Ep7 - The Future of Options Trading with Fidelity’s Greg Stevens

Episode Summary:

In this special Thought Leader Series episode of Wealth Building with Options, host Dan Passarelli sits down with longtime friend and industry veteran Greg Stevens, Vice President of Options Strategy at Fidelity Investments.

With nearly 30 years of experience across firms like Charles Schwab, the CBOE, and now Fidelity, Greg shares how the options trading landscape has evolved and why education remains the cornerstone of trading success. From the early days of dial-up trading to today's powerful digital platforms, Greg and Dan explore how strategy, risk management, and planning shape trader outcomes.

This episode is packed with real talk on covered calls, cash-secured puts, credit spreads, investor mistakes, how Fidelity supports options traders—and why having a trading plan matters more than ever.

Key Topics Covered:

• Greg’s journey into the options world (and how he was “dragged” in)
• Why options education is critical in today’s trading environment
• The evolution of self-directed trading and investor expectations
• Most popular options strategies among Fidelity clients
• The real reasons covered calls and cash-secured puts are so popular
• What separates successful traders from those who struggle
• Why planning for profits and losses is essential
• Fidelity’s tools, including commission-free closing of short options under $0.65
• Greg’s favorite books and movies on trading (hint: Trading Places is a classic)

Resources Mentioned:

• Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (Options Disclosure Document)-https://www.theocc.com/getmedia/a151a9ae-d784-4a15-bdeb-23a029f50b70/riskstoc.pdf
• Learn more about host Dan Passarelli: www.markettaker.com
• Books referenced:
  • Options as a Strategic Investment by Lawrence G. McMillan
  • Trading Options Greeks by Dan Passarelli
  • Trading Index Options by Dan Bittman

Final Takeaway:

“Even a bad plan is better than no plan at all. You can adjust a bad plan—but you can’t fix what doesn’t exist.”

Subscribe & Stay Informed:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with fellow traders looking to level up their options game. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform or on https://wealthbuildingwithoptions.substack.com