About
Ekkamai: How I Learned to Stop Having FOMO and Love the Losses*A software developer's journey from market frustration to systematic trading
Introducing Myself
I am Luisfer Romero Calero, a seasoned software developer and architect from Spain. With over a decade of software engineering experience building banking, payment, and financial systems across Europe and the US, and eight years of hard-learned market lessons as a retail investor, I have watched retail traders struggle against increasingly sophisticated institutional algorithms.
During these years, I have relentlessly absorbed knowledge about macroeconomics, debt, and derivatives. I have also been deeply interested in studying the correlation between addictive behaviors/gambling and both the 2017 crypto spike and the stock market. This led me to develop ways to approach investments not as sources of gambling addiction, but rather to advocate for fair markets and promote sensible, sustainable investment practices.
The Story
The final straw came during the MMAT/MMTLP saga in December 2022, where preferred shares that were never meant to be tradeable suddenly became tradeable, only to see buying disabled while selling remained enabled - yeah, you read that right.
Watching the dark pool activity spike during critical moments, seeing international investors (myself included) denied their Next Bridge Hydrocarbons shares, and observing the questionable role of regulatory bodies, I had enough. That's when it hit me: retail traders didn't just need more education or 'trading psychology' - we needed actual, systematic tools to compete in a market where human discretionary trading simply can't keep up with institutional algorithms.
This wasn't an isolated incident. It was actually the second time I had seen something like this. After witnessing the GameStop saga of January 2021 and subsequent market events, I had already observed how retail traders were fighting an uphill battle against institutional algorithmic trading.
Almost 2 months later (14th February 2023), I crafted a sensible and FOMO-free approach to trading and investing, in the acceptance of a market that is systematically challenging for retail investors, by writing the Herringbone Manifesto - a framework, or set of rules, for systematic, emotion-free trading in today's algorithmic markets. By 28th February 2023 I had a first draft of a Node.js service to trade programmatically via DeGiro. Later in April 2023 I integrated Alpaca and in June IBKR, and DeGiro was discontinued because the API was unofficial (reverse engineering). That's when Ekkamai was born.
The Approach
I combine battle-tested pattern recognition with automated execution.
Beacon identifies opportunities using proprietary algorithms tested across large sample sizes, while Bridge handles execution with the cold precision of institutional trading systems.
Through bracket orders, we implement a true 'set-and-forget' approach - no watching charts, no emotional attachment to outcomes, no getting caught in halts.
Each trade becomes just another systematic step in a larger journey.
The Technology
My experience building systems for clearing banks and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange revealed the true nature of market mechanics.
Understanding how DTCC, FINRA, and dark pools operate led to a crucial realization: retail traders need systematic execution to compete.
The algorithms powering Ekkamai are built on this deep understanding of market infrastructure, combining technical analysis with institutional-grade execution practices.
The Mission
My goal is to help democratizing trading by giving retail investors access to the same systematic tools and capabilities that institutions rely on.
After making every possible trading mistake myself over eight years, I've built what I wish I had when starting out: a framework that treats trades as atomic investment units within a larger system.
Through automated bracket orders, we remove emotional interference and enforce disciplined execution.
No more stress-filled manual trading. No more emotional decisions. No more gambling-like behavior.
Just disciplined, boring, profitable execution - where even losses are accepted as natural parts of the journey.
The Vision
Beyond just tools, I'm advocating for a fundamental shift in how retail traders approach the market. This isn't about getting rich quick or finding the next meme stock. It's about embracing systematic trading principles, understanding market mechanics, and achieving consistent results through disciplined execution. As Anton Kreil rightly points out, the market is systematically challenging for retail investors – but with the right tools and mindset, we can level the playing field.
Sources of Inspiration
Market Mechanics
- The Big Short by Michael Lewis and its film adaptation - a masterful exploration of market complexity during the 2008 financial crisis
- Margin Call - film about the 2008 fiasco from the hedge funds' perspective
- Anton Kreil's Lecture - telling it like it is for retail brokers
- Flash Boys by Michael Lewis - deep dive into high-frequency trading
- Inside Job by Charles Ferguson - very eye-opening analysis on the 2008 financial crisis
Trading Psychology
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel - timeless knowledge on our relationship with money
- The Mental Game of Trading by Jared Tendler - essential insights on trading psychology
Vision & Philosophy
- Atomic Habits by James Clear - inspiration for compounded and systematic improvement in everything we do
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - my favorite book ever that I keep coming back to
- Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger - lessons on protecting your vision, working hard, and keeping your eyes and ears open
- Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz - encouraging self-image and systematic thinking
- Ubik by Philip K. Dick - another personal favorite. Perspectives on shaping our own reality
- This is Water by David Foster Wallace - a profound reminder about awareness and choosing how we think
"The market doesn't care about excitement or emotions. It rewards systematic discipline and consistent execution. That's what I'm building at Ekkamai – a bridge between retail traders and institutional-grade systematic trading."
Ready to start trading systematically? Read the Herringbone Manifesto to understand the philosophy, or jump straight into Beacon to experience institutional-grade trading tools.