Watch
Listen
James 0:01
Good. You ready? Yeah. All right, cool. All right. So what’s going on everyone, we are back with another episode of the after hours Podcast. Today, we have a super special guest. This guest is important and really special to me, because I’ve spent so much time talking to him way too much time, especially in the beginning. So I just know his story is incredible. And it’s awesome. So, you know, just just the same as usual, Harry, and I have a mission to do these podcasts, and not necessarily just talk about trading, even though it always ends up there. But we love talking about the emotional roller coaster that is not only life, but navigating the markets and all that. So, you know, though further ado, we can kind of get started. And I guess it’s like the same way to start every single time as I guess, Tom, you know, what was your life like, before trading, like, take us into life before you knew anything about the markets? Where were you? What were you doing? And kind of take it take it from there.
How Did You Get Interested in Trading?
Tom 1:00
Alright, so guys, yeah, you know, long story, right? So I basically grew up in Europe. And I went to LA for college. For like, I went to see some to Cal State Northridge. So I spend, like, you know, five years there. You know, just basically to study, right. And then I tried to kind of stay in the States. And so I kind of apply all the jobs there, you know, in LA, but at the end, you know, I couldn’t get a green card. Right. So I had to go back. So I moved back, you know, to Prague, and, you know, started doing some, you know, basically like, you know, just normal jobs like, every other person, right? So I’ve graduated from from finance. And like, economics, you know, to be exact. So I got a job at the, you know, this is like, a firm financing kind of firm.
James 2:06
Yeah. What year is this? For context? What year is this?
Tom 2:10
I think it was like, 2012 2013. So, you know, I apply for a job there, and I got, you know, like, basically, kind of office kind of job. So what we’re doing back then is we have to cold call people, right? I mean, you know, this is fucking the hardest job that you could imagine.
James 2:34
Cold calling sucks.
Tom 2:38
And, and you asking them for money, right? It’s even worse. Like, they don’t know, you, and then you go on, like, you know, financial product. And so basically, you trying to get money out of them, you know, for them to kind of invest and all that. So, they’ve got me, you know, so I stay there for like, two and a half, maybe three years. And then, you know, at one night, you know, I kind of came across a website, I mean, I was always thinking about doing something for myself, right. And starting my own business, you know, because I’m tired of this full time job, I always wanted to do something, you know, either it’s going to be opening a new business, or, you know, try something for myself. And as I was looking online, I said, you know, there’s a lot of ways to make money, right. Like, you know, either be, you know, outside or like, in, you know, like, online as well. And so I was, you know, looking at Amazon, eBay and all that. And everything takes, you know, some certain money, right to work to. Yeah, so, I went, like, you know, I just came across a website, I won’t mention that website here. But I think a lot of us kind of, you know, got hooked to him in the beginning, you know, his first name, start with a T. Right. So, and, you know, and that’s when, you know, I started to know about trading. Yeah.
James 4:13
Were are you married at this point where you are, because you’re, your son wasn’t born, but you were you married at this point.
Tom 4:18
I wasn’t, you know, with my wife that at that time, we just like, dating and all that. But after that we got married. So, you know, long, long, long, long story short, I got interested in that, you know, trading and I went over his materials, you know, DVDs all that and I said, Okay, so, because at first, right, you don’t know what you’re gonna, you know, all you see is all those Lambos you know, fast money, and you’re gonna be rich tomorrow. Right? And, you know, at that point, I’m always desperate, you know, to make money to have some sort of money, right? Yeah. So I was hooked. You know, I got in I apply for and you know, monthly and all that and you know, I put in, you know, my like I had some, some money back then on savings. So I put that all in. And I think within one or two months, I blew it so I went back to my job, and then I sold some new materials coming in. Okay, so maybe this time is the right one, right? I mean, last time, you know, I tried to do that. And this and that didn’t work.
James 5:34
Like did you feel like having to go back to work was like, hell, like was it like hard for you to like, get into trading, see trading, and then go back to your like cold calling jobs. Like I know, for me, like, even now as like a profitable trader going to my normal job. Sometimes it’s tough. And that’s like something I know, like, I can do both. But I can’t imagine like trying to do it struggling and like losing money and then be like, Shit, I gotta go back to, to life, like and see, like, Was that hard? Like, I don’t even know, like, What did that feel like, kind of in that road?
Tom 6:08
It’s like shit. I’m telling you. But what else do I have left? Right? I mean, to pay bills? I have to survive in a way. Yeah. If I couldn’t get a job, I have to go to McDonald’s maybe. Right. That’s it? That’s the end of story. I mean, either way, you have to survive somehow. Right? Yeah, you have to find something that you can, you know, make monly Like, you know, money, like money, you know, you can basically pay your bills. And I mean, the hardest part, I think, for me that that point was like, all the money, right? I’ve been saving for that. I think for like one for the last like year on that year. Because yeah, I was right. out of college. I didn’t have much money anyway. Right. So I saved, you know, a few grand, so that I could maybe buy a call or something like that. But I blew that all up, you know, went back to my job and you know, full sucks, right? I mean, it’s really stuff. But then, you know, I, I saw like, you know, I always believe, like, not like, you know, I? Of course, I do believe in myself. Right. But I see the, the, you know, the real potential in this job. Right. Yeah. So let me think, let me break into this way. So I’m an immigrant, right. You know, we went to, to Europe. So I tried to stay in, in the States, you know, I couldn’t have to go back. And as you know, Europe, you know, as, especially in Czech Republic is really a conservative country, right? I mean, if they have to decide between, you know, Asian guy and a white guy, right, with the same degree of college, they’re going to choose him. Like, no, like, it just you have to be something or you have something different from that guy or that girl.
James 8:05
And so what what made you live there was just opportunity, because being there’s better opportunities.
