Liz Dierking
Co-Host of The LIZ & JNY Show on the tastytrade network
Age 42
Home Lemont, Ill.
Office Most of the time, my car. I am always on the go. I trade everywhere. With two kids who are growing up too fast, I try to not miss a moment of their lives and have really fit trading into my lifestyle. I love that my kids see me trading and talking about the markets on a daily basis. One of my proudest mom moments is when the kids get into the car after school and ask me where the SPUs are.
Years trading 23 (since I was 19!)
Origin story as a trader When I was a girl my dad and I used to talk about the stock market. He was the person who got me heading down this route. We used to read the ticker symbols in the paper. I was a finance major and had a summer internship with Bear Stearns as a runner in the bond pit the summer of my junior year. The second I set foot on that floor I knew that was what I wanted to do. My dad always used to tell me that I found my people. I have always talked fast and I found the place where fast talking and thinking ruled. Flash forward to the current-day scenario, and the quick decision making is still with me and I am still working on slowing my speech.
Favorite trading strategy My favorite, far and away, are the lizard strategies, which are premium selling, high-probability trades that eliminate risk to one side. These suit my style well because as much as I try not to have an opinion, this allows me not to lose if I am wrong.
Average number of trades per day Ten to 15. I am in and out quickly and like to redeploy capital. A very smart person once told me that a trade is not a win until you close it.
The percentage of your outcomes you attribute to luck All of them. I am lucky to have found this skillset and to have found an amazing network of people who share the same passion for this business.
Favorite trading moment When things are firing on all cylinders and the market is giving me two-way action and GTC orders ore coming off fast. My biggest wins have been luck, not skill, because as a trader I take my profits quickly.
Worst trade After Facebook’s IPO I bought the stock instead of waiting for the options to come out and the stock plummeted. I just remember thinking, “What are you doing? You are an options trader.” I like high probability trades versus the 50/50 shot. I like to be in control of my risk and my reward scenarios, and option trading allows me to do just that.
