Jeff Holden was once a kid watching his father get laid off during a department cut, realizing early on that he never wanted to be at the mercy of unpredictable market shifts, he wanted full control over his own destiny. Today, as the Head of Trader Development at SMB Capital, Jeff has transformed that drive into a career of identifying, recruiting, and mentoring prop traders into multi-million dollar, seven- and eight-figure performers.

After starting as an independent trader working to find his own way, Jeff built his philosophy around structure, baseline consistency, and rigorous risk allocation. Rather than relying on guesswork or emotional "gut feelings," Jeff developed actionable frameworks like the "ASET" protocol to help traders systematically identify edge, manage risk, and scale capital.

In this conversation, Jeff pulls back the curtain on how top-tier prop traders are actually built from the ground up. He breaks down the mechanics of price action and tape reading, why scalping serves as the ultimate baseline foundation, and how traders can bridge the gap between steady baseline income and aggressively swinging the bat on high-conviction A+ setups.

In this episode, we explore:
• How Jeff Holden develops high-performing 7- and 8-figure prop traders at SMB Capital
• Jeff’s personal backstory and how a childhood lesson in market volatility shaped his trading philosophy
• Why beginner and developing traders must focus on building a consistent baseline strategy first
• The "ASET" Protocol: Allocation, Stop, Entry, and Target framework explained
• Matching your individual personality and trading psychology to the right archetype and strategy
• Jeff’s perspective on trading discipline, daily report cards, and long-term risk management

About Jeff Holden:
Jeff Holden is the Head of Trader Development at SMB Capital, one of the world's premier proprietary trading firms. Having started his career as an independent trader working to find his own way in the markets, Jeff now specializes in identifying talent, building desk playbooks, and guiding developing traders along the path to consistent, seven- and eight-figure profitability. He is known for his structured, data-driven approach to risk allocation, tape reading, and team trading dynamics.

Links + Resources:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-holden-357a1b31a/
SMB Capital Website: https://www.smbtraining.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@smbcapital
X (Twitter): https://x.com/smbcapital

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.
00:00 How Top Prop Traders Find and Scale Their Edge
04:05 A Bunch of Nerds Excited About Trading
08:42 The Formula for a Trading Career: Baseline Strategies + A+ Setups
14:11 How Not to Approach Trading
17:02 Consistency First: The 4-Month Consistency Rule
19:55 How Jeff Started Trading & Why SMB Starts Traders with Scalping
25:15 Deconstructing the “Bella Scalp”
30:33 Price Action Scalping vs. Tape Scalping
36:48 Is There a Point in Time a Trade Can Be Adjusted?
40:08 The ASET Protocol: Allocation, Stop, Entry, and Target Breakdown
54:00 At What Point Do You Shut Your Computer Down?
59:22 Do the Work and Analyze What's Happening in the Market
01:11:21 The 3 Archetypes of Traders and Their Internal Self-Talk
01:16:01 Commonalities of Traders' Personalities?
01:18:38 Traits Jeff is Looking for in Traders
01:21:53 Passion is Overrated in Trading
01:24:18 Community Trading vs. Team Trading
01:28:56 The Single Greatest Thing That Developing Traders Need to Get Right
01:32:04 Where to Follow Jeff Holden & SMB Capital

Trading Disclaimer:

Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Quirk began his career in 1987 on the fast-paced trading floors of Chicago, surviving the historic market crash that wiped out $1.7 trillion worldwide.
From navigating open-outcry pits where a trader's word was their bond, Steve transitioned into market technology, helping build landmark tools at thinkorswim and leading trading strategy initiatives at TD Ameritrade. Today, as Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood, he sits at the intersection of retail investing, market structure, and financial innovation, shaping products for millions of retail investors.
In this conversation, Steve shares key lessons from decades in the markets, the evolution of retail trading technology, and how removing friction like the Pattern Day Trader rule is unlocking the next era of retail investing.

