July 21, 2009
Thanks for the confirmation on Bollinger Bands settings. I thought you might like to know that in the past I have spent a fortune and a great deal of time trying to get a grasp on options and always felt likeI was still swimming around in the dark. But this course has made complete sense to me and all the missing links andquestions have been answered.
There is so much"hype" around options, and as a novice you don't know who to believe and you find yourself spending a lot of money only to end up more confused. Martha and Howard have put everything into a solid perspective and have given me a solid foundation where I can practice and improve, knowing that I am on the right track. In the end I learnt the "Greeks" but am so relieved to learn it is an imperfect science and it is the tactical approach that brings all the success.
The Position Traders Elective course is a must for this course and probably down the track I will also do one of the Master Courses on technical emphasis (can't remember the exact name), but I am sure this will give me the ultimate edge on trading options. So many thanks to Martha and Howard and all the team. You have certainly taken out all that frustrating mystery in learning how to trade options wisely.
Best wishes,
Kaaren
January 27, 2009
Perhaps first a bit of background: my first experience with the stock market goes back to the 1960's when I was in high school. Someone marketing mutual funds spoke with my parents, and as part of that conversation I invested in a mutual fund. Which not a huge amount of time later, went defunct. That set the tone for the future.
I have a degree in Philosophy and a graduate degree, neither of which make for much knowledge of, or interest in the world of business and the market. I have had some success in a 401 K, mostly because I knew so little that I put it into a growth fund and did nothing more than contribute periodically. Years ago, in the 70's, there was a local lumber company that was publicly traded; it would go up and down, somewhat slower perhaps than a yoyo, but in similar fashion. As it was local and in the local news, it didn't take a lot of business acumen to figure out that one could make money if one bought low and sold high. However, I had no clue whatsoever as to how to accomplish that, and my personal opinion was that stock brokers had that moniker for a reason - that was what they made you...
Several years ago I was determined to remedy the lack of knowledge (and go find another WTD Industries), and took a class through National Association of Investment Clubs. They focus almost exclusively (or did then) on fundamentals. After the class, I attended several monthly meetings of their demonstration club. It was my observation that they were pretty good at selecting stocks; the ones they selected fairly consistently went down right after their purchase. Needless to say, something seemed to be missing, but what it was escaped me. So I put on holdthe whole idea of taking Value Line and charting out the fundamentals of stocks so I could emulate the club's experience and lose money. The idea of trading stock went back onto the shelf.
About a year ago I stumbled, quite innocently, on Investools. A free seminar! A bridge in Arizona! Actually, I knew they were marketing something to help one trade, so I went. However, they seemed to want a lot of money to get into a program that essentially told you when to buy and sell, but not why. After some review of them on the internet, I went exploring further on the idea of training, and came across Technitrader.
The first thing that impressed me was from their CD that they sent me; they wanted to teach me how to not lose money in the stock market. With my experiences, that seemed a novel and worthwhile idea. I had the opportunity to go up to Seattle (I live about 10 miles south of Portland, OR) to a seminar given by Worden Brothers and Technitrader. I was again impressed with what they demonstrated and the approach they took to trading. Martha in particular went through a number of charts which the guy from Worden Brothers had compiled, and she explained why she felt that most of the stocks shown were not good trades. She also picked a couple that might have potential, and stressed that she would not recommend making a purchase of any of them at that time (and explained why, in a way that I who had no training whatsoever in looking at a chart could understand).
I also had the opportunity to talk with her and her staff after the seminar, and review the materials that were in the Methodology Course and Position Trading Course. What struck me was her integrity, and the thoroughness of the course materials.
I have since purchased both courses and made my way through both of them; Methodology three times and Position Trading twice. So am I making millions?
Nope. There is one thing that everyone - her staff, her materials, and she and her partner stress over and over, and that is,it is vital that the student paper trade until they have a 75% success rate. Given that market's volatility right now, and the fact that no one (including Martha) is sure that the market has formed a bottom and is headed up, It just happens to be my luck that there don't appear to be a very large number of stocks that are really good candidates for Position Training right now.
Then again, Martin Zweig and William O'Neil both repeat that one should get out of the market and stay out if it is not a bull market.
Do I feel you will get your money's worth out of the course? I did a bit of research on the net, and found a couple of people who were a bit negative about the course. I am also reasonably good at reading between the lines; neither of them seemed to have practiced much before jumping into the market; I had the impression that they both thought that the course was a magic bullet, or capable of leaping over tall buildings with a single bound... which is not what anyone from Technitrader will tell you.
