Happy Thanksgiving 2014 !! Thanks To All Within the Community !!

Each year I like to take a moment to reflect on the past year and what I am thankful for.

There has been SO much that has happened that it’s pretty difficult to put it all into one blog post without forgetting anyone or anything, and making sure it flows well at the same time. (Which leads me to my first thank you – to my sister Sarah for editing this and making me sound like I know what I’m talking about. She has some skill on PEOPLE.com!)

Parents

As always, I’m very thankful to my parents for bringing me up the way they did. Without the grounded foundation they provided for me, I wouldn’t have had the willpower to fight back as many times as I have — going from hero to zero more than once, only to bounce back bigger each and every time. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes along the way but each time I’ve learned something from it and bettered myself – most don’t. That’s what it’s all about.

Laura

I’m thankful for my wife Laura because her patience with me and with this business in turn allows me to help you. I’m able to put in that extra effort (as I do each and every day), not to mention those cram weekends when I need to finish big products like Textbook Trading or most recently, Tandem Trader, thanks to her understanding.

In the coming year Laura will be taking a lead role on Traders4ACause, working to grow our charity and continually improve upon what we do in Vegas, time after time!

My wife did well .. used my truck today for the snow .. 6th time was the charm getting in the garage 🙂 hope she doesn’t see this #snow #newhampshire #newengland #blizzard #morethan3pointturn #proofinthedsnow #shamedmywife #shewontbemad

A photo posted by Nathan Michaud (@investorslive) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:19am PST

The Australian (Cam)

Cam doesn’t know what Thanksgiving is since he’s from Australia so he’s really not sure why I am thankful for him — but I’ll start there. Five, maybe almost six years ago now, Cam became a subscriber of Investors Underground to begin his trading career. About two and a half years ago, he approached me and said, “Man, what the hell? You’ve been talking about this DVD for three years – what can I do to help? Let me do all the work — all you need to do is record your portions and I’ll make you sound like a rock star.”

Cam said felt obligated to do something for me, to give back because I had “taken him under my wing” and really helped him out on a day-to-day basis, understanding why certain trades were on my radar and why others didn’t matter. Flash forward a few years and bam — he realizes, “Shit, I guess I wasn’t that special — he’s that helpful to everyone!” as he announced at the Vegas conference. A little over two years ago we launched our first product, Textbook Trading, which quickly ascended to the top-rated spot out of over 10,000 products on Investimonials. Less than a month ago, we launched our second product, Tandem Trader, which I expect to do the same. Turning the new series around so quickly was no easy task given the amount of content, editing and thought that went into this, but we did it.

I mean this sincerely: Without Cam I would not have discovered what truly motivates me in business. Quite simply, it’s seeing others succeed. Seeing traders through from point A to Z, taking small steps before they run marathons in the market, making mistakes but being able to bounce back from them time and time again is inspiring. Creating these products has opened the door to meeting INCREDIBLE people and building AMAZING relationships and for that I am TRULY THANKFUL.

Halfway through working on Tandem Trader, Cam — who is now a business helper — said, “Thanks Nate, I never really realized until now what I am truly passionate about in life. I always thought money would be the main driver but I was wrong.” I was taken aback and it really made me think — but it’s so true. Many people will read that and say, “Bullshit” but for those who have met us or are part of our community know where our heads are. Personally, I want to have fun each and every day with the least stress possible. Less is more — it’s not about nailing every play, it’s about preparing and reacting to the BEST possible set ups with the BEST possible reward and the LEAST possible risk. Each and every day I focus on becoming a better trader. I’ve gone through my ups and downs, tried to scale what I do and although I have had mild success with larger size, to me it’s not worth the emotional drain I feel at the end of the day due to the $10-20,000 swings for the bigger picture trades.

