Tim Sykes, Reality TV Star: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

What do penny stocks, sports cars, reality television, and stunning supermodels all have in common? Well, the short answer is Tim Sykes. If you’ve seen him before, you probably haven’t forgotten his brash approach to life and business – but here are five fast facts you need to know.

1. He Turned $12,415 of Bar Mitzvah Money Into $1.65 Million

Most people feel pretty good when they’re able to enjoy a 6-10 percent return on an investment. Well, how would you feel about multiplying your initial investment 128-times over? That’s exactly what Sykes did with the $12,415 he received in bar mitzvah money. Through day trading penny stocks, he quickly turned that meager sum into $1.65 million. Since then, he’s grown his portfolio to well over $6 million.

2. He’s Appeared on Multiple Reality TV Shows

The first time Sykes was about to go in front of a TV camera for an interview on CNBC, he was so nervous that he had to take a couple shots, just to loosen up. But once the cameras started rolling, he felt like a natural.

“Most traders don’t like talking about their losses,” he says. “I didn’t care, and that set me apart.” CNBC immediately asked him to come back. That segment then led to his first appearance on the reality TV show Wall Street Warriors. He was initially only asked to participate in one episode, but he was such a good fit that they kept him on for the duration of the show.

Sykes has also appeared on other shows like Bravo’s Below Deck, Neil Cavuto, CBS Sunday Morning, ABC’s 20/20 and Oprah and Friends Radio.

3. He Currently Teaches Thousands of Students

While he still trades penny stocks for personal gain, Sykes realized a few years ago there was even more money in the opportunity to teach his skillset. That’s why he currently spends so much time teaching thousands of young students about penny stock investing. He has thousands of students in dozens of different countries and is widely recognized as the utmost authority figure in the penny stock world.

4. He’s Engaged to Supermodel Bianca Alexa

The fame and the money come with perks. Sykes, 35, is engaged to the gorgeous, and much younger, supermodel Bianca Alexa. And while many think she’s nothing more than a marketing ploy, Alexa apparently has some trading skills. She was named Sykes’ Miss Penny Stock in 2013, and frequently appears on his website.

5. He Once Had a Promising Tennis Career

Before Tim Sykes ever got his bar mitzvah money, started a hedge fund, or appeared on reality TV shows, he was a talented tennis player with a promising career. He set an achievable goal of becoming the number one ranked player in the state and lost in the state finals during his junior season of high school. The ambitious Sykes ended up overtraining during the offseason before his senior year and needed Tommy John surgery on his elbow, which ultimately ended his career.

While a teenage Sykes would have told you that his life was over, he can probably look back and smile knowing that fate ended his career. After all, it’s highly unlikely that he would have found as much long term success in tennis.

Tim Sykes: Bold and Unapologetic

Sykes might rub a lot of people the wrong way, but it’s all a part of his personal branding strategy. Those who know him best say he’s a totally normal person when the cameras aren’t rolling. However, turn the cameras on, and you’ll get the bold and unapologetic version of Timothy Sykes that millions of viewers have seen on TV.