Top Traders Unplugged

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Latest Episodes:

RT14: What it takes to set up a CTA business ft. Jennifer Sunu, Arthur Bell & JP Bruynes – 1of2 Aug 16, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode Niels Kaastrup-Larsen is joined by Jennifer Sunu, who is the director of compliance at the NFA, Arthur Bell, CPA and managing member of Bell Tower LLC, and JP Bruynes, who is a partner at the law firm Akin Gump.

Listen in to today’s episode as we focus on how the managed futures industry is organized, how it has changed since the industry started, who the key players are and what role do they play, and how regulators keep an eye on all these players to ensure they play fairly.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

What got our guests into managed futures
The basic structure of the managed futures industry
What role each of the key players have in managed futures
How the different regulatory bodies work together in the US
The different ways that hedge fund management has changed over the last twenty years
How the industry has evolved over the last forty years
Why our guests believe that investing in managed futures is a good idea
What it takes to set up a CTA today
The importance of understanding your edge as a CTA
What first steps a new CTA is going to take in working with regulators
What Jennifer recommends for younger CTA’
The questions new investors should be asking to find the best CTA for them

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Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Learn more about Jennifer Sunu and the National Futures Association

Learn more about Arthur Bell and Bell Tower LLC

Learn more about JP Bruynes and Akin Gump

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PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

In my eBooks, I put together some key discoveries and things I have learnt during the more than 3 decades I have worked in the Trend Following industry, which I hope you will find useful. Click Here

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

One of the things I’m really proud of, is the fact that I have managed to published the Trend Barometer and Market Score each day for more than a decade...as these tools are really good at describing the environment for trend following managers as well as giving insights into the general positioning of a trend following strategy! Click Here

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU105: The Many Flavors of Trend Following ft. Niels Kaastrup-Larsen of DUNN Capital (Europe) Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

We’re changing things up on today’s episode of the podcast: we have with us Frank Conway from the Economic Rockstar Podcast interviewing Niels about trend following strategies, asset allocation, and more. Listen in to find out what changes need to be made in the trend following space, the importance and benefits of your asset allocation when it comes to your investments, and new publications that can take you farther in mastering trend following and managed futures.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why Niels has worked hard to keep his explanation of trend following as simple as possible
Why at the end of the day, all investors are trend followers
What really sets one trend follower apart from another
How trend following techniques have evolved over time
What traits Niels sees in the company he works with as most important in their 40+ year success
The challenges and difficulties of trend following
Why trying to do it yourself in trend following can hurt rather than help
Why successfully executing a trend following strategy is not something that Niels believes everybody can or should do
Why despite their successes, many trend followers feel an embarrassment in showing their track records
How the right asset allocation can build safer and better performing portfolios
Why it’s important to have “skin in the game” as an investment manager
The importance of COI versus ROI
What Niels thinks of cryptocurrencies and how it relates to trend following
Why DUNN Capital trades the VIX and its importance in their portfolio
What inspired Niels to write his recent books on trend following and managed futures
The purpose behind Niels outreach, whether it’s podcasts, books, newsletters, or anything else
What Niels hopes people will get out of his books

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU104: The Passive & The Active Investor ft. Harold de Boer of Transtrend – 2of2 Jun 21, 2018

Show notes

Katy Kaminski and I continue our conversation with Harold de Boer, and discuss his philosophy behind pure trend and divergent trading, as well as why Harold believes Transtrend is unique in the managed future space. In this episode, we talk about the benefits of synthetic trading, Harold’s advice to a new rising star, and what he is looking forward to going forward.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How Harold views pure trend and divergent trading within Transtrend
What pure trend means today in comparison to what it used to mean
What it means to Harold to serve his clients best through his trading
How trading synthetic markets helps to profit from trends
What Harold thinks is unique about Transtrend’s trading model
The research projects that inspire Harold right now
Why Harold believes it’s unrealistic to expect returns without volatility
The differences between the passive and active investor
What excites Harold about 2018
The things that scare Harold and keep him up at night
Why risk management should be done by anticipation, not by response

