Options University and the Options Mastery Program

It is Father's Day weekend and I am looking forward to a special dinner with my family. I've been told I can even take a nap, if I choose!

With the luxury of free time, I've been reading through a lot of e-mails from Brett Fogel and a few other folks over at Options University, updating me on some recent developments, and I thought you might appreciate some of the information as well.

The Latest News On Options University

Options University is one the fastest growing options education companies in the United States and it is the publisher of my favorite options education programs currently available for the retail trading audience. The company has always been quite small and because of their small size the folks at OU have traditionally relied upon third party vendors and "virtual assistants" for much of their back office and customer support.

Outsourcing to these third parties was cost effective, but it resulted in some problems. In my conversations with Brett Fogel and Ron Ianieri, I realized that they knew that if they were to grow company and better serve their customers that this would eventually have to be dealt with because the inherent limitations of outsourcing were causing frustrations for them as well as their growing customer base.

All things considered, and all frustrations aside, the frequency of problems was a "positive problem." It was an indication that Options University had grown beyond the capacity of the current system and was ready to take the next step forward.

As a result of their growing success, Options University also took on a very ambitious project. They hosted the Investors Super Conference and attracted some very big names in the business as speakers. The conference was a huge success for them, but it also diverted their attention away from the day-to-day affairs of running the core business. Of course, with a "virtual staff" there just were not others that could pick up the slack while the Super Conference was in full swing and some things "fell through the cracks."

Well, here is the really good news. With the Super Conference now behind them Brett Fogel turned his attention to preparing the company for even better things to come. Options University now has new, larger offices which were necessary to house the new employees that have been hired. Those employees have been trained, they are "learning the ropes," and helping get Options University settled into their new offices. I spoke with Brett Fogel who pretty much runs the show over there, and they have some great plans for the future.

How Options University Compares

At TheOptionClub.com, the focus is upon helping stock options traders transition from an academic understanding of options to becoming full fledged, profitable traders. Students from many, many programs find their way to our websites, discussion forums, and this blog.

Before we can really help anyone become a successful options trader, they must lay a foundation of understanding. They must learn how options work and how they can be used in the market place. There are many ways to do this, but for those who are truly serious about mastering the subject they typically enroll in one of the many courses and seminars offered on the subject.

While I cannot audit all of the programs out there, I do try to keep on top of what is available. The live training seminars typically cost $3,000 to $30,000 and fall into one of two general categories. The first category is what I call a comprehensive options education, which focuses upon multiple options strategies and how to apply them to take advantage of differing market conditions. The second category of seminars focus upon a single strategy or adaptation of a single strategy. For example, I have seen seminars focusing exclusively upon covered calls and am aware of at least one that focuses upon married puts.

I, personally, do not like the niche focused seminars. They emphasize one trading strategy to the exclusion of others. The problem with that narrow focus is that you tend to see every trade in the context of that one strategy and may find yourself missing much more effective means of trading a position. Now, if you already have a strong understanding of options and want to expand upon your understanding of how to trade covered calls I don't have any problem with that. I simply believe that you will be a better trader if you have a more complete understanding of options.

As for the programs offering a more comprehensive view of the subject, most do not provide that education in one sitting. Typically, you will need to enroll in multiple seminars or courses for that education. With each course costing thousands of dollars, you quickly find that you're spending 10's of thousands of dollars. Is it worth the price? Perhaps, but only you can say whether it is worth it for you.

Options University offers a home study courses that deliver all of the information and insight that the other seminars offer, but deliver it at a much more affordable price. The most comprehensive of their offerings is their Options Mastery course. The whole course was born out of the curriculum trading specialist Ron Ianieri taught to new floor traders. He adapted that original curriculum for the retail audience and put it together in one program.

The Options Mastery program comes in both a home study version, which is excellent, and from time-to-time is offered as a live class. I had the privilege of sitting in on the first live classes that Ron Ianieri conducted and can tell you that he invests a tremendous amount of time and effort working with his students until he is sure they have mastered the key concepts.

Good Things To Come From Options University

Now that they are in their new office space and have expanded their staff to respond more efficiently to our needs, you can expect some really terrific things to come from Options University. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

So, happy Father's Day to all my fellow dads out there!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com