In this episode, we explore:
• Steve’s early days in the Chicago trading pits in 1987
• Why decisive decision-making and accepting being wrong 50% of the time is crucial
• The transition from floor trading to building technology at thinkorswim
• How Robinhood levels the playing field for retail investors and opens up global access
• Managing risks: framing the absolute worst-case scenario before taking a trade
• The impact of removing the Pattern Day Trader (PDT) rule for retail traders

About Steve Quirk:
Steve Quirk is Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood Markets. With over 35 years of financial markets experience, he previously led trading strategy at TD Ameritrade, developed innovative trading tools for thinkorswim®, and created the TD Ameritrade U program. Steve started his career in 1987 in the Chicago open-outcry pits across the CME and CBOE, and is a frequent market commentator featured on CNBC, Fox Business, and The Wall Street Journal.

Links + Resources:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-quirk-56148a22/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/SteveQuirk_

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

02:57 What Pulled You to the Market?

07:17 Trading Pits Are More Organized Than They Appear

11:51 Transitioning to Creating Technology for Retail Trading

19:01 Leveling the Playing Field for Retail Traders

21:10 Giving People What They Want

24:45 Did You Fall in Love with Scaling Robinhood Like You Did with Trading?

29:48 What Robinhood Is Doing to Teach

32:12 Early Mistakes in Trading


34:31 Advice to People from Robinhood CBO


36:44 What's Your Next Product Going to Be?


40:24 What Is the PDT Rule?


43:23 What Is a Memory That Came to Mind in Your Trading Career?


45:16 Is There Anything in Your Life That Changed Your Line of Thinking?


46:22 Your Piece of Advice to Your Younger Self

46:57 Where Can Traders Find You?

Trading Disclaimer:
Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Brandt entered the commodity trading business in 1976 with ContiCommodity Services, survived years of market shifts, and turned a passion for price action into a legendary career spanning over 50 years as one of the world's premier classical chartists.
After starting with Conti handling large institutional accounts like Campbell Soup Company and Homestake Mining, Peter went on to found Factor Trading Co., Inc. (now Factor LLC) in 1980 to trade proprietary capital. Author of the classic Diary of a Professional Commodity Trader and featured in Jack Schwager’s Unknown Market Wizards, Peter has spent over five decades navigating inflationary booms, market crashes, and the transition from open-outcry pits to electronic markets. Today, his edge is built on process, discipline, and classical charting principles that have stood the test of time.
In this conversation, Peter pulls back the curtain on his five-decade journey, sharing the specific principles that have allowed him to navigate the markets for half a century. He breaks down why high win rates are a myth, how he caps risk at 60–70 basis points per trade, and how he transitioned from searching for quick wins to building a career as a master craftsman in speculation.

In this episode, we explore:
• Peter Brandt’s 50+ year journey from advertising to commodity pits and Factor Trading
• Why high win rates are a myth and how the 80/20 Pareto Principle applies to trading profits
• How Peter limits risk to 60–70 basis points per trade and why he never pyramids positions
• Why he shuns indicators and diagonal trend lines in favor of horizontal classical patterns
• Why the real edge comes from risk management and emotional control, not chart patterns
• Peter's advice for the next generation on craft, capital preservation, and longevity

About Peter Brandt:
Peter L. Brandt entered the commodity trading business in 1976 with ContiCommodity Services, a division of Continental Grain Company. In 1980, he founded Factor Trading Co., Inc. (now Factor LLC), trading proprietary capital across forex, futures, fixed income, and equity markets. Over his career, he has managed trading activities for major institutional clients, including Commodities Corporation of Princeton, NJ.
Peter is the author of Trading Commodity Futures with Classical Chart Patterns (1990) and Diary of a Professional Commodity Trader (2011), which held Amazon's #1 trading rank for 27 weeks. Featured in Jack Schwager's Unknown Market Wizards and named among the 30 most influential people in finance by Barry Ritholtz in 2011, Peter is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on classical chart analysis.

