Every trader knows that timing is everything. The right entry can make or break a trade. The same is true when it comes to ideas, innovation, and content. My journey with Marketcalls since 2007 has been one long lesson in how first-mover advantage can create an edge, how that edge eventually fades, and how the only way forward is to keep evolving.
The Early Days
Back in 2007, Marketcalls was born on a humble .org domain, later moving to .in and starting out on Blogger. By 2010, I had fully migrated to WordPress, setting the stage for the next big leap.
Then came 2012 – the year that changed everything. One of my live Supertrend charts and later also displayed Tradingview Charts and Custom Trading indicators which went viral among Indian traders. This was the moment traffic exploded into the millions. I started streaming live charts across NSE cash, futures, and commodities – data pulled directly from NSE and broadcasted openly to the public.
Remember, this was a time when traders didn’t have access to charting platforms inside broker terminals. Zerodha was just starting, and most brokers only offered NEST trading terminals. Charts were an afterthought. Traders who wanted serious analysis had to rely on platforms like Amibroker, Metastock, or Metatrader. TradingView didn’t exist yet, and the Indian trader’s go-to platform for charts was icharts.
That first-mover edge was huge. For five straight years, from 2012 to 2017, Marketcalls enjoyed a massive advantage.
When the Edge Gets Crowded
But edges never last forever. ChartIQ was the first modern charting library to make inroads into Indian brokers. It brought styling, interactivity, and browser-based convenience. But soon, TradingView entered the scene – and it completely captured the market. Its sleek interface, powerful community features, and easy integrations with brokers left ChartIQ behind.
By 2019, almost every broker in India had integrated TradingView charts. The styling, interactivity, and cross-platform support were unmatched. What was once a unique offering from Marketcalls had become mainstream.
Traffic started declining. But the real reason wasn’t competition alone – it was also the shift in how people consumed content. Traders and investors began moving away from blogs. They wanted quick insights. First it was WhatsApp and Telegram. Then YouTube took over. And today, the gravity has shifted again – from YouTube to short video formats like Instagram reels, YouTube shorts, and TikTok (outside India).
The lesson was clear: when competition heats up and dynamics shift, your old edge no longer guarantees survival.
Reinventing the Edge
So I diversified. Instead of chasing pageviews, I turned to what I love most – building and sharing. Complex concepts like market profile, orderflow, fintech, coding, automation, Large Language Models and machine learning became my focus. I built open-source tools like OpenAlgo, Sketch, and FinNews and kept writing open-source strategies as I had been doing since 2009.
Today, I still write, but not for traffic. I write for myself. I write what I learn from markets and from tech. Over the years I’ve written more than 4000 articles, and my own blog has become my personal knowledge repository.
Lessons for Traders
Traders can draw an important parallel here. Having an edge in markets is like being the first to a breakout. You catch the move early, you ride the trend, and you thrive. But as more participants join, that edge erodes. If you don’t adapt, you’re stuck holding onto yesterday’s playbook.
- First mover advantage matters – whether it’s a charting tool, a trading strategy, or an investing framework. Being early gives you disproportionate returns.
- Competition catches up – eventually everyone sees the same opportunity. ChartIQ had the head start, but TradingView captured the market. In trading, the same happens with popular strategies – once everyone knows it, the alpha disappears.
- Adaptation is survival – just as I shifted from blogs to building platforms, traders need to evolve. If your strategy loses its edge, you don’t cling to it. You test, adapt, innovate.
Why you should keep evolving?
Markets reward those who keep moving. Traders who get stuck in one system, one tool, or one strategy eventually lose their edge. But those who evolve with the times thrive.
My journey with Marketcalls is a reminder that edges are temporary – but the ability to reinvent yourself is permanent.
So if you’re a trader or investor, ask yourself:
- Where do I have an edge today?
- How long before that edge gets crowded?
- What am I doing to prepare for the next shift?
Because in trading and in life, the first mover wins – but the survivor is the one who adapts.