Tom 8:12
My mom and dad, they, I think it same story as Bao. Yeah. So because of that Vietnam War, and we have to kind of so he went to Germany and France and all that, and then he moved back to Prague. But, you know, our story short, for you to be able to become successful, right? Or to have any, like, you know, higher position. In Europe. It’s really hard. You have to be really good. You have to be absolutely you have to be even better than white people. Right? Yeah, I’m not being racist. But, you know, that’s, that’s, you know, cold blooded truth. That’s all it is. I mean, if I have a same college degree as him, they’re going to hire him. Right? No matter what, I have to have something special. So that’s where, you know, I liked the most about trading, you know, because based on my, you know, circumstances, right. Like, I don’t have, you know, I don’t give a fuck, you know, or nobody cares about me, but I can, I can do whatever I want in trading, I can trade with a million dollar account. Nobody knows shit, right? I can make millions, you know, by just sitting here. I don’t have to interact with anyone. I don’t have like, I don’t need, you know, a Harvard degree. I don’t need any connections, you know, know that, you know, that’s how you can succeed in life. Right? Yeah. As an immigrant is really hard to have that unless you’re looking real rich family or whatever. Yeah, like, you know, out there in society. You have to have money first, you know, and then connections and then education and and all that combined all together for you to succeed. Right? And for me, that’s impossible. So how can I be able to make a lot of money, right? Either winning a lottery, or do something like gambling? Right? And that’s the idea itself, it got me hope the most.
The Importance of Self-Discipline in Trading
Harry 10:17
And I agree because like, I mean, if you, if you even look around in today’s society, like, I mean, you can either, like start a business similar to James go into real estate trade, and like that’s really about it. I mean, there’s like some online business dropshipping, that kind of falls in that category. But like, this is one of the only things where, like, you really just need your mind. And you need some work ethic, and you need to be able to kind of study and you know, as long as you can, like, have self discipline, and be consistent every day, like you can really exponentially grow your account. Exactly. You know, that’s why like, kind of in today’s society, like, a lot of people will say, like, even I say it myself, like, I don’t know, if the market is gonna be around in 10 or 20 years, or, you know, wherever, like, it’s just a means to an end, you know, everyone’s like, Oh, yeah, you long these stocks. But at the end of the day, I’m taking my money from point A to point B, I’m shutting my computer down and leaving for the day. And that’s exact job. And that’s exactly. Because, you know, ya know, if the market is going to be around today, tomorrow, the next day, but we’re just gonna show up every single morning and just bank you know, and that’s, that’s exactly kind of my mindset towards it.
James 11:34
I think people forget, forget, people forget to like, like trading, it’s like, it’s like, it’s the only job where you can create as much wealth as you want. And you can also lose everything you have. So it’s like, it’s, it’s such a motional job to have every day until you can kind of, I don’t think you ever master your emotions. But when you get there, I’d say Alex is probably as close as you can get to mastering the emotions and like, but, you know, it’s just, it’s so fucking hard. So like, So Tom, like, when you were at that stage, that given everything? Like, did you have pressure on yourself? Like, did your family have like, not to be personal, I guess, but like, did you not ask if you came from money, but like, you know, did you have any back? And did you have a fallback of like, security? Or is it more just like, pressure on yourself? Either make it in trading or like your booking done.
Tom 12:26
I mean, you know, at that point, like, luckily, you know, like this, I’ve kind of experienced almost like everything. Okay, so I blew up that count. You know, I went to my mom, I borrowed some money from her and went to my dad was from there went to my uncle Boris. That’s why, you know, all those small accounts, right? That’s what it adds up to that 30 or whatever? 35? Yeah, no, but the point is, why I didn’t give up because, okay, if you want to start a business wise, with fue que, what are the odds that you’re going to be successful? With that? You know, the odds are really minimal, right? But we trading? Yes, it’s really hard. But the odds are still better. If you, let’s say, you open a business for three grand, you’re going to sell? No, you know, like, not 100%, but 99.9%. Right. If you started with eBay, Amazon with 3k 4k, you’re gonna fail to? Yeah, though. So we’re failing. At least I know, if I work hard. Right? I could get there. Yeah, but that there is a chance, you know, the art is still better than putting money in something else. Maybe gambling or something that’s, you know, talking about that. So, so after all the boring money and all that, it gets to the point, you know, that I think that was my last account, and I’m done. You know, I blew that one up as well.
James 13:59
Are you still in the room at this point? Are you by yourself?
Tom 14:03
I was you know, after that. I was like, married already? And because, you know, like, I think for like three almost like three or four years. You know, all that accounting blew up for like three or four years Right? Right. Just like alright, just put in some money I’d take you know, three or four months off and then put again again again and over and over again.
Harry 14:25
What type of strategies were you using was it like more longing, more shorting OTC
Tom 14:32
Shorting only that time? Because, you know, got me hooked with that idea of small companies, they they’re going to crap, right, you know, so we just need to find, you know, which stocks and then they they’re all going to come down anyway. Yeah, yeah, that’s what I was thinking. But, you know, we, you know, we’re not, you know, good timing and all that. That’s why you blow up the account. Right. Exactly. And also discipline, you know, I was trading like, you know, on the market open to close everything. Like I could say anything I want I mean, you know, just anything that moves.
James 15:09
I mean, that’s funny.
Tom 15:11
Yeah. And also with that and you know, a lot of money spending on on those chat rooms, right? You bought a scanner you know all that extra kind of tools and you know, books, DVDs and all that for you to learn but I didn’t learn shit.
James 15:28
Was it was your What was your wife? Because you’re you said we’re at this point, right? This moment in time you’re at your last account that you funded. Was your wife ever like Tom fucking stop, like stop bucking trading or the whole time but she kind of like, do your thing. Like we know what you’re doing? Or like, I guess have not worked out like because that’s a that’s a tough dynamic.
How to Talk to Your Girlfriend About Trading?