Links + Resources:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/PeterLBrandt
Website: https://www.peterlbrandt.com/

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Scott entered the high-stakes trading floor of the London Metal Exchange at just 16 years old, survived years of trading under survival-mode pressure, and turned old-school pit wisdom into lifelong success.
After starting with a three-month probation and carrying the weight of his father's legendary legacy, Paul developed a disciplined approach to the most volatile corner of the market: commodities and forex. Today, his edge is built on experience and his pit logic trading approach, using price and value to guide his decisions while human behavior gives him the confidence to take the trade.
In this conversation, Paul pulls back the curtain on his Survival to Success Arc, sharing the specific setups that allowed him to survive and scale through market chaos. He breaks down the fundamentals of his strategy, the open outcry framework, and how he transitioned from trading under pressure to trading with total directional agnosticism.

In this episode, we explore:
• How Paul Scott Navigated 30+ Years of Volatility on the LME Trading Floor
• Paul’s start at 16 years old and trading under extreme physical and mental pressure
• The mechanics behind his pit logic trading approach
• Why Timeframe Doesn’t Matter
 • Why every major trade should be simple enough to explain in one sentence
• How Do the Big Money Trade?
• The Traits Identified in Successful Students
• His advice for beginner traders

About Paul Scott:
Paul is a veteran commodities and forex trader known for his raw, practical approach and deep generational knowledge. Starting with the guidance of his legendary father, Harry Scott, he has documented more than three decades of trading through massive market scandals and institutional shifts. He specializes in momentum strategies and order flow behavior, focusing on the intersection of horizontal value zones and trader psychology.

Links + Resources:
Website: https://paulscottfx.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulscott3066/videos
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulscottfx/

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:


02:14 Being a Second-Generation Trader

06:36 The Pressure of Having a Trader Dad

07:48 What Was the Pit Really Like?

15:06 The Biggest Metal Scandal in History

21:00 Market Manipulation in the Digital Age

24:50 What Is Pit Logic?

31:56 Working with Goldman Sachs

37:05 Modern Retail Traders vs. Professionals

38:40 Can Traders Find Success Purely on Technicals?

44:00 Trading for a Client vs. Trading for a Company

42:55 Why Timeframe Doesn’t Matter

47:42 Explain Your Trade in One Sentence

49:39 Thinking About What the Institutions Are Doing

54:04 How Do the Whales Trade?

1:01:20 Let's Talk About Capital Preservation

1:06:17 The Traits Identified in Successful Students

1:12:27 Is There a Trade That Stands Out to You?

1:20:18 What Is Your Advice to Your Younger Self?

Trading Disclaimer:
Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Capablanca pursued architecture for a decade, culminating in studying under a Pritzker Prize winner at UCLA, before a life threatening brain tumor, massive medical debt, and student loans forced him to completely reevaluate his life.
After starting from rock bottom and carrying the weight of massive debt, David developed an all-consuming, "burn the boats" pursuit of trading mastery that saw him sleeping in his office, living out of his car, and showering on Skid Row just to trade the 4 AM pre-market session. Today, his edge is built on rigorous fundamental deep dives, forensic research into small cap pump and dump schemes, and a strict risk management framework designed to survive predatory market algorithms.
In this conversation, David pulls back the curtain on his grueling journey from rock bottom to short selling master, detailing how he reverse-engineered the strategies of market manipulators. He breaks down the anatomy of modern short squeezes, his absolute checklist for avoidable stocks, and why protecting your capital to survive the learning curve is the ultimate rule.

In this episode, we explore:
·        Surviving rock bottom, sleeping in a WeWork desk, and showering on Skid Row during Covid
·        Waking up from a coma: The life-threatening surgery that gave David the "gift of urgency"
·        How the Covid biotech mania changed his account forever
·        Going undercover in Colombia: Inside David’s high-stakes investigation of a cannabis pump and dump
·        Why David completely avoids trading Chinese and Singaporean small-caps
·        The reality of Wall Street favoritism and the mechanics behind requesting a "trade bust"
·        Analyzing early $60,000 losses

About David Capablanca:
David is an accomplished short seller, author, educator, podcast host, and founder of Friendly Bear University. Over a trading career shaped by intense study, he has built a verified seven-figure track record with a remarkable ninety percent win ratio. He has trained countless developing day traders, expanding his educational insights globally while championing an autodidact, highly disciplined framework to achieve true financial independence.

