Jon Boorman of Alpha Capture has over 30 years of experience. He’s done most of his time in the institutional space, basically running a trading desk, being an assistant to a portfolio manager, and a prop trader. Jon currently trades independently and managing assets for others.
He uses a long-only trend following strategy, which is discussed extensively during this episode. Jon also talks about why the simplicity of trend following can be a gift and a curse. He also dives into why he only trades the long-side and the affect in a full fledged bear market.
What’s Covered in This Interview:
- Jon’s journey on the institutional side of trading. He goes into detail when setting up a trading desk for one of the firms he worked for in London.
- Jon’s reinvention, including the reason he questioned his beliefs about markets.
- Why it can be both a gift and a curse to follow trends.
- The difference between wanting excitement and having passion for trading.
- How you can use a fundamental theme to decisions to buy into a trend, but price is ultimately the determining factor.
- How traders can survive long term, and the importance of setting process oriented goals.
- How Jon deals with position when he’s performing well and poorly.
Links and Resources:
- How to Find a Trading Style That Suits Your Personality –The blog post on Jon’s site referenced in the interview to help you identify the trading style that suits you.
- The Mental Edge in Trading – This book by Jason Williams is highly recommended by Jon mentions because it does a great job outlining your psychological profile and how it affects your trading.
- Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom – This book by Van Tharp helped Jon to discover his ideal timeframe and methodology.
- Trend Following – This book by Michael Covel k is an obvious choice for anyone who wants to learn more about trend following.
- Stocks on the Move – This book by Andreas Cleanow is also highly recommend by Jon. Read this for insight to how to beat the market with hedge fund momentum strategies.
- JonBoorman.com – Jon’s personal blog.
- Alpha Capture – Jon’s subscription service on Benzinga’s Marketfy which features lessons on using trend following and momentum strategies alongside disciplined risk management and position sizing.
- @JBoorman – Follow Jon on Twitter.