James 15:49
I feel like because I know when I talked to my girlfriend about it. I feel like she’s dumb as shit. Because like I She doesn’t understand. Like, I could tell her Yeah, I lost, you know, $1,000 today, which is just like a day’s work or whatever. And she’s just like, what, what the fuck? Like, she’s like, lost. She’s so scared. She’s like, are you okay? Like, what do you do it? Like, yeah, jeez.
Tom 16:06
I mean, actually, I was talking to about trading only, like, once or twice. Um, done, you know, and, like, every time she saw me, like, you know, opening up, like, turning on a computer and saying, you know, I’m just, you know, observing, right? Oh, I can learn more. But, in fact, I was borrowing some money from someone. Yeah, but I couldn’t, you know, send the fact that telling her about it, because she told me, okay, so you blew up, like, you know, several accounts now. Why are you still trying something? Why are you still trying like, you know, to pursue something that is not working? Right. Yeah. But I said, you know, okay, I’m gonna stop. All right, I’m gonna go back to my full time job. So that time I was like, you know, going back to work and do all that. And that. And, and it gets to the point that, no, I blew up my last account. So, yes, I couldn’t borrow any money. So I had to work, you know, and I think after that I got saved, like, around like, 1000 or something. Yep. I feel like, you know, two months after all the bills and all that money, because I was making like, 1500 a month, like, than had to kind of put a grin away from my family, right, basically paying the bills. And, you know, the thing is that he everything is cheap. So, so I got saved, you know, 1000 bucks. And right after that point, I think am I see? Open? You know, MIC, like, in August, right? Yep. August, and when I heard that from Bao, because, you know, like this Bao. I mean, you know, all those years, right? I was in the chat room, you know, all different chat rooms. And, and I knew Bao, like, not personally, but I knew him on Twitter. And I was following him, you know, I saw Oh, man, he’s a Vietnamese man. He’s really successful there. I saw him, you know, playing golf and all that shit, and make some really good money, right? You know, all the cars and all that. So, and I said, Man, this guy’s really good. Let me dig in a little bit deeper. So I tried to kind of dig in following on Twitter. I saw like, every single tweet from him all the trading fish, and went through everything, okay. And, you know, something inside of me saying that, Oh, man, this guy is real. Okay. The one thing is, you know, all those different tattling foods, you know, I can feel some sort of, you know, fake or just something from them. I don’t like, right, but from a bow, I can sense you know, like, the tooth, you know, from him, the personality he is but even though I never met him, right, I never even talk to him. But I, you know, I kind of felt something Maybe also because he’s Vietnamese or Asian, maybe just because of that, but the way you know, he kind of tall it all the way he tweeted, those that can like, you know, that and I kind of feel, you know, close to him and I said, Yeah, this guy really know about trading. He knows about trading. And right at that point, he was saying something, Alex, right, that they’re going to open up the chat room. And I said, Man, okay, so my legend, you know, my kind of, yeah. So my guy right the one I’m look up to the most he’s opening a chat room, right. So this is I mean, at that point, I was like, you know, I’m, I’m done with trading bro. I’m done. Yeah. After all that, you know, I’m done. Basically, I’m done. And I hope you know I I don’t ever want to save that amount anymore. I mean, that wasn’t aware of. I mean, he’s he’s not gonna do anything, right. I mean, I traded with him, you know, seven 8000 10,000 4000 blew up anyway. So, grand would not make a difference. So right after that, I decided, okay, so I’m going to split and you know, two months by my seat, and then somewhere on to my, you know, that account. Yeah. And after that, you know, I joined my team and all that. So the rest is history kind of thing. Yeah. That’s great. That’s that’s the turning point for me.
James 20:34
Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s funny you say that about bow? Because I feel like a bow and I’m sure Harry agree. I mean, he, he makes you feel like even if he’s tweeting, or if he’s just messaging like, you almost feel like he’s just talking to you like something about bow makes you feel like, This dude just gives a shit about you about whoever’s receiving the message. And I think that’s such a rare quality and people that like peep, it’s such an under like, it’s not even expressed enough. How much bow kind of makes you feel like there’s like, hope to do this. It’s weird. I don’t know how to explain it, but I don’t know.
Tom 21:11
You know? Yeah, for me. One thing is, I feel like he keeping it real. Yeah. You don’t have to use like, whatever fancy words and all that. Yeah. I mean, this is the reality. And because I have experienced that trading period, right, so that’s why I understood kind of more his tweets. And it’s kind of you know, clicked in my head, Man, this guy saying exactly the same thing. That experience. Yeah, but nobody told me that before. Right. Yeah, that’s why that’s, that’s the thing that kept me going. And also, like, kind of believe in me, even though you know, I have never talked to that guy. And it was all him. So yeah. Yeah.
Harry 21:58
He’s genuine, I think and he’s not just like, you know, like, it was before he was on Twitter. You know, he was on Twitter for so long, like not selling anything. Just DMS giving genuine advice, making a killing while he’s friggin doing it. Like, basically said, I’m never gonna open up a chat room, you know, I don’t need the money. I don’t need this. I don’t need that. But then, I think he was like, he kind of realised that, like, all the other chat rooms kind of, at the moment that I see. Like, other than maybe, maybe a couple are just like, you know, either giving some type of alerts or pumping or I mean, even now, like, you can change you know, you can just see now.
Tom 22:48
I mean, before, you couldn’t even find a chart from him. Okay, not talking about fucking entries and exits and fucking fills. He didn’t post shit. And now people are all getting it for free. And they don’t appreciate it. I mean, what the fuck man you know, sitting every day waiting for him to post something but no, I was waiting for like a month or two. Now to have some sort of, you know, ideas what he’s doing you know, was he shorting and all that and now there’s been getting for free.
The Value of a Watch List
James 23:20
I stand by like people don’t they even members in MIC don’t appreciate some of it sometimes because I remember back then, like waiting for bow or Alex or someone to post, what they trade and how much they made for inspiration. And also like, sort of guidance of like, holy shit, this is what he did. And I remember like, like, I would have done anything for a watch list for any insight from any of these guys. And like to get it now, even at the monthly cost. It’s like I would pay more like I just like think back I’m like, early days, like if they call me when I first started out, I would have paid more which is crazy, but like, I would have invested in that. It’s like yeah.