Everyone at Technitrader will tell you that they, their students, and you will make bad trades. They teach you how to make good picks, and they teach you how to limit the bad trades to minimal loss. They teach you how to read the charts, the indicators, and how to find the stocks that are ready to make a move; how to make an offer that protects you, how to avoid having a stock plummet on you, how to make the decision to sell. In other words, they teach the techniques that are necessary to make money consistently, rather than through just dumb luck. they constantly emphasize how to set yourself up in decision making so you take the two killer emotions - greed and fear - out of the equation. It is, however, up to you to use the tools they teach.
Do I think the courses are worth it? Absolutely. They delivered all they said they would, and more than I expected. There simply is no hype in this program. It is a nuts and bolts, how to buy and sell in the market, how to pick a stock and what to do next approach. It is not magic, and doesn't promise to be so. People have been making money in the market long before charts were available to people like you and I (she tells about her grandfather, whom I take it did quite well). It is nowhere as nearly exciting as a book on "How I made a Million in the Market in Twelve Months", and they don't make any projections that you will do that. It does, however, teach you how to make money in the market, and better than the benchmarks, with reasonable consistency.
The bottom line is that the course gives you what it says it will - the tools with which to make informed choices in the stock market and make money doing so. It is not exciting; it is like being back in a classroom and being lectured to. The lectures are thorough, replete with examples, straight forward, not at all exciting, and designed to cut through the hype we all see elsewhere. It is up to you to learn the tools and use them. I have no question that if you do so, you can be successful - or if you have been in the market trading, that you can be more successful.
Feel free to ask me questions; If I can answer them I most certainly will.
And no, I don't get a discount, kickback, fee, or any other form of remuneration. I wanted to become successful in trading stock, and I now have the tools with which to do so; and I would be happy to share that with anyone. I don't even get a baseball hat (Worden gave me one, but that was for showing up...).
So back to my question a couple of paragraphs above - do I think you will get your money's worth out of the course? You will get out of the course what you put into it. The information is all there; how the market is set up, how to work with a broker,how to read a chart, what the indicators are telling you, how to set a stop loss, how to sell. It is a lot of information, but it is not so complex that you need an advanced degree in Finance or Economics. It is like being back in school; if you want a "C" you might survive; if you want a "B" you should make some money; and if you want an "A" you should do quite well. But just like school, you have to learn something and apply it consistently. I think the course is worth every penny, and will pay for itself over and over and over, if you are willing to put in the effort. With that caveat, I recommend it whole heartedly.
Tim
January 27, 2009
As a student of the Technitrader training program, I was asked if I would be
willing to be a referral for it. I am only too happy to do so!
Since December 2005, I have gone through the beginner's Methodology course,
the Position Trader course, as well as the the three Masters Series courses
(Definitive Guide to Entry and Exit Signals, Definitive Guide to Stock
Indicators, and Definitive Guide to Market Condition). These, along with the
Daily Market Educator emails I receive, have given me a comprehensive,
well-rounded understanding of the market and how it works, something that is
so necessary to be able to trade with a high level of success, and something
that is not readily found in many of the canned signal, "green buy / red
sell", trading programs that are out there. (Let me add here that I started
my training with the Investools trading program, ultimately spending $6,000+
for their options training only to discover that their "green buy / red
sell" program simply does not work well in all market conditions, like the
rather frustratingly indecisive market we are dealing with today.) On the
other hand, Technitrader's training is absolutely excellent in this regard,
and is honest in letting you know that not everyday is a good trading day;
there are many days these days that it is better to wait it out.
The Technitrader training in fundamental and technical analysis is also very
good and has been tremendously helpful as I look for potential stocks to
trade. It has given me confidence for making profitable selections. I
especially love being able to "look over the shoulder" and "get into the
mind" of Martha Stokes through her daily emails. She is a wealth of
knowledge and able to make the seemingly complex easy to understand.
Actually, I have found all of Technitrader's staff to be very friendly and
personable. Their goal is to help their students succeed.
As with any serious training program in whatever subject it may be, it takes
time and effort to get up to speed. One should not expect successful results
overnight. It takes time--a lot of study and a lot of paper trading--to
develop good trading abilities. But if you are serious about your desire to
become a successful trader, I cannot recommend highly enough the quality
training you will receive through Technitrader.
