My Options Trading Journey

The Spark: Financial Education Simplified

I placed my very first options trade in the middle of the 2022 bear market. I’d heard the word options trading during COVID from a co-worker and also from a roommate who bragged he “made a few hundred bucks on a Put Option.” Being a little bit curious, I started reading a book on options, but failed to decipher the mechanics though the dryness of the text and the new and confusing terms. The only two useful takeaways from this text were these handy memory aids:

• Puts are like insurance

• Calls are like coupons
  

A year later I stumbled on a gifted YouTuber that translated the gibberish and opened my eyes. After another YouTuber’s free master class, I was able to finally understand covered calls, vertical spreads, profit and loss diagrams, theta decay as “collecting rent,” and—most importantly—why selling options usually offers higher probabilities than buying them. I was amazed that brokerages like Robinhood actually show you the calculated probabilities of success for each contract. These “aha!” moments turned curiosity into commitment.

Skin in the Game: Day One

The idea of starting with paper‑trading lasted about five minutes. I wanted to experience real gains (and losses), real emotions that comes with putting your own money in play (and losing real money). First goal: earn enough premium to pay for a cappuccino. Then for a dinner. Then for a cell-phone bill. Within two months I’d earned my first $1,000; by December 2022, my total earned was $10K, just in my first six months of trading! Main lessons here for any new traders are

• Start with small premium goals - $5, $10, $100

• Tie it to something tangible (cup of coffee, etc) and watch your mindset shift

Getting on the runway and launching!

Now it was time to punch that takeoff button! 2023-24 were exciting times of trials and errors, diving in, continuous learning (YouTube, a few new textbooks), and implementing new strategies. This was also the time when I learned all about rolling options, which is a super power. Also key was understanding that brokerages allow you to use margin as collateral, without actually using margin, which allows for greater runway, and flexibility (must use wisely, as margin is historically an account killer, a great-depression catalyst!) My bread-and-butter trades were Cash Secured Put and Put Credit Spreads (Bull Put Spreads) which thrived especially during the nice bull market. But after bleeding from Call Credit Spreads (Bear Call Spreads), I swore them off (until I found a better blueprint from Abundantly Erica, as you’ll see in another post… ). Not to be deterred by these losses, I persevered, and mentally stocked away the following import lesson

• Be comfortable taking losses. This is essential to building up trading psychology. Managing your emotions is one of the most important keys to success in trading, and investing.

Searching for the Next Gear: Abundantly Erica

By late 2024 I new I needed a bear‑market toolkit. My success was inspiring me to continue (~ $5k/month in 2023, ~$8k/month in 2024), but just as I didn’t understand how to mitigate losses from Call Credit Spreads in a Bull Market, I didn’t have a solid strategy for Put Credit Spreads when a bear market happens. YouTube’s algorithm eventually led me to Abundantly Erica’s “How I Made $400 k in One Year” and I knew I had found what I was looking for. I've been working with Erica since January 2025, and the new trading techniques I learned not only boosted my skills and confidence, but also boosted my returns. I'll describe my journey with Erica in an upcoming post.

Freedom Dividend: Quitting the 9‑to‑5

Achieving my brokerage capital target, and discovering Erica's program, allowed me resign from Aerospace Manager role in February 2025 and pursue other personal pursuits, like moving back to live in France. Believing in Erica’s strategies as well as all the complementary ones from the rest of the influencers, I felt confident enough that my toolset was solid. Finally, I know I had enough to generate income to pay my expenses, and grow it, albeit a little slower without another source of income.

I formed Options with Ancil, LLC, wrote up a business plan, and paid myself a salary. My stress dropped, gym attendance soared. I transferred those skills and processes from my former job: Risk matrices, technical road‑maps, strategic thinking and summary reports into my new venture. Whether steering a drone or a portfolio, the skills is the same.

Now I continue to work on my trade craft, contribute to Erica’s program (Q&A and Skool Channels), test new strategies, learn technical and fundamental analyses, and grow my business. I’ve also started trading spreads in my IRA now that I have more confidence and tools.

But the real benefit, is that now my days are my own, and I'v gotten time back. Monday blues are no more, in fact, it has turned into anticipation of the market opening.

What’s Next?

• Grow a $200K IRA to $1 M within ten years (≈ 2 % a month, conservatively and safely).

• Fund a downpayment for my forever home in France using a dedicated options account.

• Mentor friends and family.

• Keep the creative side alive with drone‑videography across Europe, and the world.

Takeaways for New Traders

1. Think Small First. Five dollars becomes fifty, then five hundred

2. Educate Yourself Relentlessly. Books, videos, mentorships

3. Pick Quality Stocks. Liquidity and fundamentals matter

4. Have an Exit Plan Before Entry. Rolling, closing, or accepting assignment

5. Treat It Like a Business. Track metrics, review performance, pay yourself.

Trading isn’t the only road to financial freedom—real estate, small business, side-gigs, or traditional investing may suit you better—but for now options trading is my favorite blend of logic, creativity, and possibility. Start tiny, stay disciplined, and maybe I’ll see you in Erica’s next cohort…