Having held these licenses, I can tell you that once you have them, anything you say can AND will be held against you. You say something in a bar and someone acts on it and loses money....watch out. The lawyers smell blood.

I would take the courses or the home study books for the knowledge, but unless you are serious about trading other peoples money, I would not get the license. As a licensed person, you are the one with the target on your back. The broker you hang your shingle with does not care about you one little bit and if you make a mistake, you are the one on the hook and the broker will hang you out to dry. Don't kid yourself about this. I've seen it happen over and over again.

Plus there is the cost of annual CE along with E&O insurance. Then there is the disclosures required every time you open an account of any kind, the annual FINRA certifications.....yuck....trading is supposed to be simple....

If you start the hedge fund, my understanding is you can trade up to 15 other peoples money without registering....you may want to research that though just to be safe....

Thats my two cents.