Each month our traders meet for a monthly review with their Team. Our floor manager, @TheOneLanceB, our head of trader development- @SMBRecruiting, and I attend and provide mentorship during these meetings, which are run by the Team leader. Dr. Steenbarger provides invaluable feedback to traders on their monthly review, as well. Each trader shares their key takeaways from the prior … Read More
Striving for Excellence in Prop Trading (Podcast with Mike Bellafiore)
In this podcast episode with AlphaMind, Mike shares how SMB puts a heavy emphasis on learning and continual improvement. And in supporting our traders to become elite. What you will hear in this interview is how SMB’s culture of continual improvement and striving for excellence is the fuel behind our success. And this is what helps so many traders at … Read More
Holding Winners: 8 Ideas for a Successful Trade Strategy
A developing independent trader asked me: how can I better hold my trades to target? This trader wrote: This isn’t a unique to me issue so wanted to know what the traders on your desk have been successful with to dial this in. Primary strength is move2move, but this leaves me sidelined for bigger trend trades and ideas unless I’m … Read More
Elite Trading Requires Setting Time To Have Fun
This tweet was inspired by an independent trader struggling to balance his personal life with his trading. He reached out for help. He wrote: I want to consult with you about a certain thing that I have not been able to change for two years, since I started trading and it bothers me a lot. I can not balance my … Read More
This is what unprofessional trading looks like
Good Morning Mr. Bellafiore, I’ve been reading your book One Good Trade where you talk about traders doing exercises on exiting losing trades. This seems to be my main problem. I’ve had weeks where I’m up close to five figures then on one day give it all back and then some. Mainly because I get this deer in headlights feeling … Read More
2 Paths to Making More as a Trader (not one!)
I want to share an important lesson I have learned observing many elite traders. It is a lesson that some have not yet learned as they seek to make more money. It troubles me that some think there is only one path to make more money, when that is just not true. Let me share a recent anecdote on our … Read More
Top 5 Trader Education Videos of 2020
Important disclosures Mike Bellafiore is the Co-Founder of SMB Capital, a proprietary trading desk, and SMB Training, which provides trading education in stocks, options, and futures. Bella is the author of One Good Trade and The PlayBook. He welcomes your trading questions at [email protected].
8 Reasons Why We Had Our Second Best Trading Month in Firm History
November 2020 was the second best month in our firm’s trading history (founded in 2005). During a firm call with our partners, we were all searching for the right word(s) to describe our performance in November. Finally, I chimed in with “amazing”. Another partner quickly agreed and said “yes it was…. AMAZING!” As like for traders, it is important for … Read More