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This week marks my fifth year writing for Optionetics and it seemed a great time to let the readers know about some of the really amazing people I’ve been fortunate to encounter along the way. Many have been with Optionetics and their partner companies longer than five years – definitely a positive comment about the firm. I hope I can suitably express my appreciation for landing with this group of people.

My history with the company started with a few conversations with CEO Richard Cawood. Although many instructors and writers are former students, I was an options broker and had some experience that meshed well with a pending project (to be fair though, I did use the OptionsAnalysis, Inc. website for trading, which led me to Optionetics).

Around the same time, another options education company was getting some bad press in the news and I had some reservations about working for a seminar company. But every time I talked to Richard I just liked what he said so much. It was pretty clear that he was a very straightforward guy and while I felt the company had great products and a great vision, what really resonated was the fact that Richard was extremely customer focused. Over the years my initial impressions were absolutely solidified.

A notable part of my due diligence process came when I was checking out the discussion boards. Kym Trippsmith, who is much more behind the scenes these days, had a few posts including those that supported some compliance issues brokers faced (a.k.a. attentive and professional to the customer’s concerns, but she didn’t broker bash). Kym also discussed the importance of managing risk. As a matter of fact, managing risk was a common theme – I loved seeing it.

Kym and Kim Diehl, the other editor at Optionetics et al, accomplish mountains of work streaming in from different writers at all of the different companies. The volumes and quality they produce is amazing. But even better, the teamwork I’ve experienced with them make even the ugliest of deadlines manageable … especially since they always seem to break it up with perfect levity. I so much appreciate having them as my virtual office allies. I can’t believe that week after week Kim juggles so much and can still be so flexible while meeting deadlines and goals. Her perspective has shouldered some weight over the years.

The Other Executives

I met Richard just prior to leaving California after a 14-month work stint. My husband remained in Denver that whole time and I was definitely eager to get back home, even though there was career uncertainty ahead. I had lunch with Richard and COO Tony Clemendor and simply felt reassured when I saw how Richard and Tony interacted. Tony is extremely down to earth with passions for education (BizWorld) and training (of the running sort). It seems that time for the latter may only have been replaced by his passion for family.

Next, I met SVP/COS Tom Gentile, who just completely floored me. Within months of writing for Profit Strategies the new group met to discuss outlook and future direction. Although Tom initially envisioned me on the road, when I mentioned I had just been away from home for the better part of 1-1/2 years, he immediately switched gears to find a fit. I know part of this characteristic reflects Tom the Successful Trader, but his willingness to work with someone so new and unproven spoke volumes to me.

I finally met Founder, George Fontanils, at this past OASIS Conference. I really didn’t know what to expect from the man who is bigger than life on the main stage, but after five years was not surprised to discover how nice he was. I figured the fourth piece of the team was a good fit given the longevity of the relationships and the ability for all to joke together in good fun. It was, however, nice to actually confirm that.

And The Many Others

I really, really want to name names but the thought of missing one far outweighs the benefits of what may seem like a passing reference describing the others. I just can’t do the task justice in this space, so it seems there will be a long list of thank you notes for me to send over the next year. I can say that the different descriptions that come to mind when thinking about the employees and contractors I’ve encountered over these five years include: sharp, professional, funny, nice, energetic, straightforward, flexible, committed, having perspective, hard-working, class acts, really funny, driven, passionate and strong. And after five years I still experience positive surprises from them.

So if you ever wonder if you’ve placed your trust in a company that values you and your goals, I can only say that it’s my experience they truly want you to succeed. Please know that you’ve associated yourself with a great group of people. I only hope these glimpses from the inside support what you’ve suspected all along.

To access other articles written by Clare White, please click here.


Clare White
Contributing Writer and Options Strategist
Optionetics.com ~ Your Options Education Site
Questions for Clare? Visit the Optionetics.com Discussion Board

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