Finance

I’ve been an influencer for 10+ years. What does that even mean? It means for 10+ years, I’ve shared many stories and experiences about my life. The goal has always been to share things that make your life easier. Sometimes I hit the mark, sometimes I didn’t.

Over the last two years, I’ve been going back and forth about this site. Do I want to keep BernettaStyle? Do I want to just walk away? I honestly feel like I did walk away for a minute. I just didn’t have it in me to write, type, edit etc. Also, Instagram and reels have taken over so much, do people even still read blogs? Hahaha!!

Well, I titled this post I’m a trader because I am. Over the last two years, I been training on how to trade. Trade stocks, options and futures. I absolutely love it.

While, BernettaStyle has been good to me and my family. I have new goals, new dreams, new desires and it doesn’t include necessarily being an intentional influencer. What does that mean? It means, that I will keep this site but I’m returning back to first feeling of starting this blog. Which was sharing to share and because it feels good. It means, that I will post when I want to share something. I still always want to provide value and not make this a “look at me” site.

What do you love about trading?

I’ve always had a interest in stocks. Since 1999. I opened my first brokerage with Fidelity in 1999 when I started working at IBM. My then manager gave me a stock tip and I opened an account. What’s funny is, back then you couldn’t buy and sell yourself like you could do now with Robinhood, Webull, TD Ameritrade. Back then you had to use a broker for everything. So, when I opened this Fidelity account with this stock tip, the stock did go up – but I didn’t know I should have sold it and not hold. I lost $1000. What an expensive lesson. It didn’t deter me from investing, but just a lesson to kickstart my journey.

Fast forward to 2018. I was working at some job here in Florida and everytime I could check my phone, I was buying and selling stock on Robinhood. All of sudden, I saw a video about options and how you can make money faster.

One option contract is equal to 100 stocks. (Mind blown). It was also a black woman teaching people how to do that. Well, her class was more that I could spend at the time so I didn’t take the class, but my interest for options was now there.

In 2018, I joined a Build-a-bag options group through Stocks and Stilettoes. You had to start with $500 and pay $75 monthly with the hopes of having a BIG BAG of money in one year. I thought we would learn options in the group. I was wrong. No one knew anything major and I lost money and time. 2019, I invested in a swing trading class with Stocks and Stilettoes & LaToyia from The Profit Room. This was what I needed the entire time. About six months later, I invested in an options class with The Profit Room and in early 2021 a futures class. Honestly, I’m going to have to revisit the futures class again because I needed more time with the information. 

I’m hooked.

I love trading because once you learn the strategies of trading, you can make “change your life forever” kind of money. Yes, you can lose a lot too. I’ve lost ALOT on my journey. However, I’ve made money as well. I love trading because once I master this, I don’t have to sell anything else (entrepreneurship is ALOT) and I won’t have to work for anyone (if I choose not too).

My long term goal is to trade full time like my mentors Ernest & LaToya, owners of The Profit Room. They are the real deal. Their students are the real deal and everyone is an open book. They want us to learn, grow and make this money.

I look at my trading journey as my own personal masters program. You don’t start college on day 1 and have a degree on day 2. You have to go through the process, learn, experience, do, make mistakes and have milestones. It’s the same with trading. You have to want to learn this because if it was easy, everyone would be doing it, but once you learn it and apply the strategies correctly it becomes easy.

So, I’m a trader. I have a two year goal. I’m going to share it here to put it in the atmosphere and watch it manifest.

Goal: I want to make my current salary twice over within the next two years. Meaning, I want to make double my currently salary in under 2 years trading stocks, options and futures by July 2023.

My son graduates high school in May 2023. It would be amazing to hit the goal by then. It’s doable. I will tell you what that magic number is when I hit the goal. Why that goal? Because if I can double my work salary in under two years, that means I can successfully trade as a full time trader and not need a job. Now, if I want to keep working after I reach this goal, that will be my choice but reaching this goal means I now have to skills to trade without a job.

“What’s the alternative?”

Ernest and Latoya often interview their students via youtube and the last interview I heard was from a lady who is a realtor who has found success trading futures. One thing that rings in my head when they asked her why does she want to trade now? Her response was “What’s the alternative?” I promise I can’t get that out of my head. What’s the alternative for me if I don’t trade? For me? Not you.

The alternative is working for someone until retirement. Putting in my vacation days a few times a year. I want more. Living life on the schedule of the business. I want ALOT more. I want to live a different life. Trading successfully will help me create that life.

I’m 44 and the first goal was to be able to retire working at 50 because of trading. However, now I have this new goal ($ amount) within two years. And when I reach my goal, it doesn’t mean I’m quitting my job. It just means I can if I want too. I actually love the company I work for. But I’m going to love the life I’m creating for myself and my family more. “What’s the alternative?”

So how am I going to reach my goal? Remember, I told you that I look at this journey as my own personal masters program. I’ve surrounded myself with amazing traders and continue to learn from them daily. I’m on a weekly Sunday calls with Ernest/LaToya (a group call) about tickers, charts and how the market is moving. There’s another call with other profit room traders about strategies. I will also chart daily. I will master support and resistance (I’m pretty good now, if I do say so myself). I will master candlesticks, entry, exit and SL. I will MASTER RISK MANAGEMENT (this is where you lose and/or keep your money).

I am so excited about this journey. So excited.

As I work towards this goal, I can share more. Feel free to ask questions.

So I’m a trader. Not so much an influencer as I was before, unless I’m influencing you to go for the life you want for yourself.

Zoom. (The song, not the platform). This was an old friend’s favorite song. It just came to me as I ended this post. Listen to it. In case you read this post old friend … I hope you’re finally happy.