Introduction
Meet Alba, a futures trader from San Jose, California, who achieved something amazing at OneUp Trader’s funded program. Alba completed the $50,000 account challenge in just one day! Let’s learn more about this trader and how he was able to do it.
Trading Approach
Alba’s trading approach can be defined as momentum-driven. He identifies the market’s direction and then rides the momentum for 4-6 ticks before exiting the trade. He told us this in an interview he self-recorded. This strategy, recommended by his mentor, aligns well with OneUp Trader’s platform he said, because it allows Alba to capitalize on short-term price movements. This can be a good approach, especially for traders who can’t spend more than an hour or so behind the screens. It also means that Alba can ‘take his money and run,’ but of course, strict money management rules and discipline must be in place, or the risk of blowing the entire account in a day always lingers.
Why OneUp Trader?
Alba was drawn to OneUp Trader’s funded trader program due to its free license key for NinjaTrader, a trading platform he was already familiar with. Additionally, the quality of customer service provided by the OneUp team was a significant factor in his decision, as he has consistently received prompt and knowledgeable support whenever needed. He liked the fact that OneUp Trader has 24/7 support where traders can call, email, or live chat and get near-instant responses. It made him feel safe and confident that this was the right place for him to trade.
Smooth Onboarding and Funding
Alba’s transition from the evaluation phase to the funded account was remarkably quick, taking only 2-3 business days. He emphasizes the straightforward nature of the process, with no hidden fees or unexpected complications. Some companies make traders wait weeks before they have access to their funded trading account because of hidden ways they try to keep the trader making as little profit as possible. That is not the case at OneUp Trader because there are no withdrawal restrictions at all!
Risk Management
During his evaluation period, Alba received a warning from the funding partner. The notification provided clear guidance on the specific rule he had broken, which is something unheard of in the industry today. The funding partners allow a trader to break a rule once funded before they are required to go back to evaluation. With exception, of course, the trailing drawdown being hit is one of those that require the trader to go back immediately.
Daily Routine
Alba’s daily routine involves an early start, with his typical wake-up time around 5:30 AM to ensure he is prepared for the 6:30 AM market open in California. He begins with a 45-60 minute workout, then starts looking at the charts. It is critical for traders to have a routine because without one, they fall into the trap of not taking it seriously enough. Trading needs to be treated like a business and that requires effort, time, and a solid mental state. Achieving all of this is necessary for successful trading in the futures market.
Improvements in Trading
Alba attributes his growth as a trader to the structured environment and feedback provided by the OneUp Trader program. The evaluation process has encouraged him to be more selective in his trades, translating into a higher win rate.
We often hear from our traders that the evaluation improved their trading overall. From discipline to risk management to goal setting. It is important for traders to have structure. Trading is very accessible today, but that does not mean it is easy!
Advice for Aspiring Traders
Alba’s advice to traders is to stay disciplined and have unwavering faith in their trading system. He emphasizes the importance of sticking to one’s strategy, regardless of market conditions, as this consistency is key to long-term success.
Traders often jump from strategy to strategy in hope they will find the Holy Grail. What they don’t know is that the Holy Grail doesn’t exist outside of them; it exists inside of the trader…
Conclusion
As Alba’s trading approach has shownn us, the most important thing to concentrate on is how you can become a better trader internally, not externally. How are you working on your discipline? How are you working on your patience? How are you doing with regard to following your rules? Be honest with yourself and work on yourself. Pairing the right mindset, strategy, and funded trader program is the key to the future in these markets.
