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Trading Instructor

Matt Gildea

Equities and Options Instructor

Matt Gildea has been a full-time trader of US markets since 2000, but his love affair with the market has been ongoing since he was a young boy. His grandfather provided his first foray into investing (in a mutual fund) at the age of 12 and from that point on, he was hooked. During college he traded mostly penny stocks and other lower priced equities, with mixed results - the typical ‘yo-yo account.’ He had a great desire to learn how to be consistent in his trading but was unsure how to go about it.

While working on an MBA, he had the opportunity to take a position as a broker at Prudential Securities. Finally, he believed he had found a surefire way to unlock the secrets of investing and trading, from the inside. After completing his broker licensing requirements (FINRA series 7, 63 & 65), he quickly came to the realization that his training would not include any content regarding how to trade, or what makes a good investment. Essentially he was a salesperson and this was not where his interest in the markets resided.

During his time as a broker, Matt had the good fortune to stumble upon a group of professional traders working near his office at Prudential. They allowed him to trade on a trading simulator, using the same tactics they were employing. It wasn’t long before he knew he had found the beginnings of the market education he so sorely wanted. Quitting his job as a broker at the peak of the internet boom, he began to trade full-time in March 2000.

After several years of successful trading, Matt was invited to share his knowledge of trading in a classroom environment, an experience which engendered a love of teaching others how to navigate financial markets for their own accounts. Since that time, he has shared his trading expertise with over 10,000 students in live classes all over North America, as well as in Europe and in Asia. Although equity options are his specialty, Matt also has experience in trading both futures and forex markets. His emphasis in teaching has always been to instill students with the core principles inherent in all successful traders. As he says, "Markets change, successful tactics change, but the underlying principles remain the same." He is married with one child and currently splits time between residences in Utah and Thailand.

What students are saying about Matt Gildea:

"Thanx Matt, for sharing your trading routine and the trade management part. I think this class will really help me to be a more organized trader." Mahesh K., March 2012

"What I like most in the class is Matt's personal, most useful and successful ideas to achieve the best results in swing trading. Matt is a great instructor. He showed us how to look at charts and pre-market economical news and its impact on market. I also like the Trading session where I got to see a professional trader analyze the stocks at the market open as well as intraday. I learned a new technique as to how to interpret the 5 min. candle after market open. Matt, thanks a lot for ton of information you gave us. I am confident now I will be much better trader." Gadahar P., March 2012

"I was promised by MATT of making it interesting and it was. Options wouldn't have been so interesting without him. Provided lot of clarity and stopped us at right time before we get confused. Thanks MATT" Anil P., February 2012

"Mr. Matt Gildea is a very warm and helpful instructor and with patience resolves our queries to our satisfaction. His intraday trading methods are very good and educative." Bhajanpal S., February 2012

"Matt Gildea's knowledge and understanding which he could deliver in a simple, precise manner consistently was truly enriching. Plus his patience with people and his willingness to share his own frameworks and strategies was amazing." Vipul P., December 2011

"Matt is an excellent instructor for Options classes and many of my questions got answered in this class." Jaiprakash V., December 2011

"MATT is the BEST instructor in OTA, is what I had heard from past students. While I do not have any other instructor to compare his teaching with, I still tend to believe this already." Arvind S., November 2011

"The concept was new to me and the all credit goes to my mentor Mr.Gildea for bringing new hope in me to be a successful professional trader." Suresh K., October 2011

"Matt is nice and mellow. He thinks clearly and logically and is able to get through all the material in a way that isn't confusing because he emphasizes the most important points. I learned so much from him. I am confident that after taking his class, I will approach the markets Monday morning with a fresh outlook that will help me bring in great profits. He included, in addition to the course material, a section on trade management from his own personal trade plan that was critical. It's great that his approach to teaching is so practical and logical that he makes sure to emphasize what is most important." Yvonne R., July 2011

"Matt is informative, knowledgeable and keeps the atmosphere light yet structured. His calm demeanor is a strength to those who may be overwhelmed by content overload." Tom T., July 2011

"Matt Gildea was truly outstanding. The ease with which he has ingrained the many complex concepts in our mind is amazing. My sincere thanks for the knowledge he has imparted." Rajeev B., July 2011

"Matt was a great instructor - very helpful and to the point." Vivek B., June 2011