Best wishes,
Dan
December 19, 2008
"We got a call from a student that took our course way back in 2000. It is always good to hear from those students who are successful and on their own. He said he had made so much money this year he was feeling a little embarrassed as so many investors had lost so much. I want to share some of the things he told us helped him.
1. He has a plan, established rules, and parameters for trading that he never deviates from. He says he learned that from our teachings.
2. His goal is $500.00 a day in trading profits. Once he reaches that goal, he stops trading.
3. If he has a losing day, which is not common, he stops as soon as he has lost $300.00.
4. He has made most of his money from swing and position trading and long term investing but dabbles a bit with daytrading. (Remember he has been working on this for 8 years now)
5. He follows our rules of entry and exits and stop losses religiously.
6. He continues to study and learn about the stock market.
7. He keeps emotions out of his trading by sticking to his rules no matter what the market does.
8. He knows that trading is work but it doesn't consume his life. He sets a specific time aside each day to trade, but no more than that.
9. He is as proficient in trading the downside as the upside and has put a lot of practice into trading.
10. When he tries something new, he will paper trade it for many months to test out the trading plan before going live in the market. He did simulator daytrading for 9 months before trying a trade live in the market and continues to practice to hone his skills.
I think the most important thing I heard from the conversation was this:
He has a plan and he sticks to it. He doesn't try every new gimmick or trick. And he doesn't listen to gurus nor is he a member of any traders group. He has learned to trust his own instruments and his own judgment. He trades by himself, with his own set of rules and goals. He is confident, savvy, and balances risk/reward." Martha Stokes, C.M.T.
October 9, 2008
One other thing I would like to comment about is "The Daily Market Educator". Please tell Martha that even as a new student, I REALLY APPRECIATE her terrific educational expertise and the critically important information she has been sending out to us. I know she spends a lot of time considering what to send and filling in background details for us. it must be a balancing act trying to satisfy all levels of students but I can tell you even as a beginner I can understand what she is saying. I find it amazing that I am BEGINNING to comprehend what is going on in the markets. I like to discuss this with my friends who, for the most part, know precious little, have no education or training in this matter and are throwing up their hands in despair. It makes me feel more confident being on board with TechniTrader. Thanks again to Martha!!
Bob S
July 8, 2008
I am the principal owner, president, general manager of a resource industry business. At present I am run off my feet keeping up with the operations. However, I did direct actual stock buys and sells following the course instructions explicitly. I subscribed to TC2007 Gold for 1 year using TechniTrader scans and indicator settings. The result was a 39% gain from the last week in March till present. Out of 27 picks I had 1 loss. I believe the educational service offered by TechniTrader as directed by Martha, is second to none and a good investment for anyone who is interested in participating in the market. So for now thanks, and please say a very big Thank You to Martha for the very easy to understand and Gold standard course.
Lou Romailler
April 2, 2008
Dear Martha,
I am a new student and I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the wonderful work you have done in creating th is course. Last night, while listening to CD #7 and the history with your grandfather, I began to imagine how you must have felt as a young woman with a desire to engage and compete in a profession that was dominated by a "male attitude". I'm sure it took a lot of courage and determination on your part to overcome this attitude and I applaud you for your efforts and achievements. What you have learned has become a blessing for many.
When I first listened to your advertisement CD, something resonated within me and I KNEW I wanted to learn what YOU had to teach about the market. I perceive you as a very practical, knowledgeable and confident person with a great deal of "Market Savvy", who has structured a market course that is not only affordable, but a course that is also designed and taught in such a way as to make it clear and easy to grasp. It is certainly more comprehensive than the lessons I learned with my previous market training. It is people like you, Martha, through dedicated contributions, who make dreams possible for others to follow and the world a better place because of the help you offer. For this I am grateful beyond words.
