alifestyletrader

ALifestyleTrader.com

Money

work

About me

How I got started

After a successful 17-year career in the insurance industry, I made a life-changing decision: I sold my agency to pursue my true passion for the markets. This led me to the trading floor of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) as a "Local," where I honed my skills primarily in futures and equities. My journey then took me to the U.S. markets, trading equities, options, futures, and even some commodities.

Learning

Trading has never been an easy journey. After two and a half decades of ups and downs, I took a break, helping to set up a financial advisory firm and even taking a short stint as a private banker. Yet, through it all, the allure of trading never faded. I love the pure challenge it presents—just you and the market, with no one to blame for your failures and no one to take credit for your success. It's a humbling and honest mirror of who you are.

Being consistent

I've learned this the hard way. My best year saw a 500% return on investment, but I know that consistency is a completely different challenge. I'm not a "guru," and I've made every mistake in the book. This website is my way of sharing those hard-won lessons so that you don't have to pay the same price I did.

Don't Chase Butterflies. Build a Garden.

Early in my career, I was a master at chasing butterflies. I made my first million in the insurance industry, but that relentless chase led to burnout and a broken marriage. Unknowingly, I continued this pattern in my trading, resulting in inconsistent outcomes and a major health scare.

My life truly transformed after I gained the wisdom to stop chasing what was fleeting. Instead, I learned to build a beautiful garden. This philosophy is the foundation of everything I now teach.

The internet is filled with promises of easy, fast money—the "big and beautiful butterflies." But chasing them will lead to frustration and losses. My mission is to help you stop losing, which is half the battle won. The other half is to empower you to cultivate your own garden—a robust, consistent trading strategy that brings the rewards to you.

I paid a high price for my lessons, and my goal is to help you avoid that same path. This website is a documentation of my trading and life experiences for my children and grandchildren, but if you find it useful, I am more than happy to share it with you.

Testimonials

Jayden

"I was always decent at picking good companies, but my timing was terrible. I’d buy and sell at the wrong moments, so my profits were never great, and I sometimes even lost money.

After learning from Colin, everything changed. I finally understood what it really means to 'sell when the market is greedy and buy when it is fearful.' He showed me how to read clear chart patterns that reveal greed and fear, and more importantly, how to use specific indicators for entry and exit.

The biggest breakthrough for me was realizing it's not about the stock price—it's about whether the chart pattern is beautiful or not. Once that clicked, I became more patient and, over the last six months, my stocks have gone up by 25%. I’m finally consistent. I highly recommend his program to anyone who wants to learn how to trade and invest!"

Atarah Yeo

"I really appreciate how the lessons are not too heavy. All our questions are answered on the spot, and I love the honesty and lack of sales talk. I especially appreciate the homework—it really helps you apply what you've learned."

Anne

"As a beginner in the investment world, Colin's lessons gave me a strong foundation in the fundamentals of investing and trading. He introduced us to many different strategies and encouraged us to find the one that truly resonated with our personal style."

Ivan

Colin has been amazing in leveling up my trading skills and results. Thanks to him, my portfolio has achieved a 16% increase year-to-date.

Colin excels at demystifying the markets, clearly explaining how to identify trading opportunities and the reasoning behind each entry point. His practical, easy-to-follow strategies have boosted my confidence in executing trades. Beyond technical skills, he instills a robust trading philosophy centered on discipline, risk management, and a long-term perspective, which has fundamentally improved my approach to trading.

He is also able to tailor his coaching to my personal goals and lifestyle. He takes the time to understand my needs, crafting strategies that align with my schedule and financial objectives, making trading feel seamless and sustainable.