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

Trading Disclaimer:
Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Berry co-founded Positive Equity in 2008. Built alongside partners and traders who raised the bar, the firm operates trading floors in Ireland and Croatia. Over a 14-year stretch of verified clearing statements, his small losses, long career approach resulted in only five losing months.
Most people think trading success comes from predicting markets. In reality, Jason's multi-decade longevity proves that true consistency comes from deep discipline, strict risk control, and surviving long enough for compounding to work, earning him a featured chapter in Jack Schwager's book, Market Wizards: The Next Generation.
In this conversation, Jason pulls back the curtain on his journey from a remote Northern California commune to the chaotic trading floors of London and Dublin. He breaks down the realities of managing a decaying edge, his framework for identifying raw talent in trainees, and why surrounding yourself with a team of disciplined professionals is the ultimate source of career longevity.
In this episode, we explore:
·        How Jason transitioned from an isolated childhood to the chaotic London trading floors
·        The hidden edges of the open outcry era and the nature of "elbow trades"
·        What Jack Schwager and the Market Wizards team look for when verifying a trader's record
·        The structural reality of Jason's risk-reward framework
·        Why summer vacations can cause traders to become rusty and lose touch with the market tape
·        How to spot decaying market edges through the P&L before they do catastrophic damage
·        The core personality traits and tells that separate successful trainees from those who fail
·        Jason’s outlook on which traders will survive the next decade of AI and machine learning

About Jason Berry:
Jason is a professional futures trader, co-founder of Positive Equity, and a featured market wizard in the book, Market Wizards: The Next Generation. Over a career spanning nearly 30 years, Jason has documented a legendary track record of consistency and durability. He has trained well over 200 traders, expanding his operations from Dublin to Croatia while championing a team-driven approach to market mastery.

Links + Resources:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/JasonHBerry
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhberry

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

03:09 Introduction To Trading


09:33 Using Elbow Trades As An Edge


16:22 What Your Risk-Reward Looks Like

20:34 Can You Make A "Mr. Consistency" System?

25:29 What You Possess That Others May Also Have


30:23 Why You Get Rusty When Taking A Summer Vacation


35:56 How Important It Is To Constantly Innovate


38:51 What Traits You Can See In Your Trainees


45:10 The Single Greatest Rule In Trading


51:35 How Do You Scale Positions?


55:54 Which Traders Do You Think Will Survive The Next Decade?


59:45 Trading Euro Stocks


01:03:05 What The Next 30 Years Look Like For You


01:08:30 Have You Had Your Trainees Outperform You?


01:09:34 What Your Advice Is To Traders


01:14:11 Where Can You Find Jason Berry

Trading Disclaimer:
Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Schwager and George Coyle team up to look at what it takes to master the markets, combining classic wisdom with how modern financial markets work today.
After studying top fund managers and over 100 years of market history, Jack and George wrote Market Wizards: The Next Generation to showcase today's best traders. These elite performers range from everyday traders who turned small accounts into millions to steady traders who almost never have a losing month. The secret to their success is matching their trading strategy perfectly with their personality.
In this conversation, Jack and George reveal the core rules that great traders follow. They talk about unexpected strategies that surprised even them, like making huge profits trading agricultural futures or shorting small-cap stocks. They also discuss why basic chart reading works better for managing risk than company fundamentals, the reality of a tough work ethic, and why the most important lesson in trading is knowing when to step away from the screen.