Take David V @dveprek, whom I spoke about on Tandem Trader. He’s up three and a half times what I am but despite the end of year over year success he has, the intraday swings of that size are just not for me. I enjoy coming to the market, focusing on less and nailing $2-3K a day without a headache — OCCASIONALLY hit one outta the park for a $10-20,000+ gain. Will that change? Possibly – I’m continually working on my patience as a trader and adding into winners trying to take the least amount of risk; using house money as my buffer and giving myself the best possible chance to be exceptionally profitable on each trade with minimal risk.

Thanks to everyone who came and helped make a difference this year! It was an incredible turnout and we couldn’t have done it without you. We raised $100,000 for charity! Next year is going to be even better — we just sent out a survey and it’s going to be hard to beat the feedback we got, but we’re going to do our best.

I would suggest checking out what Tim Bohen had to say about the event!

Thanks to Scott Herman, Tom Kelly, Gregg Sciabica, Laura Michaud and Michele Koenig for their help with everything from setting up the event, golf, cocktail receptions, donated trips and much more!

Special thanks to Zach Schellhaas — this event would not have happened without him. From the start, I knew I could get the audience there and promote the event but behind the scenes Zach took over, made the calls to get everything together and organized the event from start to finish — well done!

Thanks again to all our sponsors, who were more than willing to help when approached about the event!

Thanks to EVERYONE and I mean everyone who made this possible !! This was because of YOU GUYS that we were able to make a difference !! Traders4ACause was able to donate $100,000 between CARE and Bachman-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation #traders4acause #donate #charity #makingadifference #care #dystonia #parkisons

A photo posted by Nathan Michaud (@investorslive) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:41am PST

Thanks to Muddy and Laura for starting this journey with me in 2008! We each had individual chat rooms when I approached them with the idea to pool our talents just months after meeting, and thankfully they were open to it.

Thanks Tyler, one of my best buddies since school days – He helps moderate the chatroom, and deals with the myriad of aspiring traders who find themselves trawling thru the I.U website, desperately looking for a way to get a free trial.

We’ve added a BUNCH of moderators to the chat room this year — we don’t just add moderators because they’re good, we add them because they are helpful to others in the community. Traders in the room have reached out to me many times before we add them to the team.

It’s one thing to be a great trader, but giving back to other traders just as traders once did for them is what each of our moderators do!

Thanks to @offshorehunters for suggesting and opening the swing room within our service! It’s been an amazing spot for those who can’t be glued to their PC day in and day out — looking for the BIGGER picture moves vs. just the quick momentum scalp. Michele has been an amazing asset to the community and I’m really excited about what she’s working on for 2015. We are going to offer a swing trading service for those who are not into momentum trading, scans, private Twitter feed and much more! Michele has began recording what will become — if it’s anything like the feedback on her webinars — an amazing swing trading DVD (with Cam’s assistance).

My helpers today have completely abandoned their post in my office for this instead …I can’t blame them pic.twitter.com/d9A2rVOI1I — Offshorehunter (@offshorehunters) November 20, 2014

Thanks @MountainTrades for the help in the OTC room — and although I give him a hard time about his quick to respond style tendency to traders who just are on a different level (ie: new traders believing the hype on OTCs) in the end he means well, means to help other traders as he did Brandon. Most traders start out with OTCs because they are ‘cheap’ and think that’s all they can afford. They start to believe the PRs and story without understanding what they’re about to get into — so without him many traders would be buying at the wrong spots and failing like the other 90 percent in the OTC world.

Thanks to @DerrickLeon719 who has taken on a leadership role in the chat room, not only on a daily basis but also when I am away. With Derrick I can actually relax on a vacation knowing that he’s holding down the fort and making calls at the same time.

@lx21 Gregg – Thanks for the interview you did on the YouTube channel and continual support you bring to the chat room. This guy is incredibly modest but one of the best traders I know. Love his sense of humor and really appreciate everything you’ve done with Traders4ACause!

