To: Len who wrote (1351 ) 9/22/1998 10:11:00 PM From: Joseph H. Leiti Read Replies (1) | Respond to
Len, No intrusion at all, I like telling the story. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far. I'm 45 years old... started about 6 years ago. Started with 1 386 compaq portable, Signal delayed, and about 20k I was willing to put in the market. I had just moved to Fl after completing a large townhouse project, and wasn't really ready to commit to anything right away. Like most, I had dabbled in the market on occasion, ya know locker room tips and such. I had always wanted to try to "Trade for a living" So, starry-eyed I took my shot. How hard could it be ??? :) Well, within about 4 months, I had lost about half.. 10 grand .. Mr big shot, Mr I'm gonna do all that :) Needless to say I had to sit back and evaluate this ego maniac. So I did and got real real with myself and this business. and that's the best I've come up with... It's a business, Like any other, time in ... I developed a good base of about 1200 stocks, put an easy 60-70 hrs a week learning as much as I could, the rules of the game and how to take profits. I started with the cheapies say $3 to $7 stocks traded for 1/2s and points and tried to move up in value as I could. I kept reinvesting some of the profits along the way in good tools (computer equipt and software), I've been a beta site for Telescan, Signal for Windows and some others. I tried my hand at options for awhile for the better leverage. "You can't make money in options" (just buying puts and calls, NO writing) Oh yes you can !!! :) I think my real point is,... You can do whatever you want if you're willing to put the time and effort in it. I don't do it for the money !!! I do it because I want to be GOOD AT IT!!!. Anyway about 2 years into it , I went from about 195 lbs to 235 lbs, red screen blurred eyes, out of shape and mentally worn. Just so happened one of my best friends (my younger brother came over one day and jokingly said "Boy ... You look beat ! You better get your butt back out there." He meant back out in the field, the construction business. I was always a kinda hands on builder, I loved the building business too all my life. But down here in Florida I look at what the builders are doing to each other (competition) NO THANKS !! I'm not afraid of competition but I'm not working for the %s they've established. I'm a little smarter now, I hope :) So I started a framing crew. Me and about 5 other guys one trailer full of tools. Now I have 30 guys, 3 trailers. 4 trucks,......