Tom 24:01
Its like you know, Bao commenting almost every single day. I used to watch lists, you know, I think it’s just the fact that like the members that got so used to the idea or to the fact that they have all those information right but when you got a lot of it and you like you know it makes you don’t appreciate it. Yeah, I mean less is more sometimes right and maybe fucking cut it for a week and then you see what happens after that right you’ll be dying for posting.
James 24:32
Of course! To me, it’s like, we have to seven figure traders, a guy who made a million dollars a day with these people offering their help and their teaching even even paid it’s like the cost is nothing compared to what you’re getting. That’s like to me like getting basketball lessons from Michael Jordan. And fucking the bulls like that’s like, it’s like you it’s era you can’t even fathom how great that is and like, and like I think it shows like look Get the mods like the most of the mods were a member since early on or like, look at how far they’ve come looking for everyone’s come just from being in the room and putting in that kind of work for that. It’s crazy. I mean, like, Tom. I mean, we’ll get more into it, I guess. But like, I remember, like, when we first started training together, it was like, you know, we talked about shit. Like, we were just so fucking confused on certain things. And like, we just talked about it and get through it. And like, looking back on those times being like, wow, like, she’s changed so much. Like, you just work harder. You put in the work and your life changes. And like, you know, I know, I know, Tom, like, you’re kind of famous for that for like the story with like, Uber and stuff like that, how you were like Uber ring, and, and all that. And can you kind of dive into that? Because at this because you have to be close to the timeline at this point, right? Because you just read your last account. And I want to touch on that, because that’s like one of my favourite stories you have.
Tom 25:56
I mean, it’s pretty. I mean, it’s pretty fucked up. And you know, when I think about it back then, I mean, I was saving for that when right after that, fucking boss asked me, Can you imagine that I fucking No, saving that money, no food trading, I was thinking, Okay, let me kind of work this job, which is a little bit maybe longer, maybe six, six months to a year. So I can, you know, save up some more and put in more. But then, you know, right after that I fucking sad me. And I think at that point, I I contacted Bao. And I said, I mean, bro, I mean, I really want it to be in MIC. I really want it to be, you know, to continue and all that. But I just can’t afford it. I mean, and also, you know, with my priority now is to be able to feed my family. Right? That’s the most important thing. I mean, you know, reality hits. I mean, even though I want to trade but you know, with $700 account, I’m not gonna go anywhere with that, right? Yeah. If I push it, if I force myself, I’m gonna blow up. Right? You got that? You know, I’m, I’m broke down to that.
James 27:11
Cant trade with pressure.
Tom 27:12
So I had to find a new job or renewal. Why is that? But I couldn’t get hired and everything. You know, fuck it. I have car here. So what I’m going to drive you over. And I was looking for, you know, a kind of timeframe, which was, like, which hours, you know, can make the most. So usually, usually in the morning, you know, six 7am. And at that time, your mom can it’s, I think market opens here at 3:30pm.
James 27:43
At this point, right, you know,
Tom 27:45
Yeah, so I, you know, like, my, my, my son is here at that point in. So basically, I had to feed my family, right. And I couldn’t focus on trading. And I have to find something else. No matter what, right? You know, even though I’m really good at trading, even though you know, I could, you know, make money from trading, but with 700 bucks, you know, you can do shit. You can do it anyway. Right? No matter how good you are.
James 28:17
eah, there’s no money or yeah, you’re gonna blow up.
Tom 28:20
Let’s say no, if you experience like bow and lead, which started with 700 bucks, it’s gonna take him few years to get to the next level. So, of course, I kind of realised that and said, Okay, let me find a job. So I started Uber. And also the time it’s like, what interests me the most is that I can trade from 2pm You know, I can drive some, you know, in the morning, when I’m done with training, I can trade and you know, I can go usually, around midnight is good, you know, pay as well.
James 28:52
Were you working 12 hours a day, like 12 to 15 hours a day at this point? Like,
Tom 28:58
I would say, like, I work like almost a full day. When when I come back for for trading? Yes. Yeah. So when I have to come back around like 1pm or two, just to prepare myself in a market, so maybe one or two hours, and then try it for one hour? So it’s like three or four hours, right? And then after I’m just driving you but that’s it. But you know, it’s doable, right? Yeah. And that’s the only thing I like about it is because I don’t have to go the 9-5 If I’m going to nine to five, I can trade and with this, yes, okay. So the money might not be as good as normal job. But I still could fit my family with that with you know, that I could also do trading, you know, at the same time, so that’s, you know, a win win for me, even though you know, the money is not that good. But all I need at that point was I don’t have to worry about monthly payments. Look, I don’t, I don’t have to worry about, you know, putting food on the table. And that takes the pressure off. Right? I mean, of course, there’s some pressure, right and so 100 bucks, but, you know, I don’t have to worry about that on now. You know, I can only worry about focus on that trading to grow that account. I have to be careful, because, you know, if I blew up, it’s gonna take me maybe six months or a year driving to save another grant? Or maybe yeah, why not? So yeah, so that was like, really tough, bro. But then, you know, the consistently came. And it has become much more easier when you get to that to 3000 You know, 4000 5000 it, you know, it gets so much easier. And then you make, let’s say, you make, you know, 100 bucks a day. But imagine here, like, I’m driving all day, right to be able to make that 100 bucks. Yeah, I’m not talking about you know, service to my call changing oil. Yeah.
James 31:01
Yeah, just net. Yeah, yeah.
Tom 31:03
You know, we know that I could make maybe like 50 bucks only deducted from all the, the gas and all that, but they’re making 100 bucks a day. That’s fucking life changing. Okay, now we just need to stick with it. Now just to keep it. Yeah.
