the Stock Exchange and in 2002, when I started trading with options.
But my story really starts on the night of the 23rd to the 24th of October 1975, when
I was born for the first time.
Yes, for the first time, because since then I have been born again at least 6 times.
The first time I was born the same way as everyone else, from my mothers’ womb,
under the sign of Scorpio.
I’ll spare you the other 6 times, but the thing to know is that I have always been a
shy person.
One of those people always appreciated for his kind heart, but so shy that he could
make even the most introverted person in the group feel uncomfortable.
Yes, because when you are shy, not only do you not strike up conversation with a
stranger, but you are quite capable of silencing even the leader of a high school
class, who has no time to waste on someone who doesn’t speak.
I know this seems incredible to those of you who met me in my “dominant stage
animal” persona, giving the audience shows and emotions together with amazing
creative inventions for trading strategies. Coming onto the stage, to the Rolling Stones’ music, in front of more than 500
people, like a rock star, and certainly not like the trader in a necktie you are used to
seeing at an average financial presentation.
But why am I telling you all this?
Usually people make themselves seem important by talking about their successes
and how they made millions.
When I went on stage for the first time, I was in front of 9 people.
I remember that during the coffee break I dissolved into tears with my friend
Andrea, because I believed I was not able communicate, my heart and my passion
to all the people there, together with the information they came for.
After the break, I understood something had changed …
The people there were participating, smiling, enthusiastic and became an active
part of the show, while they were learning.
In other words, they were with me, accepting me as if they wanted to consume me
and I did nothing other than give them all of myself, my heart and my spirit, along
with information and entertainment.
When I found myself in front of more than 500 people, who were all there for me, 5
years on from that first time, it was simply extraordinary.
I do not usually prepare an opening speech or a rigid programme for my
presentations. I always improvise and try to develop the presentation according to the make-up of
the audience.
Basically, the audience loves me, it seems to need to meet me.
In reality, all this comes from the fact that when I’m on stage I give them my heart
and I lay myself bare to everyone.
Yes, because if you remember what you read up to this point, I was born shy!
When people think they are getting a lot from me, they do not know how much I am
getting from them.
Being accepted for what you are is the best satisfaction for a shy person, and every
person in the room was a big vote of confidence to me!
Maybe this is the reason why I never became bigheaded in front of all those people,
and I never will.
Heart for heart!
People always gave their heart to me and I always gave them mine back in return...
With time I learned to accept myself fully and to give people back the gift they gave
to me: acceptance.
I’m not writing these words for myself. It is beautiful to say all this things to the
people around you who sometimes see you as an example.
Many people think I’m really someone … to put it briefly, I eat and drink, have fun
and get angry like everybody else in the world. I have my fears even if I have learnt to give less importance to fear and more emphasis to important things so that I do
not lose the important things out of fear, as often happens .
I do not even believe I am “talented”..
I owe everything that I have achieved to my heart, to perseverance and to some
flash of “genius” but to nothing unique.
Why am I saying all this?
To be free, in peace and in tune with the world!
I have met more than 5000 people and I felt good with all of them … isn’t that
fantastic?
I want each of you to receive these few lines and to be able to read them, as if I had
written them by hand and addressed them personally to you.
In the following pages you will discover a part of the experience I have gained in
trading, but what you will not discover is the person I am and this is the reason I
wanted to tell you something personal about me.
When you read the book, I wouldn’t want you to think that it’s the stuff of genius and
therefore is in some way unachievable for the majority.
I’m an average person.
So make good use of the information and understand that the result will always and
only depend on the person you are, or decide to be. At this point, it is appropriate for me to thank all the people who made it possible for
me to live the first 34 years of my life in the best way possible.
Starting in chronological order, my first thanks go to my brother, with whom I’ve had
a lot of fun from when we were kids, and who taught me patience, a virtue of which
he is so full that many would be ready to make him a “saint” immediately.
To my mother and father, who have always lived a life devoted to sacrifice and
honesty, which is not a small thing, and always tried to instil those values in me.
To my childhood friends, “those you never forget”, with whom I discovered the world
step by step.
To Claudio, who for years “freaked me out” with his talks on philosophy, leaving a
sharp and indelible mark on my youth.
To Lina, who dedicated an entire life to others and never got tired of passing on the
message of charity.
To my high school mates who completely changed my diligent self at school,
making me forget about the school uniform and the “good guy” hair cut.
To Valentina, who spent 16 years of her life beside me and gave me trust and
unshakeable respect.
To Andrea Cesarano, friend and brother, who taught me how to sell under the
pretext of teaching me how to live with an awareness of the possibilities open to me
. To all those to whom I owe my success at Investing People.
To Stefano De Carlo, who was the first person to arrive in the office and who has
shown heart and enthusiasm for himself and for everything around him over the last
3 years.
To Mirko Masoni, Stefano Gianti, Valerio Maggi, Salvatore Lo Voi and Gianluca
Landini, inveterate traders who have experienced in their life what it means to leave
a safe job and to live only from trading.
Monica, Valentina, Fabio, Alessandro, Stefanny, Elisa, Francesca and Felipe who
dedicated time, passion and enthusiasm, both when working for us and during
moments of fun or difficulty.
Again thank you to Stefano De Carlo, Daniele Repossi, Alessandra Chirizzi, Andrea
Mereghetti and Alessandro Bonetti, who share the challenges of trading with me
every day, having this as their only profession.
To the woman I never thought would arrive in my life but who, in answer to a simple
request to Baby Jesus, just arrived like an angel, and gives me tenderness, love
and enjoyment every day of my life: Alessandra, for our friends Cina.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to over 5000 people who I have met in these 5
years of on and off stage training and who are still reading my words today, in this
book. To them goes all my esteem and respect for the love they have shown me, and the
commitment they put into trying to change and to learn at any cost.
I want to share with you all my new idea of growing together …
Not only through the exchange of information which is possible from a stage, but
also in front of a monitor in the trading room and on Investing People’s new TV
channel …
I am always available to you, I want to meet all of you to drink a glass of good wine
or brandy together, in our trading room, in front of a butterfly of $100,000.
It has been wonderful … and from today it will be even better!
I’m expecting you..
A big hug. Maxx.
