Chat With Traders podcast

1:13:24

Steve Ruffley transitioned from a highly competitive trading floor environment to trading professionally as a retail trader. His entrance into trading was unplanned - a mix of ambition, timing, and the right connections. After leaving university early, he took a finance job and then moved to Gibraltar, where he met traders running a new trading floor. Intrigued, he joined their intense graduate program, enduring six weeks of brutal tests where failure meant dismissal. The trading floor was an adrenaline-fueled world - rows of screens, high-stakes trades, and a culture of camaraderie and competition. This experience undoubtedly shaped his trading mindset, philosophy, and technique, where risk is not a dirty word, and size and speed are essential. Steve is also a trading mentor and the author of his latest book, “The Pro Retail Trader”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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294 · Ross Haber - Stock Leaders and Timeless Strategies Still Effective Today 1:18:36

6 weeks fa1:18:36

1:18:36

Ross Haber’s trading philosophy is built on growth-focused strategies, heavily influenced by William O'Neil. Combining both technical and fundamental analysis, Ross emphasizes the importance of identifying leaders in strong market sectors and adapting to market cycles. Optimizing the use of relative strength, moving averages, and volume analysis, and tailoring it to each stock’s unique personality combined with his ability to manage risk through strategic scaling techniques and sell stops has been one of the cornerstones of his success. About Ross Haber During his tenure as Portfolio Manager at William O'Neil & Company from 1998 to 2001, Ross played a pivotal role in the firm's remarkable growth. As part of an elite investment team, he helped transform a $15 million portfolio into an impressive $850 million in assets under management. Ross has since co-founded Trader Lion, where he continues to apply his extensive market expertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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293 · Rick Bandazian Jr. - The Art of the Wait: Merger-Arbitrage Killer Moves 1:08:27

11 weeks fa1:08:27

1:08:27

Rick Bandazian Jr., a seasoned trader with over 15 years of experience in event-driven and merger-arbitrage strategies, reflects on transitioning from an analyst at JP Morgan and First New York Securities to establishing himself as an independent trader. Rick emphasizes his deep expertise in anticipating market moves based on nuanced corporate actions and his methodical approach to understanding catalysts. Despite the fast-paced nature of his work, Rick maintains consistency by staying disciplined, even during market lulls. Beyond trading, he’s a volunteer firefighter, driven by a strong sense of community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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292 · Laurens Bensdorp - Running 55+ Systematic Trading Strategies Simultaneously 1:01:40

13 weeks fa1:01:40

1:01:40

Laurens Bensdorp's trading journey began with years of losses as a discretionary trader. Frustrated by inconsistent results and mounting stress, he embarked on a mission to develop systematic trading approaches. His goal was simple but ambitious: create reliable systems that would deliver steady returns while minimizing losses. This transformation wasn't overnight. Through years of careful development and testing, Bensdorp gained deep insights into the cyclical nature of his trading systems - understanding when they were likely to generate profits or face losses. His persistence paid off. By eventually creating and implementing over 55 different trading systems, he achieved what seemed impossible: better returns, smaller drawdowns, and remarkably, less time spent managing his trades. About Laurens Bensdorp Laurens Bensdorp launched his finance career at a Dutch venture capital firm in 2000, where he discovered his passion for trading. After years of studying successful investors' methods, he developed automated trading platforms that maximize profits while minimizing time investment. Featured in Van Tharp's "Trading Beyond the Matrix," Bensdorp went on to author two international bestsellers: "The 30 Minute Stocktrader" (2017) and "Automated Stock Trading Systems" (2020). Both books have been translated into multiple languages. As the pioneer of personality-based automated trading systems, Bensdorp now co-hosts seminars with renowned trader Tom Basso and mentors elite clients. Through his foundation, Fundación Albenco, he supports educational initiatives for underprivileged children in Colombia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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291 · Sam Miesse - Small Cap Quant Trader Grows $10K into $3.8M in 3 Years 1:11:47