James 31:23
Dude hearing is because we are because it’s like, I get so many DMS people saying I don’t have time. I don’t have time to watch videos on time. This or trade and that? Like, hearing this just reminds me that like, if you want it bad enough, but you’ll make it fucking happen. You have to drive fucking Uber if you have to fucking I don’t know, find a job that you hate. Are you there?
Harry 31:43
We all grind it hard.
Tom 31:48
I mean, I mean, a plan, you know, is something that you have to do what needs to be done, right? Yeah, without even you know, wanting to do it. But What other choice do I have? Right? I have to do it. Otherwise, you know, I’m Fuck, you’re the way I mean, you know, if you don’t want to do it, you’re gonna be broke. Right? So go back into your miserable life. You know, do whatever you want. But if you don’t want it bad enough, you’re not going to succeed. No, yeah. No, no doubt about it.
If You Want It Bad Enough, You’ll Make It Happen
James 32:19
Trading is the one job where like you can it’s tough because you can put a billion hours into it and also not get anywhere. But if you really put your head down and focus on the right shit. And like you like hustle and grind. Like Harry said, I think every every mod in this room has grinded to a point to get to even where they are now. And it’s like, you know, anyone who comes into this thinking they’re just going to pick it up fast. It’s like, or, you know, or they don’t need to watch videos or education or be in front of the screen and it’s not gonna fucking happen.
Tom 32:49
Bro. Look at Bao. Right, he mortgaged his house to 30k man he basically hit the rock bottom. Right. But that’s I think that’s one thing. It’s missing from the members here. A lot of members here. I think they still have something you know, outside of trading, they still have something they could rely on. So that’s why they you know, they’ve been fucking around. I mean, you know, I blew up this account, you know, I can find another new one. If I lose this, I’m going to be fine. But no fighting. Imagine if it’s your last account and your family is depending on it. You want to be fucking disciplined. I’m telling you gotta be fucking discipline. Yeah.
James 33:29
Yeah. It’s funny. You say that? Dude, like, that’s for me. Like, what changed? The corner for me was like, because no, like, I’m not someone like, I never had the rock bottom phase in trading. Because I was always I had the business. Right? I was a little bit younger. When I started, I had the business. And but what did it for me because it’s funny you say that, because everyone always asked what the turning point was. And it wasn’t until recently, I realised that I wanted to be able to provide for my sister and my family going forward and give them what they gave me. And when you have a reason like that, or like, whatever it may be to put food on the table, whatever. That’s when discipline becomes almost easy. It becomes like, you know, you have to fucking do it. If you don’t, you’re not going to achieve this goal.
Tom 34:15
Yeah, it’s all about mindset, nothing at all. Yeah. And how bad you really want it. Maybe you want it bad enough, even, you know, be able to do it, if not worse
.Learning the Ropes of Trading
Harry 34:27
And you know, it also took you a while to kind of learn the ropes. You know it? Yeah, it wasn’t, you know, necessarily overnight, but I mean, oh, you know, a lot of people are here for like, I don’t know, two or three months, they see a bit of consistency. And then maybe, you know, they don’t really follow the risk management or there’s a discipline issue, stuff like that. They kind of go back to the beginning and then they’re like, Oh, well, I quit. But it’s like every single pullback you know, you’re in an uptrend, you’re gonna have pullbacks, right? You’re always gonna have some little tiny setback, whether you over traded on a day, or whether you were really green and lost some things, but, you know, it’s just like, you just need to keep moving forward. And I think that’s the point that we’re all trying to make is that for all three of us, I know that I’ve had setbacks like people have, you know, witnessed me having setbacks, people have witnessed, you know, Tom, whether it was the market changed, or like James as well, whether James maybe got squeezed or I got dumped on or whatever, but we just kept going, you know, we kept showing up every single day.
James 35:41
It’s just showing up to just showing up to the fucking job every day. Like, this is why I rant about this is like, if you just show up like it, trading is one of those weird things. And I always revert back to like Jesse Livermore, if anyone’s read the reminiscence of a stock operator, the dude has blown up more times than fucking anyone, right? But he still just came, he fucking bust his ass, save money. Do it again, do it again. And it’s like, as tough as that is. Sometimes it’s like, once you get into this job, it’s hard to walk away from if you understand it at all. And when you know that there’s endless possibility. So it’s like, just show the fuck up. You know? Do your best like you see guys like Bao and Alex stick to discipline over and over? You know, it’s possible. This isn’t like, believe bullshit. It’s like, you see Harry doing the same shit every day. Don’t do the same shit. And I remember, I remember so vividly when Tom started becoming consistent, because I think we’re at very similar points in trading. But like, I remember when you were on that, like, 30 day win streak, right? or something crazy like that. Like, it was some crazy shit every day, it’d be like 30 days green, fucking 40 days green. Like, I remember thinking like, Holy fuck, this guy is really doing it. And it’s crazy. Like and Tom, like, how did you even I guess? I hate to bring it back. But how did you even get to that point from like, when you kind of had that Uber, and you got your account and your pad some money? To 40 days fucking green? Or what got you there?
Harry 37:05
Was the strategy type of thing? Strategy? I mean, what?
