Bill Perkins

I know selling five lots at $54.80, not three lots at $54.80. What do you know? And if you know the same trade, then it's a simple process to correct it in the system. And if you don't, you're like, no, no, I definitely know only three lots. Then you go to the traders immediately and they kind of reconcile it. And that was a system like running around all day checking trades.

I know selling five lots at $54.80, not three lots at $54.80. What do you know? And if you know the same trade, then it's a simple process to correct it in the system. And if you don't, you're like, no, no, I definitely know only three lots. Then you go to the traders immediately and they kind of reconcile it. And that was a system like running around all day checking trades.

Yeah. So back when the World Trade Center was there, this was in for World Trade Center.

Yeah. So back when the World Trade Center was there, this was in for World Trade Center.

Yeah. That's when I decided to turn it on. I always tell people like, hey, I was pretty much a, can I say fuck up? I was pretty much the fuck up of fuck ups for giving what I had before college. But then I decided to turn it on. That poverty, that being a peon and that desire to make it forced me to be like, I'm going to learn every single thing there is about this business.

Yeah. That's when I decided to turn it on. I always tell people like, hey, I was pretty much a, can I say fuck up? I was pretty much the fuck up of fuck ups for giving what I had before college. But then I decided to turn it on. That poverty, that being a peon and that desire to make it forced me to be like, I'm going to learn every single thing there is about this business.

I was reading books at night about trading. about the oil business, about options, about whatever. I was a sponge. And I really turned it on and said, I'm going to be diligent. I'm not going to mess around as much as I possibly can as a 20-year-old, right? And really, really trying to make myself invaluable no matter where I was. So where were you living at the time? What part of the city?

I was reading books at night about trading. about the oil business, about options, about whatever. I was a sponge. And I really turned it on and said, I'm going to be diligent. I'm not going to mess around as much as I possibly can as a 20-year-old, right? And really, really trying to make myself invaluable no matter where I was. So where were you living at the time? What part of the city?

Did you actually live in Manhattan? When I first got there, I had to live at home with my mom, which was completely cramping my style. And so I started driving a limo at night, the company limo at night to make ends meet. What were you getting paid in that first job? Oh, geez. I think it was sub $16,000 a year. I have to go look. Sub 16. Yeah.

Did you actually live in Manhattan? When I first got there, I had to live at home with my mom, which was completely cramping my style. And so I started driving a limo at night, the company limo at night to make ends meet. What were you getting paid in that first job? Oh, geez. I think it was sub $16,000 a year. I have to go look. Sub 16. Yeah.

I think it was like 16, 16,000, but I was getting raises very quickly because I made myself valuable and I would work at night. And I would make more money driving the limo on a daily basis because traders would take me here and they'd be drunk and they'd tip you. And you weren't there necessarily for your current income. You were there for your future income.

I think it was like 16, 16,000, but I was getting raises very quickly because I made myself valuable and I would work at night. And I would make more money driving the limo on a daily basis because traders would take me here and they'd be drunk and they'd tip you. And you weren't there necessarily for your current income. You were there for your future income.

And so I had another clerk named Jason Ruffo who had a studio in the Upper West Side. And what he did was he put up a wall by the room in the studio. And I eventually got an apartment with him on the Upper West Side, living in like a pizza oven type space. But it was great because I was in New York City, out of my mom's house. I could have girls over.

And so I had another clerk named Jason Ruffo who had a studio in the Upper West Side. And what he did was he put up a wall by the room in the studio. And I eventually got an apartment with him on the Upper West Side, living in like a pizza oven type space. But it was great because I was in New York City, out of my mom's house. I could have girls over.

And that pride that goes, well, I live on the Upper West Side. Everybody wants to say they live in New York City. And so as I was getting raises and kind of moving up, I gradually got into that life of, you know, what I call a buppy, black urban professional, you know, buppies and yuppies. And that was, you know, the beginning of my journey. Tell me, was your dad in the picture at this time?

And that pride that goes, well, I live on the Upper West Side. Everybody wants to say they live in New York City. And so as I was getting raises and kind of moving up, I gradually got into that life of, you know, what I call a buppy, black urban professional, you know, buppies and yuppies. And that was, you know, the beginning of my journey. Tell me, was your dad in the picture at this time?

So my dad is now older in poor health in Jersey City. So during this time, he'd had multiple strokes. And my dad is kind of like me. He's fairly stubborn, but he was stubborn to the extreme. Doctor says, don't do this. All the things you would tell him not to do and you need to be doing. He's like, ah, to hell with that. You know what I mean? I guess. And so he's in the picture.

So my dad is now older in poor health in Jersey City. So during this time, he'd had multiple strokes. And my dad is kind of like me. He's fairly stubborn, but he was stubborn to the extreme. Doctor says, don't do this. All the things you would tell him not to do and you need to be doing. He's like, ah, to hell with that. You know what I mean? I guess. And so he's in the picture.

My parents are divorced. He's in Jersey City. Had your parents gone to college? My dad did. So my dad got a scholarship to the University of Iowa. He was a real badass. He had no intentions of going to school. He walked by a football field when he was a kid in high school. He's like, I want to do that. And coach is like, you don't know anything about football.

My parents are divorced. He's in Jersey City. Had your parents gone to college? My dad did. So my dad got a scholarship to the University of Iowa. He was a real badass. He had no intentions of going to school. He walked by a football field when he was a kid in high school. He's like, I want to do that. And coach is like, you don't know anything about football.