If you haven’t seen the movie, The Big Short, an insight to how banks make such a fine living and who pays for the lavish lifestyles of its key players is revealed in one of the most eye-opening exposes of the underbelly of the US financial markets.

Reminiscent of the 1930’s, many who watched the movie now understand why their great-grandparents kept their cash under the mattress.  Fortunately, we haven’t reached that point and maybe never will in our lifetimes, but the corollary to the movie’s message and the point of this article is: you must take control of your own financial destiny because the system is rigged against those who foolishly put faith in it.

The endless articles that point to similarities between the market and economic conditions of today and of the period just prior to the 2008-9 global market meltdown have frightened the mom-and-pop investor to paralysis.  Illiquid markets have been re-liquified by central banks in obvious ways and clandestine maneuvers invisible to the rest of us.  These markets are rigged, say many prominent market observers and insiders.  And to that, I say, “Of course they are.”

So, do we stop trading and find another profession until that “day of reckoning” and so-called global “reset” clears the deck for a better and more-free marketplace?

Hell, no!

In fact, traders of small-cap stocks are as much affected by bank shenanigans as a one-man accounting firm is affected by an industry-wide accounting fraud scandal perpetrated by the nation’s big-name accounting firms.  In other words, big banks don’t touch $25 million market cap stocks and won’t ever be on the other side of a trade that small.  For the most part, what you see is what you get, with no third party rigging the game in favor of one side or the other.

The fallout of The Big Short of 2008-9 has killed the easy ride of the bull market.  “Buy-and-hold” is no longer operative in the business of wealth creation.

“This is a trader’s market. It is not time to buy and hold large indexes or high-beta stocks and expect to be made whole over the next ten years,” well-known market commentator John Mauldin recently wrote. “Hope is not a strategy. But waiting for the ‘shoe to drop’ is frustrating, I know. However, that is the situation we find ourselves in.

“Buy and hold is dead . . . at least for now.”

For me, the market has always been a “trader’s market,” as Mauldin has identified for today’s market participant.  It’s been my living for many years now.  It’s in my blood.  Unfortunately, like it or not, trading must become part of your blood, too, if you want to leapfrog the “9-to-5” routine as I have.

Welcome to my world.

My name is Jason Bond, and I can teach you to take control of your own financial destiny with easy-to-learn techniques that have yielded me a 190% return on my investment last year.  And so far in 2016, I’m doing even better than that blockbuster return, as my portfolio of small-cap stocks has already returned 86% (as of 3/4/2016).

No doubt, these are uncertain times.  Opportunity has been knocking at your door since the financial world changed in 2008, but fear of the unknown and the question of who will guide you through to the “new you” unshakably lingers.

I know; I’ve been there.  I had no idea I could trade.  There are no traders in my family background and no role model for me to follow.  How would I know if I could make a handsome living trading unless I tried?  Right?

So, let me show you that you, too, can grab the wheel away from the Big Banks to follow your own and unique financial destiny.  What I teach is specialized knowledge.  You don’t need advanced degrees, “connections” or a secret knock to enter my world.  It’s just you against the market, with my guidance to get you going on your own ideas when you feel you’re ready to get in the driver’s seat.

And lastly, allow me to close with a quote I read years ago attributed to the heir to the great Walt Disney, the pioneer of screen creations of the mid-20thcentury.

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” ~ Steven Spielberg

Of the many words of wisdom I’ve read from so many great minds of the past and present, the above quote from Spielberg really cemented a more meaningful understanding of my special calling and, hopefully, an insight for you as to what motivates me to help you become a better trader.

At Jason Bond Picks (JBP), my service teaches you how to make money trading stocks, not condition you to become dependent upon me for the rest of your trading career.  A relationship based on dependency makes me uncomfortable; it’s not what I’m about.  Instead, I gain satisfaction when I see a student leave the JBP flock and beat me at my own game!  That’s right—beat my performance.  And, yes, you may know deep inside that you can do it, too.