PERSONAL PROFILE · MICHAEL NEELY
I’m an entrepreneur, software developer, and digital media professional whose work connects financial markets, web development, and business technology.
Entrepreneur. Software Developer. Financial Markets Enthusiast.
My professional journey has taken me through military nuclear engineering, financial markets, web development, digital media, and financial technology. Although these fields may seem unrelated, they’ve been connected by a consistent interest in understanding complex systems, solving problems, and building useful technology.
I’m an entrepreneur and software developer with a background in Forex trading, website development, digital marketing, and business technology. Today, I’m the founder of TradingForexForProfit.com, where I’m combining my experience in financial markets and software development to build practical tools for traders.
But the path that brought me here wasn’t exactly a straight line.
An Early Foundation in Technology and Discipline
I served in the United States Navy from 1986 to 1989 as a nuclear mechanical operator.
My training included Naval Nuclear Power School and nuclear submarine prototype training, followed by service aboard the USS Shark (SSN-591).
That experience introduced me to demanding technical environments where procedures, systems knowledge, attention to detail, and operational discipline were essential.
Those principles have remained relevant throughout my career, particularly in software development and financial markets, where small mistakes can have significant consequences.
Discovering Financial Markets
My interest in financial markets began in the late 1990s, when I started studying currencies and commodities.
From 2002 to 2004, I worked as a Series 3-licensed broker, gaining experience in the futures and commodities markets.
Over time, my attention increasingly turned toward foreign exchange trading.
In 2009, I opened my first live Forex trading account—and lost it.
That experience taught me lessons about leverage, trading psychology, and the importance of managing risk. It also reinforced the difference between understanding market behavior and successfully managing a trading account.
I continued studying and trading. In 2014, I tripled the value of another live Forex account.
Neither experience guaranteed future success, but both influenced how I think about trading systems, risk management, and disciplined decision-making.
How Trading Led Me Into Software Development
My interest in automated trading technology was one of the original motivations behind learning programming.
I wanted to understand how trading strategies could be translated into software, how systems could evaluate market conditions, and how technology might help traders make more consistent decisions.
As I developed my technical skills, I discovered opportunities beyond financial markets.
Website development offered a practical way to apply programming, design, and technology to real business problems.
What began as an interest in building trading applications eventually evolved into a professional career in web development and digital media.
Building Neely Media Solutions LLC
In 2014, I began developing the business that would eventually become Neely Media Solutions LLC.
As its founder and CEO, I worked with businesses and organizations to develop websites, improve their online presence, and implement digital technology.
My work included WordPress development, custom themes and plugins, front-end development, content management systems, search engine optimization, digital marketing, and business technology integration.
Over the years, I worked with more than 70 clients across more than 100 projects.
My technical experience expanded to include WordPress, HubSpot CMS and CRM, Shopify, PHP, JavaScript, Laravel, analytics, and marketing automation.
As an independent consultant, I achieved Upwork Top Rated recognition and maintained a 100% Job Success Score.
Running a small business also taught me lessons that went well beyond writing code. I gained firsthand experience in customer relationships, project management, business development, changing technology, and the challenges of sustaining a service-based company.
In 2024, I closed Neely Media Solutions after its customer base declined.
It wasn’t the outcome I had originally envisioned, but the experience gave me years of practical knowledge about software development, digital business, and entrepreneurship.
Returning to My Original Interest
Although my professional career had developed around websites and digital media, I never lost my interest in financial markets or automated trading technology.
In 2020, I took courses in MetaTrader 4, continuing to explore the technical side of algorithmic trading.
Over time, my interests in programming, trading systems, and risk management increasingly came together.
That ultimately led to the creation of TradingForexForProfit.com.
Building TradingForexForProfit.com
Today, I’m the founder of TradingForexForProfit.com, a financial technology platform focused on helping Forex traders develop more structured and disciplined trading processes.
The platform brings together tools and resources for:
- Trading risk management and position sizing.
- Trade planning and journaling.
- Trading account and drawdown monitoring.
- Performance analysis.
- Macroeconomic research and market context.
- Educational resources for independent and developing traders.
I’m also developing software for evaluating account-level trading risk and exploring applications of algorithmic trading technology.
One of my central interests is how software can help traders establish clear risk policies and apply them consistently.
My experiences as both a trader and a developer have influenced that approach.
Explore TradingForexForProfit.com →
A Continuing Interest in Building Technology
My work as a developer extends beyond any single platform or programming language.
Over the years, I’ve accumulated more than 100 GitHub repositories, including public and private development work. They reflect a range of professional projects, experiments, technical research, and ongoing learning.
I continue to explore software engineering, artificial intelligence, digital media, financial technology, and new business opportunities.
I believe that developing useful technology requires more than technical knowledge. It also requires understanding the problems people face and being willing to test assumptions, learn from mistakes, and adapt.
What’s Next?
I continue to pursue opportunities in software development, digital media, financial technology, and entrepreneurship.
Some of those interests involve building applications. Others involve exploring business models, studying markets, and finding ways to apply technology to practical challenges.
My professional journey has included successes, setbacks, and changes in direction. Each has contributed to how I approach business and technology today.
Professional interests and connections.
My interests include software development, financial technology, digital media, and practical business tools. I’m particularly interested in connecting with entrepreneurs, developers, traders, and business professionals who enjoy solving problems and building useful things. I welcome conversations about these areas and opportunities to collaborate.