how to calculate break-even prices the correct way on iron condors, iron butterflies, and other risk-defined strategies.
Jul 18, 2018
Show #135
45 mins
You Don’t Need a Degree in Financial Engineering to Understand How Implied Volatility Works
The goal of this podcast episode is to help you completely understand how implied volatility works, why we need it, where it comes from, and how we can profit from it as option sellers.
Jun 20, 2018
Show #134
27 mins
How to Learn from Trading Mistakes & Transition into New Habits
In this podcast episode, you'll learn how to overcome the fear of being "wrong," learn from your trading mistakes, and transition into new habits.
Jun 11, 2018
Show #133
22 mins
Weekly Bull Call Spread Backtesting Results for DIA
On this episode, we use our backtesting software to analyze the results of a weekly bull call spread in DIA, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF, and its performance compared to a monthly bull call spread in DIA.
Jun 4, 2018
Show #132
21 mins
Can’t Trade Unlimited Risk Option Strategies? Here’s 4 Great Alternative Trades
Some traders wrongly assume that if they can't trade unlimited risk option strategies, such as straddles and strangles, that they should just avoid trading options altogether. Here are four alternatives to convert unlimited risk option strategies into risk-defined positions.
May 28, 2018
Show #131
46 mins
Rolling Options Forward – Multi-Month Case Studies in TLT & IWM
This show focuses exclusively on rolling options forward by showing you two different case studies in TLT and IWM. Both trades took multiple months to turn a profit and multiple rolls of our contracts.
May 21, 2018
Show #130
19 mins
5 Quick Tips for Smoother Option Order Execution
Here are 5 easy tips for smooth option order execution if you're having trouble getting trades filled in the market.
May 14, 2018
Show #129
16 mins
Do You Recognize These 4 Early Warning Signs of a Non-Diversified Options Portfolio?
Here is a look at four situations you need to be aware of when building out your portfolio. These early warning signals of a non-diversified options portfolio can help you adapt more quickly to an ever-changing market by making smarter trades and adjustments.
May 7, 2018
Show #128
24 mins
Stock Market Direction Becomes Irrelevant when You Average Down
This podcast offers some insight and examples of why higher trading frequency and averaging down (or up) around the market creates an environment in which market direction becomes more irrelevant the longer you trade.
Apr 30, 2018
Show #127
24 mins
What Contract Month & Option Strike Price Should I Buy or Sell?
When trading options, what contract month and option strike price should you buy or sell? We have the data from thousands of backtested trades to help you find the answer.
Apr 23, 2018
Show #126
20 mins
Manage Multiple Option Positions Without Having to Be in Front of the Screen All Day
In this podcast episode, we'll break down some of the best resources and tips on managing your options portfolio with limited time.
Apr 18, 2018
Show #125
28 mins
Learn How to Trade Options by Eating an Elephant in 90 Days
Want to learn how to trade options the right way? Follow our 90-day framework for mastering the options market.
Apr 9, 2018
Show #124
24 mins
The Ugly Truth About Selling Cheap Options
In this episode we explain why selling cheap options with high win rate probabilities may not be the best idea for your portfolio.
Apr 3, 2018
Show #123
21 mins
Stop Focusing on ROI Options Trading Possibilities Until You Cross this Trading Bridge
My goal with this podcast is to help you cross the proverbial "trading bridge." Learn to stop focusing on ROI and confidently analyze options strategies before putting money at risk.
Mar 26, 2018
Show #122
33 mins
The “Big Rocks” that Should Be a Priority for All Options Traders
These 7 things should be a priority for all options traders. Get them right and you set yourself up for success. Get it wrong and you could go down in flames.
Mar 22, 2018
Show #121
26 mins
Small Tweaks when Managing Larger Trading Accounts
As you start managing larger trading accounts and portfolio sizes, you'll need to make a couple small but important changes to optimize your strategy.
Mar 15, 2018
Show #120
24 mins
Option Trader Success – Why Some Traders Are Frankly Always More Profitable
This podcast focuses on the reasons why I believe some traders are always more profitable than others and looks at the six key areas that differentiate successful and unsuccessful traders.
Feb 26, 2018
Show #119
27 mins
Don’t Use a $6,000 Trade to “Practice” Trading Options
Don't use real money to practice trading options. In this show, I want to get back to basics and re-visit some important concepts or frameworks you can use when trading that will help you navigate the next move down.
Feb 23, 2018
Show #118
24 mins
Top 5 Options Trading Psychology Lessons I Learned Over the Last 18 Months
In this podcast, I want to take some time to share the top-five options trading psychology lessons I've learned over the last 18 months.
Feb 10, 2018
Show #117
30 mins
Let’s Talk About “Deltas” for Options Trading
This podcast dives deeper into the lead greek and covers both a basic understanding of what delta is and how it works, plus some more high level insights into how I used delta to enter a trade in XLE.
Jan 22, 2018
Show #152
41 mins
Short Straddle or Short Iron Butterfly?
This podcast episode focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of using a short straddle or short iron butterfly, and when you should use one instead of the other.
Jan 21, 2018
Show #116
18 mins
Debit Spreads vs. Credit Spreads – When to Use Each
In today's podcast, I'll walk through the different market environments and setups that might work best for debit spreads and credit spreads.
Jan 15, 2018
Show #115
24 mins
How to Avoid These Big Mistakes when Executing an Options Order
On this podcast episode I want to help you avoid five of the big mistakes you can make when executing an options order.
Jan 8, 2018
Show #114
42 mins
Managing Inverted Option Positions – Once Difficult, Now Easy
In this podcast I walk through the process of managing inverted option positions and help you understand what numbers to track when making adjustments.
Jan 1, 2018
Show #113
34 mins
Long Straddle Earnings Option Strategy Backtest Results
In this podcast episode, I'll preview some of the new research we've done on long straddle option strategies during earnings.
Dec 25, 2017
Show #112
21 mins
Does Trading Every Day Really Make You a Day Trader?
What is a day trader? Does trading every day make you a day trader, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of trading every day? We answer these questions and more in this podcast episode.
Dec 18, 2017
Show #111
28 mins
Should I Buy Back My Penny Options or Let Them expire Worthless?
On today's show, I'll talk through what our research shows about exiting trades early, when to leave options on to expire worthless, and how it impacts your bottom line.
Dec 9, 2017
Show #110
24 mins
Become a Better Options Trader by NOT Watching the Market
In this episode I want to help you become a better options trader by not watching the market and focusing on more systematic trading setups, as well as provide the single most important case study in market prediction in the last two decades.
Nov 21, 2017
Show #109
25 mins
Say Good-Bye to Unlimited Risk Option Strategies Forever
In this podcast I want to conceptually walk through how you can convert unlimited risk strategies into their risk-defined counterparts and limit your exposure.
Nov 7, 2017
Show #108
29 mins
Rolling up Strike Prices vs. Closing Out the Trade – What Should I Do?
If you trade options, you'll undoubtedly run into a scenario where you get challenged by a stock moving against your position. When this happens the first question many people ask is, "Do I start rolling up strike prices and adjust the position or close out the trade for a loss?"
Nov 3, 2017

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