I too have a burning desire to learn how to be an effective and profitable trader in the market. I began my trading experience with TMTT from an "infomercial" about 2&1/2 years ago. This was a very expensive course that left me feeling I had not received competent training for the amount this course cost me. Annnnd... After practicing this training, I managed to turn $6,000.00 into about $1200.00 over a period of about two years by applying (to the best of my ability) what I had been taught during their course of study. Isn't it supposed to go the other way?!? I started out trading stocks, but soon began trading options after taking TMTT's options course. I always felt like something was missing with the training I received and I never felt I had adequate support with TMTT's course of study. I did come away, however, with a lot more knowledge about the market than I had prior to taking their course. I just haven't made any money at it so far... ;-)
For the past year and one half, I have placed all my trades through Options Express. About four weeks ago I received a phone call from a representative at Options Express asking how my trading experience was progressing. I explained to him that I was not doing well and had decided to put it on hold for a while. I was feeling very disappointed and frustrated. I didn't want to spend another $12,000.00 plus for more courses with TMTT, yet I still wanted to learn to become an effective and profitable trader. I felt at a loss for direction. Then this rep proceeded to tell me about "TechniTrader" and suggested I contact you and learn about your program and what it had to offer. I n all honesty, I was reluctant to proceed with his suggestion as I had the feeling there would be an exorbitant cost attached to yet another course of study, as there was with TMTT. However, I finally decided I had nothing to lose by at least investigating what you had to offer, so I applied for your TechniTrader information CD. After listening to your CD, I felt a new spark of hope in the possibility of becoming a profitable trader. When I spoke with Monty Cook and he gave me the price of your course, I nearly fell out of my chair. Something within me told me I had finally found that which I had been seeking. I experienced the distinct feeling that I had finally found a reliable program, run by honest and dedicated people, who were genuinely interested in helping others become educated in realistic market investing practices. I now believe that phone call I received from the rep at Options Express was the answer to a long standing prayer. Now that I have become engaged with the material, there is a new light within me that enables me to face the future with the possibility that the financial success I desire is now within my grasp. I am a very independent guy, a builder of beautiful estate homes, but I would sit at your feet with rapt attention to learn what you have to teach me about the market. Thanks to you, I now feel I will be able to meet my financial goals and secure my families future. You have no idea how much this dream means to me, so thank you, Martha, for all your hard work and dedicated effort to bring this teaching to all of us who have the desire to learn. We need more people like you in the world.
Warm regards ,
Daniel
February 27, 2008
Thank you Monte, that would be great if you could keep me posted.
My trading is going great. Your course was really really helpful, I am very happy I've taken it! I ve been trading for about 4-6 months now and I've been quite succesfull. I' am very carefull with stocks I pick, and by placing stop loss orders I managed to prevent major losses. I really appreciate your scans, they helped me to find some very good picks! I've already doubled my original investment! I am very happy.
I am still trying to apply your scans to canadian stock charts as well as I find them really helpful. I am going to Worden presentation of Blocks this weekend so hopefully that will give me a better picture how it could work.
I would like to become a swing trader and make it my "career" eventually, that's why I am inquiring about your other course.
Thank you for getting back to me Monte
Gabriela
February 22, 2008
Hello TechniTrader.
I have just completed my first week of the email support portion of the Methodology Course. This is my first time contacting you concerning the course.
When Howard was teaching about which chart time period to use when looking for buy signals, he said use the 3 day or the one week candles for this task. He went on to illustrate how it forms up the chart to become more readable.
Tonight while looking at some charts, I noticed that I get a good signal and good indicator support using the weekly candle, and no buy signal and failing indicators using the 3 days candle. The specific stock I was looking at was HA, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.
I have also noticed that the chart defaults to the weekly candle, which makes me think this is the only one I need to focus on. The usual reason I will try the 3 days candle is just to check from a different perspective, or when the signal is marginal on the weekly candle and I want to see what it looks like on the 3 days. Since Howard mentioned the three day, I thought this to be a viable choice. I am wondering now.
Should I stay away from the 3 days candle when evaluating a stock?
Today, Martha’s email was about trading style and we need to get that set. Well, I’m definitely a Position Trader, fitting just about every aspect of the profile/criteria describing the style. If something works really well, why complicate it and make more work, and have little to nothing more to show for it. Simple is good. That’s my personality. My experience (or lack of) and monies are tangibles that further determine my style.
However, I did have enough experience to realize that something was missing in my education and understanding. There was too much vagueness in my previous education and the coaching assumed a lot, and explained little of the fundamentals necessary to understand the more advanced techniques they were demonstrating.
I mention this in order to familiarize you with me, and also in case it has a bearing on how charts should be evaluated for different objectives; in lieu of my original question.
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Rick
PS. This course is wonderful. It has dispelled confusion and made the fundamentals clear, logical and doable. This course is couched in common sense. I knew this information had to exist somewhere! But after 5 years with my other “education” company, I’ve yet to hear mention of this essential foundation knowledge. Thank you.