Tom 37:10
Maybe it’s funny, you know, to say it, but because we in MIC right. Basically, that was the missing piece for me. And, you know, basically to watch the videos, it kind of blew my mind. I mean, of course, I was training before, right and watching new material. I mean, it just makes more sense to me. And I knew what I was looking for showing your longing. Yeah. But I didn’t understand the concept of it. And I think the most important fact is, when bow talking about risk management, when am I talking about risk management? And that’s really kind of clicked for me. Yeah. Right. And when when he said, you know, making money is not a problem, but the problem is keeping it. And that’s just blew my mind and say, oh, man, that’s, yeah, I know, I know, I don’t have problem with making few 100 bucks here and there. But then I ended up you know, getting back on. Yep. But once you’ve cracked that code, you know, and that code was provided by MIT. Right? And then it just, you know, kind of ballooned up from there. It’s just like, rolling, rolling. And, and, you know, when, when, like, I think the major part here was like, the daily max. Yeah, right. And I was, you know, I think I was pretty lucky at that point. You know, when I join MIC, and it was like, seven or 700 bucks, I was able to grow it to two or 3k, you know, pretty fast. I think in two, I didn’t happen, you know, luckily, that time the market was good. It was like, October. And that two weeks when I join um, I see I went straight when you know, straight green posting on Twitter as well. You guys want to see it? But it’s like 100 bucks. 200 bucks. 300 bucks, right? It has out and then and after two weeks, okay, now I have fucking two or three grant accounts. I can raise a little bit more right 100 bucks to me. That fucking pretty bad. I mean, to you guys in US my small, but for me 100 bucks is like, you know what, like, at least two days of driving up. That’s huge. Crazy. Yeah. And the moment you realise that Okay, so let me set my daily max to fucking 100 bucks. So I can, you know, make it back next day next day. But, you know, still right after that I had some setback as well. You know, I’ve been green and then you know, I blew up like, not like blew up but yeah. Oh, for take all those, you know, one two weeks at once. I mean, it happens right? And the more All you, you, you lost more you realize what needs to be done after that. And so the old race management came and asked that, you know, it’s just like, that’s it. The moment I can control my loss, you know, that’s when it cracked the code.
James 40:18
You’ve just been growing since. Yeah.
Tom 40:21
The key thing here is not about taking a loss. It’s, it’s about you know, when, when you hit some certain stop loss, right, when, when you hit max loss with that, being able to walk away from that, that’s the huge, you know, I think that’s, that’s the most important because before I was like, losing, right, so, all right, so I hit my max loss. 100 bucks, 200 bucks, what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna sit back and fight. I’m gonna revenge trading. And next thing I know, fucking lost, you know, two or three. Now, I’m fucking frustrated. Now I’m gonna load the boat. Because, you know, torn to shreds and, you know, 300 shares and I’m gonna do shit. But I lost more than that I need to size up to make that back. And I think that’s, that’s the key, you know, thing when you realise that, and being able to walk away from that. And that’s basically that’s, that was my coat back then.
James 41:20
Yeah. Now now, at your stage where you’re at now, or your, your family and your wife, everyone is fully supportive of like trading, like knowing that now you make money. Now that it’s like a real job and you treat it like a job? Do they? Are they 100% supportive of that?
Tom 41:37
Oh, yes, of course. Well, no doubt about it. Something bought my house and I mean, apartment, of course. Yeah. Support me if not throwing them away. You know, I kind of I think that was the, the main, you know, that’s something I’m really proud of myself that it’s not about the money. It’s not about because I’ve proved to, you know, to those people, that they are wrong. And as you know, the mouse, and fucking, you know, you thought it was gambling, right? Look at this. Okay. And all those people, they I think there’s not a one single person trusted.
James 42:28
It’s crazy.
Tom 42:31
I mean, the reality is I blew up several accounts, nobody would have believed that anyway. Right. Yeah. Yeah. It’s hard to ask for, you know, that trust that. I mean, you know, maybe after once, twice, three times, you know, maybe it’s mistakes. But the third time, the fourth time, she’s not a fucking mistakes anymore. It’s a choice. Right? Yeah. And, and, you know, after that, I kind of proved that, you know, to them, and it makes me really happy.
James 43:02
I love that. And Harry the similar thing to the proven people like that. It’s not gambling, that it’s that it’s actually making, it’s a job, that it’s like anything else. Like if you work really hard at it. It’s you’re not throwing your money at a fucking dartboard. You’re You’re, you’re trading?
Taking It Day-By-Day
Harry 43:17
Yeah, it’s so funny. When you’re, you know, you’re studying, you’re grinding, you notice that, like, maybe some of your friends or some people aren’t there as much, or even your family tree, like a little bit different. Now, once you start making that, it’s like, oh, we were supporting you the whole time.
Harry 43:36
We were always gonna be rich.
Harry 43:37
Oh, my God. And like, still, some family members will always ask me, What’s your five year plan? Or what’s your whatever plan? It’s like, I’m just banking every day. And you know, I mean, it kind of sounds douchebag when you’re like, I’m banking every day. I’m making money every day. And, you know, I don’t do Do you necessarily need a plan a year out? I mean, what happens if this like crazy transaction tax gets passed by the, than the state’s like, there’s gonna be no more fucking market if that happens. So I mean, you know, you just got to take it day by day, it’s a means to an ends for an end for me. I mean, if trading seats, I have enough money saved, that I could probably go into real estate or go into a different venture. But, you know, we all have a common theme where it’s like, every single day, we’re just showing up. We’re trading, we’re sticking to the process, you know, line to line and that’s really about it. And you know, of course, and weekend mentoring as well. We’re always there. You know, Tom as well, Tom’s posting the friggin links.
The Importance of Investing in Your Education
James 44:44
Every single video guru, what’s just fucking pops up.
Harry 44:48
Sick videos, but you know, it’s really just the, you know, the work ethic, and really the sacrifice that kind of brought us to where we all are. So I mean, if there’s any thing that anyone takes away from this, it’s that, you know, when you listen to Tom, it’s it. You know, it’s hard. It’s like the first account, the second account, the third account, the fourth account, and everyone’s like, Oh, Tom, you’re an idiot. But, you know, once you make that all back, you know, like, the accounts that I blew up early on, like, super early on in my trading career, you know, I could make that now daily. That’s what’s that’s what’s crazy. Is that like, yeah, that little investment, it’s making that daily now, so
James 45:31
That I think about that all the time. Right here. You just triggered something.