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Katy on Twitter

Follow Harold de Boer onLinkedin

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU103: Trading In The Medium-Term Space ft. Harold de Boer of Transtrend – 1of2 Jun 15, 2018

Show notes

Harold De Boer is a Managing Director, Member of Management Committee and Member of Board of Directors at Transtrend B.V. Growing up, Harold’s interest in statistics grew out of his work at his family’s dairy farm, and expanded into the world of trading and managed futures. Listen in to learn about Harold’s unique perspective on the industry, his marketing philosophy, and some of the most important lessons he’s learned during his successful career.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How Harold got started with statistics at a young age
Why Harold’s first job as a mathematician was intended to be only temporary
How that first job transformed into Harold’s work at Transtrend
When the Turtles project was discovered by Transtrend in its early years
How being bought by a larger organization did not affect Transtrend’s operation
Some of Harold’s biggest lessons he has learned
How his time on a dairy farm informs Harold’s approach to trend following
What investors underestimate and don’t understand about managed futures
The only thing that actually drives the markets
How market dynamics changed as a result of the transition from floor trading to electronic trading
Why Harold believes that Transtrends program should be called “medium-term”
Why Harold believes positive alpha does not actually exist

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Katy on Twitter

Follow Harold de Boer onLinkedin

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU102: What Institutions have Learnt about Investing ft. Nigol Koulajian of Quest Partners – 2of2 May 24, 2018

Show notes

Katy Kaminski and I continue our conversation with Nigol Koulajian, and discuss if his strategies of working with, around, and doing the opposite of what many investors are doing, has given him any advantages? In this episode, we talk about the risk of research and data affecting the market, why he distrusts in many institutional teachings of finance, and what he is looking forward to this year.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How savvy investors stay ahead of the curve
Why you need to isolate yourself from the hivemind of mainstream investors
Why those using smart beta have not succeeded recently
Nigol’s opinion on VIX’s impact in and outside the managed futures industry
How Nigol adapts to the changing industry
Why Nigol calls filtering the “holy grail” and how he uses it
The state of institutional and scientific learning of investing
How research into the markets affects their behavior
What opportunities 2018 brings for Nigol and other investors
Why Nigol believes CTA’s are still very useful for managed futures

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Katy on Twitter

Follow Nigol Koulajian on LinkedIn

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU101: Should You Trust The Short-Term Over The Long-Term? ft. Nigol Koulajian of Quest Partners – 1of2 May 18, 2018

Show notes

Nigol Koulajian is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Quest Partners LLC, and has been designing and trading short-term and long-term technical systems for over 22 years. Coming from Columbia business school, many of Nigol’s general practices seem counter-intuitive but have consistently yielded results. This interview will help get you deeper into the trading and management philosophy that has made Quest Partners such a successful firm.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How Nigol got started with trading systems
How Quest Partners grew to where it is today
What Nigol has learned from his unique path into managed futures
Why clearly defining your process is value added to your product
Why Nigol is okay with always being in a state of failure
How developing nuance in his intuitive process has become Nigol’s greatest asset
What role meditation has played in Nigol’s career
What factors played into Quest’s success
Why Quest takes tail risk into account while normalizing returns
Why Nigol puts more trust in short-term over the long-term
Some of Nigol’s short-term trading strategies
What Nigol is studying right now
How writing white papers has helped Nigol’s relationships with his clients
Why focusing on your investors can be hurting your long-term growth
How Quest Partners has changed to fit the post-2010 financial climate
The problem with smart beta

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Katy on Twitter

Follow Nigol on LinkedIn

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU100: Being Transparent With Your Clients ft. Robert Sinnott of AlphaSimplex – 2of2 Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

