Thanks for starting this interested (and inspiring!) thread Liquidcci - not your first thread that got me thinking. (Though I normally only read)

If I may ask, what kind of business (meaning operating in which sector) do you have? My assumption is that it's something programming or advanced mathematics related - and here's why: I agree with your premise that it should be possible to have multiple income streams, one from trading and one from other activities. However, and you as an automated NinjaTrader user will probably agree, there is an tremendous amount of things to be learned, created, tested, implemented before a "good" automated strategy can be implemented. I'm wondering how you can do that besides a full-time day job, if you're not a programmer for who the learning curve (for programming) is less steep - though even then there's still plenty to learn.

There's a good chance this is a limiting thought from me, but I can't see how one can successfully design and implement automated trading strategies by 'just' doing this in the evening and weekend.

As I understand from your post, and earlier ones, you were already a successful trader before you started automating, so I assume you already had a lot of experience before you designed it as a secondary income stream. Against that background, what would your advice be to your friends who quit their business and trade full-time? Would they, as beginners new to trading, benefit from the extra available time or would you still urge them to do it besides their regular work?

Best regards,
Jura

Jura I own a Management Consulting business. Your questions are great questions. I did have the advantage of focusing exclusively on trading for several years that did add to my knowledge. But I could have learned without that by getting up earlier for example and trading markets like the Euro or Gold etc.... Actually everything I use in auto trading I developed while running my other business. In fact I really had to unlearn many of the habits I picked up while going at it full time. Developing an AT is more like playing a chess game and can be developed after hours. Develop, backtest, run in sim etc....

Really I consider myself a full time trader now but my AT works for me allowing me to do other things. I could use my trading income to pay all my bills but I don't because I want to build long term wealth. My ideas on making trading a second income as opposed to first may not work for everyone. But there are some clear advantages to leaving your capital alone and letting it build as well as psychological advantages of not depending on trading to put bread on the table.

Thanks for your further elaboration Liquidcci - it's even more impressing given that your business is not trading related. One might argue that, even if your returns are not as good as a trader who spends his whole day researching/implementing automated trading systems, you're still more successful (since I assume you're doing two jobs that you love).

This thread nicely pointed out some dogma's I have about 'successful trading' and 'working hard at trading != working full time at trading'. Besides that, it's inspiring because if you can manage to do two demanding full-time jobs, I'd imagine I can pull the same thing off on a smaller and less demanding scale.

Best regards,
Jura

My main goal is to not have a job. If you have to show up, then you have a job.

I will automate my strategy in the future so I don't have a job.
Right now, I have no clue how to do it but I will figure it out if I want it bad enough.

I'm also a project engineer, full time.

lol sure. If you can do it then you are the man!

I'm friends with the writer of this book and he's no joke. I did the audio book for him.
He turned an 80hr work week (business owner) into a 4hr work week.

Work the System ? Methodology