17 weeks fa1:11:47

1:11:47

Inspired by the impact of predictive analytics on sales at Sam Miesse's tech company, he became interested in applying quantitative analysis to the small cap market. Spending nearly 2 years collecting data and observing how money moved into and out of many small cap stocks convinced him that there were repeating patterns which could be statistically exploited. After many back tests Sam finally had a system which processed over 10,000 small caps and produced 20-40 actionable daily opportunities. Starting with an experimental $10,000, his rigorously back-tested system gave him the confidence to stick with the signals, despite suffering a $500,000 daily drawdown along the way to growing his account to $3.8 million in less than 3 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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290 · Mark Ritchie II - Price-Action, Swing Trading Equities from the Long Side 1:00:02

19 weeks fa1:00:02

1:00:02

Mark Ritchie II shares insights from his trading journey, shaped by disciplined risk management and a strong focus on price action and fundamentals. Growing up with a renowned trader father, Mark’s passion for trading developed later in life through hands-on experience. He prioritizes finding stocks in long-term uptrends, identifying low-risk entries, and refining his edge over time. Emphasizing the importance of controlling emotions, Mark advocates starting small, scaling up only when confident in a strategy’s effectiveness. His trading approach adapts to varying market conditions, using timeless principles to maintain capital efficiency and manage risk, helping him navigate both bull and bear markets successfully. About Mark Ritchie II: Mark Ritchie II is a swing and growth trader, investor, and manager. He leads RTM Capital Advisors as a Managing Partner and CIO, a company that manages investments in U.S. stocks. He became well-known for winning Mark Minervini’s Triple Digit stock challenge in 2010 by making over triple digit returns in under six months. Between 2010 and 2014, he grew his managed funds tenfold, consistently compounding his portfolio year after year. This impressive traction earned him a feature in Mark Minervini’s Momentum Masters roundtable interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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289 · Alfonso Peccatiello (MacroAlf) - Beyond Being Right - A Shift to Framework Thinking 1:08:29

22 weeks fa1:08:29

1:08:29

Alfonso Peccatiello’s (also known as MacroAlf on X) approach to the financial markets is rooted in macroeconomic insights, identifying market imbalances, and disciplined risk management. Having managed a $20 billion fixed-income portfolio, Alf has seen firsthand how understanding market dynamics and timing can unlock significant value. His strategies focus on spotting crowded trades, leveraging market dislocations, and carefully sizing positions to maximize returns while minimizing risk. About Alfonso Peccatiello: Alfonso is the founder and CEO of The Macro Compass, a firm dedicated to democratizing access to professional macro analysis, tools, and portfolio strategies. Leveraging his extensive experience managing large institutional investment portfolios, The Macro Compass provides unparalleled financial education, unique macroeconomic insights, and actionable investment strategies. Prior to launching The Macro Compass, Alfonso served as the head of investments for ING Germany, overseeing a $20 billion portfolio. He also launched a discretionary global macro hedge fund, Palinuro Capital, in 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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288 · Steve B - When Confluences Align, Confidence Follows 1:09:17

23 weeks fa1:09:17

1:09:17

We caught up with Steve B, a seasoned professional independent trader with 10+ years of experience in the financial markets we got to know closely through the Chat With Traders Community. Steve teamed up with our community cohost and mentor at the time, Patrick Petersson (featured on episode 260) to run the CWT Community Live Trading Room. They mainly traded futures on major indexes. Many community members were interested in their futures trading approach and streamlined looking charts with key levels derived from options market data, which helped build their trading roadmap. Alongside Patrick, Steve has been an influential mentor inside our community. He is known specifically for his "Confluence Trading" approach, which you'll learn about soon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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287 · Robb Reinhold - Consistency Beats Intelligence Every Time 1:10:03

25 weeks fa1:10:03

1:10:03

We're joined today by Robb Reinhold, the Head Trader at Maverick Trading. Robb shares insights from a captivating trading experiment that's sure to intrigue both novice and experienced traders alike. The Flat Earth Trading Society experiment was a year long experiment testing the power of consistent position management and following a systematic trading process. Using random stock selections, Robb and his team implemented a rigid position management strategy to prove that disciplined exits and managing losses are more crucial than well thought out entries. Tune in as Robb walks us through the strategy, execution, and key takeaways from this unique trading experiment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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286 · Jason Shapiro - Overcrowded Trades: What Everyone Else is Not Seeing 1:02:35

