I was scrolling through one of the algorithmic trading groups on Reddit this morning when I stopped on a post that I think every retail trader has thought about at least once.

The title read: “No person/company will EVER sell you a strategy with a real edge!”

(Context: A skeptical trader arguing that if a strategy made money, the owner would keep it secret.)

I was banned from a major trading community for suggesting automation. Moments later, a user posted that they lost everything. This is the cost of the ‘Manual Only’ mindset.

In high-leverage fields like software architecture and financial speculation, hustle is often a mask for anxiety. Here is why I optimize for clarity, not busyness.

The Fork in the Road

This week, we officially launched Curated Trades at retailtrader.ai. During the development process, I faced a major decision regarding our Pro Plan risk profiles.

The data gave us two clear paths:

1. The Ferrari: ~95% annualized returns. High speed, high reward, but high-G force (15%+ drawdowns).
2. The Tank: ~40% annualized returns. Systematic, steady, and built for the long haul.

Personally, I trade like a Ferrari driver. But most retail traders are working professionals looking for a systematic “Execution Desk” that doesn’t keep them up at night. We chose The Tank.