"Matt is the best instructor I have trained with so far. Many of my concepts were theories and I was in the indicator trap, which I completely got out of. Thanks, Matt, for teaching me the importance of simplicity." Yogeshwar V., June 2011

"Matt is a very experienced and knowledgeable trader, and what is even better, his teaching skills are outstanding. As a result of his efforts, my confidence in trading increased a lot. This guy is the real deal. He not only knows his stuff but was able to impart it to us effectively. He likes to share his experiences and mistakes, and I think this makes a huge difference in improving the confidence level of students; Matt thanks for teaching us everything. It was a really nice experience." Swapnil J., May 2011

"I have truly enjoyed the class. Mr. Gildea has been fantastic and has been a very good guiding light. His attitude is very positive and he is very good at de-cluttering and cutting out the noise." Rishi K., May 2011

"Matt is very organized in his presentation. I have never had an instructor teach students such a complex subject matter in such a simplistic manner. He is a great teacher. He has helped me build a very strong fundamental concept in options for the advance options." Serene L., April 2011

"Matt Gildea is a clear and proficient options instructor. He takes a very complex subject and breaks it down into manageable parts. Thank you!" Susan A., April 2011

"Matt is a superb instructor – he knows his material. He builds great foundations for learning. All of his previous work supports his next lesson subject. He is very logical and has a great sense of humor." Patrick H., March 2011

"Matt took a very complex subject and made it much easier to understand for individuals of all backgrounds. He was very attentive and strives to make his students understand so they can be successful." Greg H., March 2011

"Matt Gildea was outstanding. His knowledge of options and the markets was tremendous. Matt's delivery of the course material was superb, answered all questions thoroughly and encouraged questions and class discussion. This was a great class, thanks Matt." William W., February 2011

"Matt is an excellent instructor. I am sure that his training will help me to be a better options trader." Tom G., February 2011

"Matt Gildea is a valuable instructor who added structure and excellent management techniques to assist me in my trading performance." Marilyn M., January 2011

"Matt was not only a knowledgeable instructor but also has excellent teaching skills, which sometimes are more important than having the best knowledge. Options is a complex subject and this course surely shortened my learning curve to trade more effectively." Hector C., December 2010

"Matt is FANTASTIC! He is very experienced in a broad spectrum of trading and very adept with options and how this asset class works in conjunction with others. He is also a very competent teacher, focused on engaging students in the process of trading." Russ, December 2010

"Matt teaches at a great pace, he is very patient; it’s mind boggling how much knowledge he has in trading options!!!" Logan B., November 2010

"Thanks Matt, for the great class and for putting up with all of my questions. You were a great instructor! I recommend this class to anybody." Slimane L., October 2010

"Matt was excellent. He seemed to be as thorough as possible for a two day class, yet simple. Very good at teaching at a level we could understand. I came away confident that I can learn and implement what he taught, as long as I put in the work." Joe F., October 2010

"Matt's presentation of the material was outstanding. His mix of personal experience with the material was great." Doug D., September 2010

"Matt is a very experienced and knowledgeable options trader, and what is even better, his teaching skills are outstanding. As a result of his efforts, my confidence in trading options and combining them with other plays I've already been making has increased markedly. This guy is the real deal. He not only knows his stuff but was able to impart it to us effectively." Ray K., September 2010

"Matt is the best compared to instructors I've had before. He turned a difficult subject into a simple and easy thing. I highly recommend him." Larry Y., June 2010

"Truly one of your best. His seasoned skill is obvious, but his value is in his ability to simplify a truly complex asset class! He really does make it manageable and comprehensible, an amazing skill in teaching options!" Kathie O., June 2010

"Matt balances the power point slides with his own information extremely well. The material is covered without a "canned automatic" feeling. Excellent. Matt keeps the class moving, and answers quick questions without letting the class divert the goal of the lecture. His attitude is professional yet relaxed. He knows his material and yet keeps the discussion geared to the level of the class." Patricia E., June 2010

"Matt is a skilled instructor. I like how he has given us parameters to follow as students, to use once we leave and begin our foray into options. What type of options to start with, and what strategies and metrics to follow. I liked Matt showing us what works for him in a very detailed manner with certain Delta, EV, ITM/OTM/ATM choices and when to make them. He begins with a fantastic motto, "No Big Losses." Robert S., June 2010