28 weeks fa1:02:35

1:02:35

There’s Contrarian Trading and then there’s Consistent Contrarian Trading. Can you really make money by consistently going against the crowd? Does it take a certain type of personality to be able to trade this way? Jason Shapiro was featured in “Unknown Market Wizards” by Jack Schwager and he returns to Chat With Traders for an update after two years since we last spoke with him. We delve deeper into his countertrend trading philosophy, learning about how he identifies overcrowded trades, and how market positioning and sentiment, rather than price, guide his trades, and focusing on the underlying mechanics that drive market moves. About Jason Shapiro: Jason has over 30 years of trading experience, navigating various markets including the 90s rallies, the 2000s tech bubble, the 2008 crash, and recent volatility in the last few years. His contrarian approach has made him a successful hedge fund manager, and he was featured in one of Jack Schwager’s recent Market Wizards books. He has managed money ranging from a few million to several hundred million dollars, gaining extensive knowledge of futures markets. Jason currently runs a one-man hedge fund using the CMR process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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285 · Greg Magadini - Cashing in Through Exploiting Volatility 1:22:31

31 weeks fa1:22:31

1:22:31

Greg Magadini began his career as a proprietary trader for DRW Trading and Chopper Trading in Chicago and traded with SMB Capital as well. He later took a bold step, venturing out to trade his own book, bootstrapping crypto volatility with options and turning $50,000 into a staggering $1.3 million in consistent profits over nine years. In addition to his trading success, Greg co-founded Genesis Volatility – a crypto options analytics company, which caught the attention of Amberdata and resulted in an acquisition. Today, Greg serves as the Director of Derivatives at Amberdata, continuing to leverage his expertise in the derivatives space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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284 · Sam Daghash - Rising Above a Trader’s Inner Turbulence 1:23:12

35 weeks fa1:23:12

1:23:12

We often hear that having “Discipline” is the key to trading success. But many of us traders continue to struggle developing discipline and good habits for trading no matter how hard and how long we’ve tried. Could there be a deeper reason for this? As fellow human traders, we are commonly faced with our own programming that we are often unaware of. In this special episode, Sam Daghash, a professional coach and cofounder (alongside cofounder David Capablanca, featured on Chat With Traders Episode 257) of the Conscious Trading Academy specializing in helping traders overcome mental barriers, dive into aspects of a trader’s mindset. If we cannot think greater than we feel, then this would compel us to be more aware of our mental states which can sabotage our trading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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283: Trading Football Dreams for Stock Market Touchdowns 59:27

38 weeks fa59:27

59:27

Michael shares his journey from aspiring NFL athlete to successful day trader. After a sports injury dashed his football dreams, he turned to day trading, teaching himself the ropes and overcoming early financial losses with the encouragement of his entrepreneurial mother. His trading strategy evolved over the years, focusing on short-selling highly volatile small-cap stocks after discovering his knack for it in 2021. His discipline, honed from years of football, helps him execute trades like a sniper—waiting patiently for the perfect setup before striking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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282: Tony Greer - Staying Selective and Being Adaptable in the Trading Landscape 1:15:15

40 weeks fa1:15:15

1:15:15

Tony Greer, a Long Island native, ventured into Wall Street trading inspired by his father. With a background in business management from Cornell University, he honed his skills at Sumitomo Bank, UBS, and Goldman Sachs. He and his team meticulously diagrammed every aspect of the markets, from liquidity to potential swings, which allowed him to exploit edges in his trading playbooks. Running multiple commodity books, including gold and platinum, was like piloting the Millennium Falcon—quoting prices to global banks and witnessing monumental market moves. He eventually ventured out on his own to day trade. From tech stock investments to day trading strategies, he emphasizes pattern recognition and trend analysis. Tony shares insights on risk management, recommended readings, and the importance of adaptability in the ever-changing market landscape. About Tony Greer Founder of TG Macro - Merging 25 years of trading expertise with 15 years of newsletter writing, providing fundamental, technical, and behavioral analyses. With experience at Sumitomo Bank, Union Bank of Switzerland, and Goldman Sachs, Tony is a seasoned professional. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Chat With Traders

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281: Marsten Parker - The Purely Systematic Wizard Trader 1:08:27

42 weeks fa1:08:27