In our continued conversation with Robert Sinnott, Katy Kaminski and I dive into why AlphaSimplex has been so successful, why Robert values transparency in his firm so highly, and what he advises for new and rising-star investors. He goes deep into what he is excited about and afraid of with managed futures, and what he’s looking forward to accomplishing with AlphaSimplex in the future.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why AlphaSimplex maintains a pure trend program
What problems in the trend following space Robert hopes to solve
The challenges that AlphaSimplex deals with on a regular basis
What factors have given AlphaSimplex its success
Why Robert holds transparency in such high regard
How the models Robert uses employ smart long-term and short-term assessment and why
When your size as a firm hurts your performance
What about managed futures makes Robert the most excited
The things about managed futures that keep Robert up at night
Why the models you are reading about are wrong
Robert’s advice for young and rising star investors
Why Robert believes the right question can often more important than the answer

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Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Learn more about Joe Blitzstein’s “Introduction to Probability”
Find out more about my co-host Katy Kaminski’s “Trend Following with Managed Futures: The Search for Crisis Alpha”

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Rob on LinkedIn

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU99: The Good and Bad of Machine Learning ft. Robert Sinnott of AlphaSimplex – 1of2 Apr 14, 2018

Show notes

From the very beginning, Robert Sinnott has studied the movement of the markets and how to anticipate their changes. Robert earned both an A.B. and an A.M. in Statistics from Harvard University, where he focused on statistical machine learning, capital markets, and time series analysis.

In our conversation, my co-host Katy Kaminski and I talk with Robert about how he has used these skills to redesign AlphaSimplex’s performance analytics infrastructure and develop smarter machine learning processes, and how Robert employs this data with such success.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

The history behind AlphaSimplex and how it began
How Robert got involved with AlphaSimplex
How the surrounding technology industry affects Robert’s work
What lessons Robert has learned from his time at AlphaSimplex
How Robert spends his time outside of his work
How adaptive markets shape the way Robert works
Why Robert utilizes machine learning and how it benefits AlphaSimplex
The dangers of relying too much on machine learning
What makes AlphaSimplex’s machine learning so easy to understand

-----

Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Learn more about Joe Blitzstein’s “Introduction to Probability”
Find out more about my co-host Katy Kaminski’s “Trend Following with Managed Futures: The Search for Crisis Alpha”

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Follow Rob on LinkedIn

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU98: Adapting to the Ever Changing Markets ft. Marty Bergin of DUNN Capital – 2of2 Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

Katy Kaminski and I continue our conversation with Marty Bergin, and discuss his philosophy behind DUNN Capital’s success, and why many investors don’t understand trend following strategies. In this episode, we will discuss what investors and trend followers should be focusing on, and what risks excessive regulation may lead to for the industry.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How DUNN views it’s expansion into more markets
Why their NO management fee policy has helped DUNN throughout the years
How DUNN will adapt to the ever changing market environment
What investors have a hard time understanding about trend followers
Marty’s goal over the next ten years
What Marty fears most in his work at DUNN
The most important question investors should be asking themselves right now
Why Marty believes trend following strategies should be more widely available
Marty’s advice to young investors and aspiring trend followers

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

Learn more about DUNN: www.dunncapital.com

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

TTU97: Putting Your Clients First...Always ft. Marty Bergin of DUNN Capital – 1of2 Feb 25, 2018

Show notes

Our guest today is the President and Owner of DUNN Capital. Having a deep background in finance and business management, Marty oversees all mission-critical operations of the firm, including the firm’s research and development efforts as well as the construction and management of the firm’s managed futures portfolios.

In our conversation, my co-host Katy Kaminski and I discuss with Marty DUNN Capital’s client-first business model, why he believes that their Adaptive Risk Profile has been a game-changer since its introduction in 2013, and how DUNN Capital has evolved since he joined more than 20 years ago.

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50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How Bill Dunn started DUNN Capital
How Marty minimizes risk down to the base level
What lessons Marty has learned from his time at DUNN Capital
Why Marty believes being client-centric is key to DUNN Capital’s success
How research plays a larger role within DUNN Capital than most people think
How DUNN Capital has changed since Marty joined
How Marty views return dispersion
Why certain “diverse” stock choices are not very diverse
What makes DUNN’s Adaptive Risk Profile unique
The one thing that is missing from Marty’s trend following program

-----

Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeor via the TTU website.

IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

----

PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey:

1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about

2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score

3. Other Resources that can help you

And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here

Disclaimer

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