To The Moon

Meet @Pilates — a star contributor in the Tiger Community. Pilates — a self-taught trader and former small business owner who transformed a personal interest into a consistent track record of success in the world of options trading. Her journey began with a rocky start, investing on her father’s recommendation, which unfortunately didn’t go as planned. But setbacks didn’t stop her.

With encouragement and support from friends, she re-entered the market, this time discovering her true passion in trading options. What started as a hobby quickly evolved into a serious pursuit.

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Could you start by briefly introducing yourself? We’d love to hear about your personal investment journey—how you got started in trading and investing, what inspired you, and how you earned your first “bucket of gold” in the market.

Hi, I’m Pilates, a small business owner transitioning into retirement since 2023. I began investing in 2004 with SGX stocks, mostly based on hearsay, which didn’t end well. The real breakthrough came in 2017 when I ventured into global markets and made solid gains with stocks like LVMH, Disney, ICBC, and Xiaomi—my first real “bucket of gold.”

My father first encouraged me to invest, but his stock tips didn’t pan out. Years later, conversations with friends in the finance industry reignited my interest. They guided me to explore beyond local markets and choose better tools, helping me build a more informed and confident investment approach.

Why did you choose options as your main trading instrument? As a self-taught trader moving into semi-retirement, what inspired you to keep going despite challenges? And how did you learn options without relying on paid gurus—did friends help?

After joining Tiger Brokers in 2021, I became intrigued by their options trading platform and the potential to generate consistent income. At first, understanding puts, calls, and strategies was confusing—I lost money initially and spent about eight months learning the mechanics. But by the second year, I started seeing progress and gaining confidence.

Options attracted me because they offer great flexibility—from directional bets to income strategies—and the U.S. market provides rich premiums and strong liquidity. Local brokers didn’t offer much access to options, so Tiger Brokers opened up new opportunities that weren’t previously available.

During the pandemic, with fewer ways to spend money, I decided to use my travel funds to explore options trading. I learned mostly from YouTube—about 85% of my knowledge—and found Tiger’s community supportive and helpful when I had questions. Unlike past experiences with costly gurus, I preferred self-learning, which helped me build solid confidence over time.

What option strategies do you use, and how do you choose among them to fit your capital-efficient, income-focused style?

I mainly use the Wheel Strategy to accumulate stocks I like, bear put ladders for directional trades with credit, cash-secured puts and covered calls for steady income, and occasional LEAPS for long-term exposure with limited risk, especially on U.S. large caps and China tech stocks.

I have to admit, I feel a bit guilty about this because I didn’t know how to properly use all these strategies until around year three. In the beginning, I only used simple strategies like cash-secured puts and covered calls, but my win rate was quite poor. Over time, I learned how to repair losing trades instead of just accepting losses, which made a big difference.

What has been your most successful or memorable investment experience so far? With a three-year win rate around 75%, what practical habits or tools have helped you maintain such consistency, especially given your experience and time in the market? How do you stay consistent?

My proudest milestone wasn’t a single profitable trade, but turning around my early string of losses in options trading during my first year. In year two, I began treating options like an intense hobby—tracking every trade, calculating risk and reward, and setting weekly income goals. This discipline brought consistency and strong returns.

I don’t usually track my win rate closely, but I do know it’s important to have a plan. About a year ago, I started setting weekly and monthly KPIs, which keep me focused and prevent me from trading blindly or taking unnecessary risks.

For me, trading is more of a hobby than just a money-making venture. It’s fun and purposeful—especially during trading competitions, which motivate me to stay engaged and improve my skills.

How do you view the market outlook for 2025? What are your personal investment goals this year?

2025 is shaping up to be a year of divergence: macro risks remain, but AI, chips, and China tech have distinct value and momentum stories. My goal is to generate $100,000 in realized profits while growing my portfolio toward $500,000. I’ll continue writing options monthly while accumulating discount opportunities.

Any advice, tips, or encouragement for fellow Tiger community investors?

Don’t rush. Learn your tools, define your strategy, and track every trade. Draw your channels, stay patient, and don’t let the market spook you. It’s a journey , celebrate small wins, and learn from every loss.

As a self-taught trader and entrepreneur now in semi-retirement, what motivated you to explore options trading at this stage? How has sharing your trades and reflections enriched your life—through discipline, community, or renewed purpose?

As I transitioned into retirement, I wanted to stay mentally sharp while generating consistent income. After years of long-only investing, I craved more control and cash flow—options provided all three, and Tiger made it simple.Honestly, I use TradeFeed mainly to track my performance, not for community interaction. Trading is deeply personal. Even if someone tells you, “Buy this, you’ll make money,” you’ll still think twice before clicking that button. Ultimately, no one can convince you to make a trade you’re not confident in yourself.

Coming from an entrepreneurial background and now living a semi-retired lifestyle, how have your life experiences outside of trading shaped your mindset and approach in the markets today?

As a small business owner, I’ve always been numbers-driven. So when it comes to trading, I treat it like running a business—manage cash flow, watch allocations, and make sure the math works. It’s less about fancy strategies and more about staying grounded. I also observe the broader economy and spending behavior to get a sense of market sentiment, much like I would when assessing my own business performance."

You mentioned ‘Draw your channels, follow your intended strategy, and don’t let the market spook you’ — can you explain how this guides your trading decisions?

It’s my anchor. Drawing channels keeps me focused on key support/resistance levels, while the strategy keeps my decisions rule-based. If a stock breaks my channel, I either hedge, roll, or cut. Emotions can’t enter , only strategy and structure.

Do you have a family? If you had kids who were grown up, would you guide them into the investment or trading world? Would you recommend it to them?”

"Oh gosh, I’m actually single and don’t have children. But I do encourage my friends with kids to introduce financial literacy early. I once read about a mom who gave her child $1,000 every birthday to invest in stocks—that stuck with me. I believe the earlier you start, the better. When kids learn about money young, they grow up confident managing it. If you only begin at 30, your runway’s much shorter compared to someone who starts at 10."

Lastly, if you had to write a slogan to promote your Trade Feed, what would it be?

Income over impulse. Strategy over noise

Thanks @Pilates for the fantastic sharing! If you're eager to follow her latest live trading actions, make sure to subscribe to her real-time updates!

Now, here's the [Rewards] section:

What do you want to say to @Pilates ? Any questions or comments?

1. Tag your friends in the comments and repost this interview, everyone will be given 20 coins!

2. If @Pilates replies to your comment, you'll be given an additional 50 Tiger Coins as a reward! [Miser][Miser]

3. Post a screenshot of your subscription to @Pilates , and you will be given an additional $2 stock voucher!

([USD] NOTES: Don’t forget to subscribe to him first to get eligible!)

(Event Duration: Now - 29 August 2025)

(Coins and vouchers will be sent to you within 20 working days after the event ends.)

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