Harry 45:37
Like a small stop out now. I mean,
James 45:41
Seriously, it’s a 10 cent stop, right? It’s like, it’s like you think about you think about investing, right? Like, this is my this is a really good way to fucking like, like, talk about, like, think about it is like, when I invested in my business, I mean, I have no problem talking about it. Like, it cost me like 100 grand to get the first shop going like, between, like, you know, the buildout and advertising, everything, do everything, it costs me a fuck tonne of money, all the money I had saved up at that point. And then some. So when you think about trading, it’s like, Dude, you fucking blow up two accounts, three accounts, 10 accounts, even $1,000 each. It’s like, okay, you invest in 10 grand, but for the opportunity to make a lifetime of money. I mean, like, 10 grit. I’ve seen fucking people make, you know, I’ve seen guys both you make the end of the day, right? Like, I mean, that’s the reality. So all that money you invested every time you fucking had to refill that account? It’s like, it’s like, that’s your investment? Like, it’s like, did you expect to get into trading without almost losing is the wrong idea. The idea is that you’re investing and that’s why MIC exists. And that’s why I think MIC is so important to people that you’re investing in your education. So what’s $200 a month? What’s $2,000 a year for the opportunity to make fuckin $2,000 a day? Yeah, right. So
Harry 46:59
I mean, also, if you go to university, I mean, universities aren’t cheap. Yeah, like, this is number one way cheaper than university if you do it, right. I mean, I’m not saying Oh, take $100,000 loan, and then just start writing four or 5000 Chair positions. But I mean, if you if, like, if you compare, like the amount of money I put into trading, when I first started versus one year of university that I paid, it’s, I paid more money for that first year university than I did for for all the accounts for all the blow ups, the education, that everything. I mean, you can’t really put a price on time. But oh, no.
Tom 47:41
Its just something that you cannot put, you know, money on my I mean, for MIC, and especially Bao’s knowledge. I was at that time, and those are the only two persons that trust us. Right, they have, like, they believe in me. And that’s, you know, that’s sell something. Yeah. And sometimes all you need is just for someone to trust you buy for you to kind of do it. And, and I think you know, MIC that was the breaking kind of point for me. And, and, you know, I think without it, I don’t think I could, you know, get here and so, basically bow and Alex kind of changed my life in a way. And so that’s why I said to Bao many times, bro, I mean, you know, you’ve done so much for me, and what can I do for you? Like, what, what can I do to help and all he said was like, Okay, try to be successful, right? Try to be good at it. And that’s how you can pay me back. You know, that was right. I mean, fucking struck me and I said, Fuck it, okay, I’m gonna fucking help as many people as I can. Because if I can pay, you know, forward if I can pay it back, I have to pay it forward. But so that’s why the you know, trying so hard to help the members not because, you know, on the money and or anything doesn’t get shipped here. Right. But because we wanted to, I believe in karma, you know, you know, one takes one teach one each one teach one right? And someone’s you know, been helping you. Just out of nowhere, Bao and Alex you know, helping me with MIC all that they believe in me? Yeah. You know, compared to my family, right? Nobody gives a shit about me. What?
James 49:41
I know it’s a weird it’s a weird family dynamic that we have actually in the group that it’s just like, it’s like trading such like a It’s a lonely job, but it’s a heart. It’s a job that only traders understand. I think in the fact that you have people here to kind of have a shoulder to lean on and like actually believe in you and make you feel like that without ever meeting them is the craziest thing in the world. But that’s the reality.
Tom 50:05
And sometimes, you know, when you think about it a lot of members, right now, they might only need us to tell them that we believe in them. Right? Yeah, it’s crazy for them to have an extra push, you know, in their journey or whatever. Yeah, that’s, that’s it, that’s all it takes. Sometimes it’s just, you know, a one word and, you know, I believe in you, you know, good job, you know, keep it up. And it kind of push them it kind of motivates them, you know, working harder. Yeah. And that’s basically the purpose of life anyway,
Why I Changed My Twitter to Be More Real
Harry 50:36
That’s why I kind of changed my Twitter to the way it was because my Twitter used to be all the time, where, you know, my Twitter would just be like, strategy, or like, chart or like, whatever, me to mine. And no one. I mean, people would like, listen to it. But like, I mean, the problem I found on twitter is that there wasn’t a lot of like realness, like, there’s a couple people for sure. But there wasn’t a lot of people saying that no one, like I find on on twitter, and like, on a lot of stuff like that, like, once people make it, they like to just forget about the journey, the sacrifice, the struggle. And I think that comes back to the idea of why me and James did this in the first place. But like, I mean, you never hear a lot of professional traders talk about like, oh, I blew up this many accounts, oh, this was a struggle, oh, I had this, you know, conflict with my family, oh, I had this, I had that. Like, you don’t really hear a lot of that. And maybe as these podcasts, and as these stories start to pop up, people will kind of jump on the trend and start talking about it. But that was kind of stuff that I saw, like a year ago, whenever it’s all like, Oh, here’s my chart, here’s my entry and exit that actually mean nothing. I mean, as much as I can show a lot of people a chart as to why I went long here, you know, I’m not going to be inside my head, you know, as much as I try and, you know, it just takes, you know, the consistent work and the consistent, you know, you know, just just courses a time, you know.
Tom 52:09
Overall Yeah, I’m telling you, I mean, MIC, we have like everything, like I mean, the mark three of us here, it’s not because we do it because we love it. Yeah, of helping people we want, you know, to be able to change, you know, people’s lives, right. That’s exactly how bow and Alex changed my life. You know, change your life and also Aries I mean, but sometimes, you know, a lot of people they don’t don’t appreciate it, and that’s their fault, right? Of course, there’s not much you can you can do about it. You know, you cannot please everyone, right?
Harry 52:46
Yeah. Well, we have a ton more members compared to the days that like Nico was here.
Tom 52:53
Yeah. You know, for me, my purpose in life for me is, you know, to be able to help someone. Okay, and I might not need it in the future, but I might need it. Who knows? Right? My son might need it. My son when he grows up, and then some someone else will help them? Who knows? Right? Yeah. So that’s, you know, basically the pros of like, my purpose of life of living, and, you know, I tried to kind of make a difference.