On top of the world. Lick Observatory Mount Hamilton pic.twitter.com/LA6RdknylM

— Modern Rock (@modern_rock) November 3, 2014

@modern_rock – Bao really started me out trading. He was the guy that I didn’t believe on day one thinking he was full of crap, always getting the fills UNTIL I learned over time by WATCHING. He’s been a great friend since I first started and stood by my side throughout the years. Without him it’s likely my eyes wouldn’t have been opened to the possibilities of trading, my learning curve wouldn’t have been shortened and I may or may not be here today! Again, I learned by WATCHING him over time — he never taught but there’s so much you can absorb by just soaking in the information he writes. Make sure to follow his tips here: @mrockrulez

@EpicaCapital – never really knew this guy until the past year, many of my friends have known him for years. Michail is a great guy, he puts out solid ideas and can TALK – I know first hand! Perhaps we’ll give him a weekend to himself next year at Traders4ACause. 🙂 I am extremely thankful that he took the time to come out and speak about his journey as a trader – without a doubt his passion for what he does translates to incredible motivation for many traders including myself.

@dveprek – Really appreciate David sharing his journey as a trader on Twitter – we have a lot in common! Trading and IPAs! He’s been a great friend and I’m very fortunate to have met him through the community – bottom line, this guy is a good dude and insanely inspiring not only on the trading side but in life itself – in Gregg’s words “the guy is a saint”

@CraigTrader – Craig another guy I’ve met over the past year who has been really helpful dissecting news pre market and finding great plays day in and day out. He’s been an asset to understanding more than just the technicals I typically pay attention to.

@OzarkTrades – Phil is the man, hands down! Amazing patience for trades and he picks up everything that falls off my radar and scans that I miss. He has an amazing ability to keep things on radar and nail the back side of the moves — more importantly he respects his rules so damn well. Thanks for doing the interview earlier this year!

@elkwood66 – Eric I mean, come on how can you not like this guy? Saba Wood we call him now – he’s got a grandkid ! This guy is a mix between me and Gregg and Tom – short term but slowly transitioning into a lethal weapon in the market. Well done this year and thanks for all the calls this year at 4:01 p.m. so we can either bitch to or praise each other about our days! If you haven’t seen his interview definitely watch it!

@TomKellyLV – Tom is the SILENT friggin’ beast hands down and you’d never know because he’s just genuinely a nice guy and doesn’t discuss money unless you talk to him about it. It’s never about how much he made or lost but makes amazing trades, has an incredible ability to gain confidence on particular trades and stand by his thoughts – he may or may not have said, “They CANNOT squeeze me from my position” LOL Really, he’s awesome and thanks for the hospitality for everyone in Vegas! Well done and thanks again for the interview over the past year!

@splendores – Sandro! This guy came from not too much and made it work. A great story for those who need to be inspired as to what’s possible on his interview! He helps so many guys in the room and I’m really excited to make him a bigger part in 2015. Another great friend I’ve met that I speak with daily in the trading community.

@shaneblackmon @BioRunUp @johnwelshtrades – three great resources I use for understanding more about bio/pharma stocks. It was great to meet Shane in Vegas this past year! He has a sharp eye on daily chart breakouts, setting up that many times I miss – so really thankful for his eye. Mark I’ve met many times; Dan as well (when his wife lets him go to Foxwoods), but between the three of them they keep me away from stocks nearing decisions that could halt, stocks that may have increased activity because of certain events and a quick resource to bounce trading ideas off at ANY time.

@FreeFlowFinance – Tanner is the man – really helpful to me daily, keeping the room in check when we have new traders who can’t read the rules. 🙂 He’s my partner-in-exhaustion on AAL as we wait for this sucker to top LOL but he’s got a great eye for momentum traders peaking out for the fades. Keep up the great work!

@autumnalcity87 – Tim is awesome! This guy has been INCREDIBLE over what I would call a ‘defining year’ in his career and I will always remember the ‘defining day’ when he busted out with nearly $20k profit! He’s been by Michele’s side in the swing trade room helping members daily as well as the momentum room – thanks for all you do!

