Brendan Matarese

Brendan Matarese is a native of Arlington, Virginia, and he is in his final year of college at Indiana University. He plans on receiving an undergraduate degree in Informatics with a Business Cognate and a minor in Financial Literacy from the Luddy School of Informatics Computing and Engineering. After graduation he hopes to work in a professional, positive and energetic environment, where he can contribute, learn and grow.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

I became aware of what they were doing, and I liked it. I felt I could add value and leave a lasting impact at my alma mater. There was a lot of interest in algorithmic trading systems. Since that is what I have been working on for the past four years, it was a good fit.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I wake up and the first thing I do is check the markets, look at the pattern of trading the night before and then focus on my portfolio. I work out just about every day with the same group of friends and then attend class. After class I love spending time with my roommates and other friends more than anything. It is great to be with people that have similar interests, hobbies and ambitions. We support each other.

How do you bring ideas to life?

This is a great question. I try to look at problems and solutions from as many perspectives as I can and then try to objectively analyze the information to find the best solution. Once that path is identified, I put all of my effort to work to bring it to life whether that’s coding, research, reaching out to a peer, etc. Good entrepreneurial vision is essential, I try to look for thing’s others might be missing or misinterpreting.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Cryptocurrency is definitely exciting! We are beginning to see widespread institutional adoption. I know a lot of people are skeptical but when I see companies that are collectively worth trillions of dollars acknowledge its potential value, I listen.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Exercise. A lot of people underestimate the mental impact of regular exercise.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I’m still so young it’s hard to say. If I could say something to my high school self it would probably be to find a mentor. I think having a mentor has a lot of benefits that I have yet to experience.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

This one is hard. I’m not really sure. I’m learning as I go.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Consistency. Consistency and commitment are the keys to success.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

It comes down to managing. Calculate your risk and compare it to the potential reward and understand the probability of losing or making money on that specific decision.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Not understanding how to embrace failure. It is the only constant in entrepreneurship. Learning how to get over disappointment without a lot of swings in my emotions is something I am working on.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I’m not sure I’m the best person to answer this but I would say get really good at one thing. Find something you enjoy doing and it won’t feel like work. Always learn, read, listen to podcasts and stay open to seeing what others are doing.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I would say my protein and pre workout supplements. They have worked wonders for me in my fitness journey.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I love Ninja trader. I have checked out a bunch of different retail trading platforms and none of them rival Ninjas functionality and UI.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I will take a good podcast over a good book any day of the week. I really enjoy The Partially Examined Life. For anyone who enjoys philosophy, it is a great podcast.

What is your favorite quote?

“Mistakes are the path to progress.” – Ray Dalio

Key Learnings:

• Commitment and consistency help one succeed.
• Try to embrace failures to learn from them.
• Understanding that there is always something new to learn.