Why a Quant Chooses to Work on Algorithms Instead of Startups

This story is a part of Hacker Noon's Meet the Writer series of interviews. The series is intended for tech professionals contributing the most insightful Hacker Noon stories to share more about their writing habits, ideas, and professional background (and maybe a hobby or two).

If you too would like to start contributing to Hacker Noon, you can do so here.

So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests.

My name is Peregrine, I am a Quant. which basically means I use math’s among other things to spot patterns in financial markets and then I build algorithms (algo’s) to exploit them. My life consists of art, architecture, crypto, coding, machine learning, and reading research papers.

Interesting! What was your latest Hackernoon Top story about?

My Hackernoon Top story was an autopsy of my recent algo trading success, and ultimately its inevitable demise. I had to write about it because I couldn’t even tell anyone it was so painful, so by writing it down I told everyone at once and didn’t have to relive it at every explanation. I wrote that story at my lowest and the positive connotations that have derived from it far outweigh the absolute disaster that instigated it.

Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about?

Yes, I am now writing a series on the more technical aspects of algo trading like ‘How to write a profitable trading algorithm.'

Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?)

I don’t write much, but when I do; I just try to write my thoughts as they happen in real-time. I’m not really a fan of editing as a concept.

Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing?

Well, I’m dyslexic, for me, the real struggle is the process of accurately and concisely conveying an idea to the keyboard. That’s why I will just think and type, rather than formulate. I have a tendency to embellish my ideas with prose if I’m given the room. So typing thoughts works for me. It’s all about finding your edge much like anything in life. We all have attributes that make us unique it’s about using them in an elegant way.

What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?

Legitimacy. After years of what had seemed like obscurity in various fields, machine learning, architecture, blockchain startups, mining crypto, and bitcoin. I want legitimacy. I aim to cement the skillset I have been developing into a legitimate product that’s of value. No more startups and white night ideals. I like quant trading because your success is always tangible and close, it’s just there; one trade away. It’s as fungible as a concept to results can be. If you write a good algorithm it makes money, immediately. No seed funding pitches, no god complex venture capitalists, no building out platforms and inane web marketing, no product development, just straightforward results. Money isn’t the ultimate goal to me, it’s proficiency. I strive to be the best. I want a perspective, one that I can call my own, one that contributes positively to my field.

Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice?

Smoking. Coffee. Kanye. Bob Ross. Right now these are probably my favorite things.

Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it?

Architecture, cooking, drawing, and Wales. You aren’t a Welshman if you can’t play Rugby or back a male voice choir. I am also making NFTs for fun.

What can the Hacker Noon community expect to read from you next?

Lots more on how to build profitable trading algorithms. Methods and approaches that have served me well.

Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words?

Thank you, as I mentioned earlier I had just about given up before I wrote that last algo, and HackerNoon opened so many doors that weren’t there before I wrote it. It was the catalyst to me getting my algo back on track and in the green again. I look forward to writing more. I will leave on a quote (an uncharacteristically simple one) from my favorite philosopher.

“There is no need to fear and hope, only to look for new weapons” - Gilles Deleuze