@crawfish_poboy – Brandon was really great to meet you in Vegas this year! Again an amazing interview you all need to watch! Extremely motivational for new traders and very much like me – slow and steady wins the race, occasionally hit one out of the park and can occasionally be stubborn too. 🙂

@cuzmane – Emil I can’t wait for 2015! This guy is READY to be a part about what we’re about to launch and start doing more webinars – he did one with HOD rejection and really a ton of ‘ah-ha’ moments in the room for many traders. The key to trading is there is no ONE right way – it’s all about molding as a trader.

@kroyrunner89 – nice to watch this kid switch from mostly OTCs to mostly NASDAQ over the past year! Thanks for the help in the room and looking forward to a powerful 2015. Thanks for the interview!

@stevebaldwin25 – Steve loves fine wine and I do too! He was blessed with TWINS this year so we have to wait for him to get those two in order before he’s back in the room regularly 🙂

@swedepilot @katsu127 @jocyq888 @Nikkorico_ @hillmf @MicrocapTrading @MiltonaTrades @d4ytrad3 @tbohen @DonaldKey @VeritasGreen @coreykindhart @FlourWaterYeast @fisktr @plur1188 -Thanks for being an active part of the community both inside the room and on Twitter. Such amazing traders and helpers and really happy to have you all be a part! @NasdaqCowboy can’t wait to share your story! Keep up the great work.

@sanglucci – I reached out to him about Traders4ACause and before I could finish he was in – really appreciate your help and support!

@mb_willoughby @kunal00 great team — and great people. Kunal is a great guy and helpful to so many traders. He’s been a great supporter of what we do since day one and has helped me along the way. Another trader who I reached out to about Traders4ACause and he was already in before I even asked and wanted to know what else he could do!

@markflowchatter @TradeHawk – two great resources for breaking news and alerts – doesn’t matter if up or down it’s the trading opportunities that surround their research. Thanks for all you guys do in the room!

@KeithOmalley1 – thankful for the trades and drive he brought to the trading room – we lost this trader this past year but always thankful for the incredible ability to dissect the news in seconds and react whether positive or negative. RIP buddy!

Brokers and Platforms

Scott Herman and CenterPoint – great friend and building an amazing company! Probably the best support I’ve experienced at any broker – they continually listen to clients and better their brokerage on a daily basis. They hire quality talent that know each and every one of their clients on a personal basis. Thanks for what you guys have created!

Guy Gentile founded SureTrader and gave international traders an opportunity to trade with less than $25,000! Two of my moderators who now make hundreds of thousands of dollars annually started out at SureTrader and without this option they may or may not be here today. Thanks for the opportunities you’ve created!

Additionally SpeedTrader (Guy’s first broker he created 16 years ago) which just launched SpeedTraderPro put Craig in charge as CEO and is hitting the ground running with a new clearing firm and cheap rates. Thanks for working with our traders 1:1 and giving them such an opportunity.

Karen from DAS Trader added Interactive Brokers this past year as a supported client – that’s BIG for a ton of traders considering how awful IB’s platform is. 🙂 Once again the DAS crew listen to client feedback and continually make their platform better. Thanks for the amazing opportunities over the last few years Karen!

Twitter and Rest of the Community

Each and everyone of my followers!

Those who engage in great conversation 140 characters at a time!

Thanks to Tim & profit.ly team for the ability to reach thousands of traders! Without this boost of transparency it’s likely I wouldn’t have met some of my best trading friends. We are fortunate for the number of traders that Tim has attracted so with that said — embrace the orange Lamborghini because otherwise many of us may not have met 🙂

Mike Mosseri the mastermind behind the programming – thanks for the extra hours you’ve put in and helping us get our products going.

I am very thankful for the rest of the Twitter community — whether it’s traders, other services or those who post news fast, it has become one of the best real-time resources on the web!

THANK YOU ALL AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!