0:30 – Fan of the pod? Please subscribe + leave a review! Plus, check out www.traderherojourney.com That’s for you if you’re a trader who has ever struggled with fear of missing out, greed, ego issues, anger issues, health issues . . .
In this episode of The Wall Street Coach Podcast, I sit down with Alex Sposito to discuss his journey from college student to becoming a seven-figure trader. Alex emphasizes the importance of risk management and networking in his success. He also discusses the support system he had during his biggest loss and how it helped him process through it quicker.
Alex also reminds traders to become systematic in trading, allowing for more focus and freeing up time to dedicate elsewhere. Looking back, the top three things he would focus on are risk management, data and statistics, and defining strategies. As he puts it, “The difference between could and should in trading is conviction.”
Alex Sposito’s journey will show you the importance of having a support system, a healthy mindset as a trader, conviction in your decisions and how to learn from our failures.
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security. For full disclosures: www.thewallstreetcoach.com
Ep 76: The Contrarian Trading Style of “Unknown Market Wizard” Jason Shapiro
Ep 76: The Contrarian Trading Style of “Unknown Market Wizard” Jason Shapiro
Jason Shapiro has had zero losing years over the past two decades using a contrarian style with zero correlation to any other trading strategy. Featured in Jack Schwager’s Unknown Market Wizards, Jason joins Kim to discuss what drives genuine conviction, how a stint in a Burmese monastery shaped his relationship with uncertainty, and the psychological edge behind trading against the crowd.
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure — and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI →
1:00 – Intro to Jason Shapiro 2:10 – Jason talks about his time in a Burmese Monastery 11:05 – On having a contrarian personality 28:37 – Over to the Twitter Space 32:32 – His community of traders 44:04 – On unbiased trading 51:30 – Remembering how reading Market Wizards affected him 1:10:02 – Jason’s take on the SVB collapse 1:11:58 – Jason’s meditation practice
About Jason Shapiro
With 30 years of trading experience, Jason Shapiro runs Crowded Market Report, a successful Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) business built on a contrarian approach that has produced zero losing years over the past two decades. He was featured as “The Contrarian” in Chapter Two of Jack Schwager’s Unknown Market Wizards.
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security. For full disclosures: www.thewallstreetcoach.com
Work on this with Kim:Book a free intro call — explore whether 1-on-1 coaching is right for you.
Not ready for a call? Take the Trader Positioning Index — a 15-minute clinical assessment that benchmarks your decision-making under pressure.
Ep 75: Brian Shannon on Maximum Gains With Anchored VWAP
Ep 75: Brian Shannon on Maximum Gains with Anchored VWAP
Brian Shannon, CMT — founder of Alphatrends and author of two acclaimed trading books — breaks down the history and practical uses of Anchored VWAP, including how to use it as a psychological tool to manage FOMO and build conviction in your entries. With guest co-host Shane Dorian, Kim and Brian explore what it really means to develop a healthy, profitable relationship with the market.
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure — and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI →
1:20 – Intro to Brian Shannon 3:50 – Starting with the basics 8:50 – The history of Anchored VWAP 10:35 – Charting software recommendations 13:20 – Using AVWAP in relation to earnings trends 18:45 – Why AVWAP is the perfect combination of price, time & volume 20:40 – How to set up your charts 25:38 – Brian discusses his new book 31:50 – Part II — Twitter Space 32:38 – The difference between VWAP and AVWAP 36:30 – How to manage risk with AVWAP 44:47 – The psychology of traders in relation to using VWAP as a tool 46:36 – How Brian Shannon deals with FOMO 48:18 – How these books shifted Brian’s relationship with the market 51:20 – Trader EQ — how Brian manages risk 55:50 – Don’t argue with the market 1:00:19 – Brian Shannon on his trading style 1:05:15 – Finding your own personal approach 1:07:53 – “JOMO” 1:10:10 – Don’t buy the dip 1:13:50 – Brian’s advice for traders
About Brian Shannon, CMT
Brian Shannon is a stock market analyst and trader with over three decades of experience. He founded Alphatrends.net, an online community dedicated to market analysis and education for swing traders. He has taught tens of thousands of traders through his books — Technical Analysis Using Multiple Timeframes and Maximum Trading Gains with Anchored VWAP, the #1 Investment Analysis & Strategy book on Amazon.
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security. For full disclosures: www.thewallstreetcoach.com
0:30 – Kim’s FREE ebook “Discipline and Finding Your Edge”
0:59 – Introducing Andres Armienta 2:40 – Getting comfortable with discomfort 4:18 – From pre-med to pro trader 6:55 – Andres’ non-negotiables in trading 9:20 – Navigating resistance with family and friends 12:23 – Networking to speed up your learning curve 16:39 – Making the most of available resources 18:00 – Andres’ biggest challenges when getting started — and now 21:40 – When is it time to adapt? 23:55 – The problem with “no days off” in trading 27:55 – Curiosity and noticing: elements of trading success 31:46 – What does trading have to do with surfing? 33:50 – Advice to traders in the volatile 2022 market 37:49 – Trading as a long-term commitment
38:55 – What do sports and discipline have to do with trading? 42:35 – Andres’ final words and a message to traders 44:08 – Work with Kim!
Andres Armienta’s Journey From Pre-Med to Pro Trader
When Andres Armienta started trading about four years ago, he was a was a pre-med student at UC Davis. Eventually, he thought he’d become a surgeon. But he couldn’t ignore his passion for the market — and despite being on a solid path, he decided to give his all to trading.
Now, at just 26, his hard work has paid off. He’s found success in the market, mainly as a short seller who focuses on small-cap intraday runners, gappers, and multi-day runs. He’ll go long occasionally, but short-selling is where he got started and initially found success, and that’s the craft he continues to hone.
Andres may be young in years, but he’s an old soul. Traders at every level can learn a thing or two from him! Here’s what you’ll learn in the episode:
What’s Non-Negotiable
A lot of people get into trading because they see other traders having success. But those who stay are constantly growing, adapting, and learning and committed to becoming better. Andres speaks to why “You can’t get through this game without giving it your all.”
Finding Your Community
Andres left a pre-med program to pursue full-time trading. To some, it seemed like he was “giving it all up” to trade — there was a lot of pushback. It was a very difficult decision. Learn how self-belief and support from the trading community helped him make the move. Andres also offers tips for finding your own “band of brothers” in the trading world and the right way to network.
His Biggest Challenges
In trading, you don’t need to be right to be successful. Instead, it’s all about letting your winners run and cutting losses quickly. That’s simple, but not easy! Your ego will be smashed over and over — Andres talks about key moments that helped him stay in the game and how he’s adapted to the 2022 market, which is way different from the past few years!
Emotions and Trading
It’s not about controlling your emotions — it’s about noticing them. As Andres observes, simply noticing allows you to act instead of react. Plus, learn how literal surfing has helped him surf his emotions while trading!
For Andres, trading is a long-tail commitment. It isn’t a drive-by. He wants to be here for 20-30 years or even longer. This informs his perspective — listen and learn from all the gems he drops in this episode!
