Grasshopper Intro

Introduction

Main Street beats Wall Street is an educational website I launched on January 1, 2016. Its mission — then and now — is to teach everyday people from Main Street, USA how to confidently participate in the stock market through options trading. By sharing my own trades as proof, I aim to show that Main Street investors can perform just as well as Wall Street professionals.

About Wall Street

Wall Street spans just eight blocks in lower Manhattan, yet it serves as the symbolic heart of America’s financial markets. Over time, “Wall Street” has come to represent all U.S. financial institutions and economic power. It’s been portrayed in many ways: powerful, savvy, corrupt, greedy, excessive, wealthy, even imperial.

Why This New Section

Over the last few years, my account has grown substantially — which is the goal for any trader. However, as my trades became larger, I realized they were no longer practical examples for beginners. They stopped serving the original mission of this site: to educate new investors in a relatable way.

What is The Grasshopper Project

To keep the mission alive, I made two adjustments: I reduced the size of my account so I could make more relatable trades (and plan to continue doing that at the start of each new year), and I created a new section and challenge called “The Grasshopper Project.”

It begins with this page, simply titled “Grasshopper Intro.” The next page is “Grasshopper Rules,” which defines what a beginner (or “Grasshopper”) is and outlines the 10 worst mistakes new traders often make.

Then there’s a page called “The Grasshopper Project,” which explains what the Project is all about. It covers the type of trades I recommend for Grasshoppers, the trades I’ll personally be making, the size of the account I’ll be starting with, and the time frame for the Project.

Active Trades in The Grasshopper Project

You’ll also find the “Active Project Trades” page. This is where readers can see all the active trades made as part of The Grasshopper Project. Each trade will remain on this page while it’s open. Once a position is closed — either through a Buy to Close or because it expires — the record of that trade will be moved to the “Trade History” for that year.

Teaching Philosophy

My goal isn’t for new traders to simply copy my trades. Instead, I want to teach you how to develop your own approach — to understand why I enter a trade, the strategy behind it, and how to find opportunities that fit your personal risk tolerance and goals.

Options 101

I also recommend checking out “Options 101,” another section created for Grasshoppers. It’s written by my son, Stephen, who brings his own insights and encouragement for beginners.

To read the intro to Stephen’s section, [click here].

Steve wrote three pages for “Options 101”:

These are well-written pages where Steve shares his thoughts and experiences. I hope he’ll be adding more content to “Options 101” soon.

With all these resources — from real beginner-friendly trades to strategy explanations and foundational lessons — I hope to help new traders not just follow along, but truly build their own path. Dive into “The Grasshopper Project” and “Options 101” to start learning the language of the market and develop the confidence to trade on your own terms.

 

Steve

The Options Coach