About The Blue Collar Investor

Options education with a defined process.

The Blue Collar Investor helps self-directed investors learn covered call writing, cash-secured put selling, and stock option management through plain-language education, research resources, and rules-based training.

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Who We Are

Investor education with structure, discipline, and a plain-spoken style.

BCI was created to make options education more approachable for individual investors. The company focuses on covered call writing, cash-secured put selling, stock selection, strike selection, and position management.

The goal is not to make options feel complicated or mysterious. It is to help investors understand a defined methodology, evaluate potential opportunities, and manage trades with rules instead of guesswork.

Today, BCI combines Alan Ellman’s educational work with Barry Bergman’s research leadership to support members through training, articles, calculators, videos, and weekly research resources.

Stop guessing. Start using a defined options strategy.

Leadership

Meet the people behind BCI.

BCI is led by educators and researchers focused on making stock option strategies practical, structured, and accessible for self-directed investors.

Alan Ellman, founder of The Blue Collar Investor

Dr. Alan Ellman

President, Founder & Options Strategy Educator

Dr. Ellman is President of The Blue Collar Investor Corp. and author of nine best-selling books on covered call writing and selling puts. His fourth book, Stock Investing for Students, is required reading at several colleges.

Alan has been trading stock options since 1995 and founded BCI in January 2007. He has produced several video courses, hundreds of articles, and hundreds of videos on options education.

Alan has appeared on Wide World of Options from the Options Industry Council, StockCharts TV, and The Money Answers Radio program. He is a national speaker for The Money Show, a contributor to the Options Industry Council, AAII, and Nasdaq.com, has completed the Series 65 Investment Advisor Representative requirements, and has served as an expert witness and consultant in a multi-million-dollar options trial.

Barry Bergman

Director of Research

Barry Bergman is Director of Research for The Blue Collar Investor and oversees the publication of the Weekly Stock Screen & Watch List, a key premium resource that helps members identify covered call and cash-secured put opportunities.

Barry brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in technology, research, and strategic business development. He has held senior roles with companies including Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems, Digital Equipment Corporation, and startup firms, with experience spanning financial services, enterprise software, SaaS, cloud computing, data integration, and security systems.

At BCI, Barry supports the research and technology behind the member experience and the firm’s practical, research-driven investor education.

What BCI Provides

Resources for learning, screening, and managing trades.

BCI resources are designed to help investors understand the methodology and apply it with a more consistent process.

Education

Plain-language training on covered calls, cash-secured puts, stock selection, strike selection, and position management.

Research

Member resources and weekly watch lists that help investors review potential candidates through defined screening criteria.

Tools

Calculators, reports, videos, and articles that support ongoing education and more organized trade planning.

The BCI Process

Learn. Evaluate. Manage.

Step 1

Learn

Build understanding through practical education on covered call writing, put-selling, and related options concepts.

Step 2

Evaluate

Use research and screening resources to review possible candidates through a structured lens.

Step 3

Manage

Apply rules-based training for planning, follow-up, trade management, and review.

Ready to learn more about the BCI approach?

Explore membership resources, free training, and the research tools behind The Blue Collar Investor.

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