Harry 53:28
I know many of you guys have gotten the message. Oh, yeah. If you’re ever in my area, like, comment and come down for a drink or whatever, here. I mean, yeah, like Bao could go wherever and drive around the states. And just write on Twitter or write and MIC Hey, bro, I’m in Florida. Like, who’s up for a drink in this town? I’m sure like, 50 people would just drive there and be like, bah bah, bah, bah, bah. You know, like, what’s up?
James 53:59
Yup an impromptu fucking Miami meet up and like 50 people showed up. I mean, it’s, it’s it’s awesome. Right?
Tom 54:06
It’s insane. Yeah. Yeah. Wow.
James 54:10
But, but as we’re I mean, we are coming up on our mark, which is what we’re trying to keep and but I guess to end it, we can kind of wrap it up with like, Tom, what do you what’s the best piece of advice you would give a new trader right now that you wish you could talk to yourself again, when you first started? What would it be?
Tom 54:31
The process, right? I mean, it sounds really simple. But, you know, it’s gonna get you to where you want it. Again, the process everyone is different. You have different process, I have a different process. But you have to find something you know working for you. To to you. All I mean, when we’re not going to go over, you know, the patterns and all that. We have to You know, the videos for that. But once you grasp that part, right, once you found something that’s been working for you, you know, try it try to stick with that. But I mean, a lot. I mean, the 90% of the traders, why is still losing is because they still don’t know what they looking for every day. Right? And that’s why they trade on the fly. That’s why revenge trading, because you know, you don’t have an edge, right? You don’t know exactly what you’re looking for from the market. I mean, the market is telling you, the market is giving you the signal. But you are still confusing with that. I mean, same thing with playing a blackjack. You know, if you know that you have 19 and 20. Hands, you want to bet on those? Right? The odds are you’re going to be more like, you know, succeed on that. Yep. Instead of right now, all you see is, you know, 14 15 19 17 all that and you don’t know which one to choose. And when you like, same thing with open a business, like you, James, I mean, once you found the product, you’re gonna stick to that product, right? And all the researching all that all that shit before? You know, that’s, that’s the beginning, right? It takes time to find a good product. But once you found it, stick with it. Yeah. And stick with that. occupe with risk management, you’re gonna be fine.
Advice for the New Traders
Harry 56:32
Yeah, no, no, I completely agree with that. Like, I mean, like, me and Tom don’t have the same style. Me and James don’t have the same style. But we’re all able to make money. And it’s so crazy. Because if you look at the stocks that I traded today, like, I know that I know, James wasn’t trading or I didn’t, I wasn’t, I was like, kind of in and out. But like, I can guarantee you that, you know, Tom wasn’t trading the stocks that I was in when I was long. And when Tom was short, I was not trying to go along were time. And that’s because we have our own process. And, you know, for Tom, it’s going to be shorting into a resistance or shorting into pops or waiting for the stock to come down and then shorting a bounce. You know, there’s all those different things, but I understand, you know, just as much as I understand what Tom’s doing, you know, Tom understands what I’m doing as well. And I think that’s what, that’s why we can all get along, because Tom isn’t going short at the bottoms into the weakness, right. Tom’s waiting for the pop. And, you know, that’s why I think, you know, with me, I’ve been able to kind of meet a lot of people and if I ever wanted to go short, I could easily just be like, Oh, Tom, you know, force for 60 line, like, that one’s looking pretty good. You know, because our cells always match and our covers always match, you know.
Tom 57:53
Exactly. And there was one time it was long, right? Exactly. Same entry as Yeah.
Harry 58:00
Entry. Yes.
Tom 58:01
Yeah. So, you know, it’s, I think it’s, it’s all comes down to that process was talking about, and I think that’s the most important for the new traders, to find, you know, the X Y to find to know what they looking for. Because you coming into the market without even knowing what exactly what you’re looking for. I mean, that’s hard, right? How can you keep up with that, all the prints, you know, the charts or tape, it’s impossible. The cube with, you know, emotions, discipline, you know, a timeframe as well sometimes, you know, flow, you know, easy to borrow for the market cap dilutions, you have all that informations and also in the chat room that we have, you know, plenty of ideas coming in, right, all tax and if you take that all that seriously, all at once, and you don’t even focus on what you’re good at. You’re gonna, you know, be confusing, it’s all those information or really overwhelmed, and it happened to me before. But when I was like, you know, talking to like, or chatting to so many people at the same time, so that we might, you know, my best advice focused on that process. Define what is your process and stick to that? Yeah, I love that.
Harry 59:29
I can’t really repeat it but like, you know, it’s just, you know, every single day like, you know, it’s just the camaraderie all the mods and just like really, it’s really like a team environment and it’s really just a family environment as fuck, you know, on a single day. We’re just we’re just trading Yeah, thing. Why not like I’m like, Oh, Tom, I’m gonna get you. I’m gonna get you Tom. Tom shorting into the pop.
Tom 59:57
Yeah, we’ll see In you know, is the best thing that you could you know, wish for right? Being able to trade and fun making a lot of money. You know, I’ve met a lot of new friends and being to help people at the same time. I mean, what else do you want? I mean, like, now we trading for like, maybe 30 minutes or like an hour sometimes I’m done like, you know, after 15 minutes at open.
Harry 1:00:30
like friggin three o’clock but
James 1:00:32
yeah, but you know, did anyone
Harry 1:00:36
just keep posting like as the day went on?
James 1:00:39
I was busy fucking. That’s funny shit. So I love it honestly. I think I think I think this is a cool fucking interview dude. I love this shit. I really do. I love talking about this shit.
Harry 1:00:54
And yeah, I guess we’ll just wrap it up here and yeah, I’ll see you guys for the next one.
James 1:01:02
Yeah