In this episode, we explore:
·        How Jack Schwager and George Coyle started working together
·        The three timeless trading rules that top traders have used for over a century
·        The specific trading strategies that completely surprised Jack and George
·        How to balance making big returns while protecting your trading account from large losses
·        The main differences in managing risk between technical and fundamental analysis
·        The story of an anonymous multi-millionaire musician who became a legendary trader
·        The intense work ethic and personal sacrifices needed to reach the top level
·        Final thoughts on why there is much more to a good life than just trading the stock market

About The Guests:

Jack Schwager:
Jack is the author of the famous Market Wizard series, A Complete Guide to the Futures Markets, and Market Sense and Nonsense. He is a world-known expert on trading and financial markets, famous for showing the mindset and risk management habits of elite traders.
George Coyle:
George is the co-author of the new Market Wizards book. He is a writer, trader, system designer, money manager, and market strategist. After studying finance at The Ohio State University, he worked for 10 years in NYC at major hedge funds, including John A. Levin & Co. and Clovis Capital. He studied applied statistics at Columbia University, worked briefly with Victor Niederhoffer, and later served as a macro strategist in the US Virgin Islands. George also worked as the Chief Investment Officer for a family office in Chicago before returning to Ohio to run his own investment firm.

Links + Resources:
George Coyle: https://x.com/gfc4
Jack Schwager: https://x.com/jackschwager
Order Market Wizards: The Next Generation Book: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jack-d-schwager/market-wizards-the-next-generation/9781804093641

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:
Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

07:57 The First Market Wizards Book


12:13 What George Coyle Was Trying to Solve


15:59 Why It Is Better to Keep Things Simple Rather Than Complex


22:19 Making Sure Your Strategy Fits Your Personality


28:21 The Two Main Types of Profitable Traders

31:55 Finding a Trading Edge in Today's Market Landscape

37:16 Interviews That Challenged Jack and George's Core Beliefs

42:51 Where the Younger Generation of Traders Succeeds

47:07 Core Personality Traits of Market Wizards

52:24 Understanding the Reality of Market Structures

56:03 The Real Problem with Pure Fundamentals

01:01:13 Jack's Most Memorable Moment from the Next Generation Interviews

01:03:50 George's Most Memorable Moment from the Next Generation Interviews

01:04:52 Where to Follow George Coyle and Jack Schwager Online

Trading Disclaimer:
Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Robbins is the author of The Trader’s Journey. He entered the financial markets 50 years ago with nothing but a dream, his friend, and a parental signature to trade the markets, surviving decades of tectonic shifts to navigate the transition from outcry trading to the digital age.

After starting out at age 15 and carrying the weight of massive commission costs back in the 1970s, Peter developed a deeply disciplined, business first framework across multiple asset classes from day trading futures to position trading ETFs. Today, now retired, his edge is built on five decades of experience and an unwavering focus on self awareness, using strategy to outline his trades while deep psychological clarity gives him the execution resilience required to survive.

In this conversation, Peter pulls back the curtain on his 50 Year Market Evolution, sharing the hard truths that allowed him to achieve true longevity in a game where most do not last. He breaks down the true mechanics of a trader’s edge, the absolute necessity of aligning strategy with personality, and how he transitioned from chasing the "Holy Grail" to mastering his own internal battle.

In this episode, we explore:
·        The Hard Truths of a 50 Year Trading Career
·        The mechanics behind the two sides of a true Trader’s Edge
·        Why it’s important to treat trading exactly like a serious business
·        The importance of building an edge that matches your personality
·       How Peter views position trading and selects industry leaders today
·       Lessons learned from his early "Aha Moment" of learning to take small losses
·       His advice for beginner traders caught up in false guru expectations

About Peter Robbins:
Peter is a veteran professional trader and mentor known for his remarkable market longevity and transparent approach. Starting his journey at just 15 years old, he has documented and shared his hard-earned insights across five decades of trading full-time, part-time, and in retirement. He specializes in longer-term position trading in ETFs and U.S. stocks, focusing heavily on trader psychology, limiting beliefs, and the structural discipline required for sustainable market success.

Links + Resources:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/prrobbins
Amazon (The Trader's Journey): https://www.amazon.com/Traders-Journey-Navigating-trading-success/dp/1804091669

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:

Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.

