“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”

Overview

Michael W. Covel, founder and President, believes passionately that systematic trend following trading is the hope for millions of investors stuck underwater with buy and hold (hope) strategies. He is an acknowledged expert in the field of trend following trading and training. His unique vision, along with his blue ocean executive decisions, allowed an initial hunch to grow into one of the most respected educational providers in the world. Covel’s firm, Marylebone Holdings, Ltd. (d.b.a. TurtleTrader), is a privately-owned trend following trading consultancy and publishing company that has been training clients since 1996 across 72 countries. The firm is the market leader in fulfilling the lifelong education needs of self-directed trend following investors and traders.

Our firm lives by these principles 24/7:

• Our customers are our investors. Answer to no one else.
• We hustle. Going the extra mile is not extra. It’s standard practice.
• Tell the truth. Authentic and from the heart brings criticism, but also loyalty.
• Blunt is king. No jargon, buzzwords or get-rich-quick sales hype.
• No subscriptions. No ongoing subscription. No lockup. No monthly fees.
• Value. Affordable and a great value.
• Great service. Our 14-year reputation is built on support. No excuses.

Background

In 1996 Covel co-launched a website titled TurtleTrader.com®. It has attracted millions of visitors and thousands of clients all looking for insights into trend following trading. The journey to uncover the secretive world of the most successful money makers around, cracking their ‘code’ so to speak, honed Covel’s investigative skills and built TurtleTrader.com®.

Following on the success of TurtleTrader®, Covel’s first book Trend Following: How Great Traders Make Millions in Up or Down Markets (FT Press, Apr. 04, Nov. 05, Feb. 07 and Feb. 09) hit the streets. It profiled great trend following traders and explained trend following in book form for the first time. It quickly became a bestseller and has sold over 100,000 copies. It is available in German, Japanese, Chinese (Complex and Simplified), Korean, French, Arabic, Turkish, Portuguese and Russian. The book struck a chord with individual and professional investors alike.

Covel’s second book The Complete TurtleTrader: The Legend, the Lessons, the Results (Collins, Oct. 07 and Feb. 09) is different. It is the definitive behind the scenes look at a real life trading legend. It is a narrative account of super-trader Richard Dennis and his student traders nicknamed the ‘Turtles’. You think trading success only happens for people born with a silver spoon? This book will prove you wrong. It is the true story of nurture trumping nature and has become an inspirational lynch-pin for tens of thousands.

Following his two books Covel directed his debut documentary film Broke. It premiered on ‘The Documentary Channel’ in October 2009. It explores human behavior (read: behavioral finance) during the 2007-2009 market crash. It is Michael’s 75,000 mile odyssey through a Tokyo fish market, a Virginia sheep farm, a lottery store and Las Vegas and Macau poker tables all to learn how and why we make so many wrong financial decisions. Covel and his team shot the film in 13 major cities and packed it with big time names in the trading world (Larry Hite, Jim Rogers, David Harding, Mark Mobius, and Bill Miller to name a few). Covel also conducted face-to-face interviews with legendary Nobel Prize winners Dr. Harry Markowitz and Dr. Vernon Smith. Covel’s film is a non-partisan, timeless and common sense message that everyone can embrace.

Fast Facts:

• Wikipedia entry.
• Influences.
• Covel speeches in Tokyo, Vienna, Paris, Macau, Hong Kong, Miami, Dallas and São Paulo. Favorite location: Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna, Austria.
• Appearances on Fox Business, The Dennis Miller Show and The Business News Network.
• Quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Globe and Mail, Bloomberg & The New York Post.
• Reviewed by Bloomberg, The Huffington Post, AOL Money, Forbes and Big Hollywood.
• Writings for Ludwig von Mises Institute, The Daily Reckoning, Technical Analysis Magazine, SFO Magazine, Futures Magazine, Yahoo Finance, Market Technicians Association, Your Trading Edge and Futures Japan Magazine.
• George Mason University; B.A. in Politics & Government.
• The Florida State University; M.B.A.
• Graduate level studies in international relations (London, UK).

Pictures

High resolution pictures: 1 & 2. Below are screen shots from a Covel presentation for BM&FBOVESPA in Brazil:

Timeline

OCT 1996: Michael Covel launches TurtleTrader.com®.

MAR 1997: TurtleTrader.com® launches 1st home study course.

JAN 1998: Futures Magazine publishes 1st review of TurtleTrader.com®.

MAY 2003: Covel signs to write the book “Trend Following” with Pearson.

APR 2004: “Trend Following” is published.

NOV 2005: An expanded edition of “Trend Following” is published.

JUN 2006: Covel signs to write a book about “The Turtles” with HarperCollins.

OCT 2006: Film documentary begins pre-production.

OCT 2007: “The Complete TurtleTrader” is published.

JAN 2008: Film post-production begins.

FEB 2009: New edition of “The Complete TurtleTrader” is published.

MAR 2009: Updated edition of “Trend Following” is published.

OCT 2009: Film “Broke” premieres on The Documentary Channel.

JAN 2010: Most detailed trading course yet is made available.