Trader & Entrepreneur: Peter Solanikow
In this week’s episode of Market Mamas linked above, futures day trader and podcast host Becky sits down with Peter Solanikow, a Melbourne-based investor and entrepreneur whose journey through the markets is anything but ordinary. From tutoring agency founder to options trader to global business owner, Peter’s story is one of lessons learned the hard way and wisdom earned through experience.
💡 From $5,000 Speculations to a Six-Figure Win
Peter’s early foray into the stock market began like many young traders: full of ambition, short on capital. When traditional “blue chip” investing didn’t deliver the adrenaline (or returns) he craved, he turned to speculative mining shares and quickly learned lesson number one: small capital plus high risk often equals big losses.
His persistence paid off in 2008, when his foresight about the coming financial crisis led him to experiment with put options. The trade was terrifying. His investments sat at zero value for months. But when the market finally did crash, his patience and conviction turned a $15,000 position into over $100,000. The win was exhilarating but left him emotionally drained.
⚖️ Psychology Over Prediction: Learning When to Step Back
What followed in the podcast conversation was a deep dive into the psychology of trading. Peter experimented with becoming an options writer, effectively playing the role of the “casino” instead of the gambler. But the stress of managing unlimited downside taught him another powerful truth: sometimes the mental and emotional costs outweigh the profits.
His reflection? “Even when I made profits as an options writer, the panic wasn’t worth it. I realized I’d rather build something real, something I control.”
🧭 Business as the Anchor
Out of the volatility came clarity. Peter shifted focus to entrepreneurship, channeling his market skills into real-world ventures. First tourism, then exporting Australian-themed products to Europe. Trading taught him discipline and risk management, but business gave him stability, autonomy, and peace of mind.
As he told Becky, “Why should I invest in a company run by someone else when I can use that money to build something I manage myself?”
“You can’t be a pessimist or an optimist. You have to take things as they are. It’s not about what you want the market to do, it’s about what it’s actually doing.”
~ Peter Solanikow
💬 On Objectivity and Bias in Trading
When the topic turned back to markets, Peter emphasized one key principle for all traders: objectivity is everything.
“You can’t be a pessimist or an optimist. You have to take things as they are. It’s not about what you want the market to do, it’s about what it’s actually doing.”
He shared how successful options traders rely on credible data, not emotion or ideology, and why recognizing personal bias is the first step to protecting capital.
🪙 Smarter Ways to Build Wealth
In the later part of the conversation, Peter discussed more conservative and sustainable strategies for long-term investors. One of his favorite approaches? “Renting out” blue-chip shares: owning stable companies while writing call options against them for extra income. In the US financial industry, this is equivalent to selling covered calls.
He also underscored the importance of having a reliable source of income outside trading: “Unless you have money regularly coming in, you’ll feel trapped in your positions. My businesses let me trade without desperation.”
✨ Key Takeaways
Start small, but know that small capital requires higher risk tolerance.
Psychology matters more than prediction: detach ego and stay objective.
Build or maintain a steady income stream so trading stays strategic, not emotional.
Diversify. Business and investing complement each other, offering both growth and stability.
Consider using your blue-chip holdings to generate extra income through covered calls (or as Peter calls it, “renting your shares”).
Peter’s journey is a testament to how self-awareness and adaptability shape a trader’s evolution. From sweating through the 2008 crash to building multiple businesses and a life on his own terms, his story is equal parts cautionary tale and inspiration.
🔗 Connect with Peter Solanikow:
👉 Website: http://www.biznesscrew.com/
👉 Email: Peter@biznesscrew.com
Conversations with entrepreneurs in the financial or business industries are so valuable for me to have, and hence are such a gift for me to be able to bring to the public in this way. I really enjoy hearing about the journey of other traders so much! Thank you Peter for being my interesting guest!!
If you find value too, please do like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you caught this conversation on and let’s evolve together into the highest profitability!! And if you are considering being a guest on my podcast we well, reach out and let’s talk!! https://www.market-mamas.com/contact Take care!