Trading Disclaimer: Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Temiz turned a $2,000 account into over $16 million in trading profits, starting from nothing as a part-time Starbucks barista. In this episode, he breaks down the real journey: the years of losing, how he transitioned from long breakouts to short selling, and the mechanical "guardrails" he used to survive long enough to succeed.

After selling the rims off his car just to fund one last attempt at the markets, Alex discovered his edge in the volatility of momentum exhaustion. Today, his approach is built on extreme transparency and a deep respect for risk management, specifically through his "First Red Day" framework.

In this conversation, Alex pulls back the curtain on his evolution from an aggressive gunslinger to a disciplined professional, sharing the psychological shifts and specific setups that allowed him to scale from four figures to eight figures.

In this episode, we explore:
·        How Alex Turned $2,000 into $16M+ in Trading Profits
·        His transition from working as a Starbucks barista to full-time trading
·        The mechanics of the First Red Day strategy
·        Why he ignores his "average" to focus on adding to winning trades
·        Using broker-level guardrails to protect yourself from ego-driven losses
·        How Alex selects the stocks he shorts
·        His advice for traders struggling with the psychological pain of risk

About Alex Temiz:
Alex is a professional short-seller and the co-founder of My Investing Club (MIC). Known for his "First Red Day" setup and high-stakes momentum trading, Alex has documented over $16 million in verified profits. He is a vocal advocate for transparency in the trading industry, frequently sharing live trading recaps to help retail traders develop a process-driven approach to the markets.

Links + Resources:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexTemizMIC
X (Twitter): https://x.com/AT09_Trader
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_temiz

Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:
Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com

Time Stamps:

Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.


Trading Disclaimer: 


Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.



Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Kalayjian started his journey on the floor of the American Stock Exchange in 1983, a time when the noise of the pits was the only heartbeat of the market. Over the next four decades, he didn’t just witness the evolution of trading, he conquered it, trading nearly two billion shares of U.S. stocks and surviving every major market cycle.

From the high-pressure floors of the NYSE and COMEX to trading billions in capital for family offices, Steve’s career is a masterclass in longevity and adaptation. Today, he combines forty years of intuition with his proprietary software to identify the trends and reversals that others miss, proving that while technology changes, the core principles of price action remain the same.

In this conversation, Steve pulls back the curtain on his 43-year journey, sharing the wisdom gained from his very first trade and the lessons passed down from his father. He breaks down the day-to-day routine of a veteran pro, and why building a community is the ultimate edge in a profession that can often feel like a solo battle.


In this episode, we explore:
·        Steve’s 43-year evolution from the American Stock Exchange trading floor to digital markets
·        Growing up in a trading family and the lessons learned from his father
·        The importance of consistency and risk management
·        The creation of his proprietary software to find the edge
·        Steve’s perspective on the rise of Prop Firms
·        The daily routine and mindset required to trade
·        Why being part of a trading community is vital for long-term success
·        The biggest changes in market structure over four decades

About Steve Kalayjian:
Steve is a legendary market veteran with over 43 years of professional trading experience. Having traded nearly 2 billion shares over his career, he is a specialist in technical analysis and market forecasting. He is the founder of his own research and software firm, and has appeared on major networks like Fox Business and CNBC, and a dedicated mentor to traders worldwide through his YouTube channel and community.



Links + Resources:


Website: https://sktrading.live/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sktradingyoutube
X (Twitter): https://x.com/SteveKalayjian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialstephenkalayjian 



Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:


Trade The Pool: http://www.tradethepool.com



Time Stamps:

Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.
00:00 What 43 Years in the Markets Teaches You
07:44 Did you know that this is what you wanted to do in life?
12:27 Learning about consistency and risk management on his first trade
17:10 Learning from his father
22:12 Creating a trading software to find the edge
26:22 Price leads and Indicators lag
30:36 The biggest evolution in 43 years of trading
34:58 What’s your day-to-day look like?
42:44 What are your thoughts on Prop firms?
48:35 How important it is to be in a community
54:49 Steve's ultimate message to traders
1:01:54 Where can you find @sktradingyoutube



Trading Disclaimer:


Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices