Talk about living the day trading dream. My brand-new Trading Challenge student David just made $15K … on his very first trade.*
I am a new student of only two weeks and have been studying the whole time. Finally with patients made my first trade today with penny stocks following Timothy Sykes @timothysykes I made $2,738 today!! Thank you for your dedication to your students Tim!!!
— David Martinez (@dmartinez1011) October 13, 2020
That’s awesome, no doubt about it. But I’ve gotta be real — this is NOT common. There are no guarantees in the stock market. If you think you’re gonna sign up for my Trading Challenge and make fat stacks fast, think again.
David’s first trade turned out to be one of those rare ‘home run’ plays. They happen — but usually, it’s a series of singles.
But that doesn’t mean it was all luck. It was a stock that was on his watchlist — when he saw the opportunity, he pounced. He had a plan and didn’t get greedy. David did a lot right with this trade — and with several following trades.
Wanna check out how some of my other top students make their watchlists? Here you go:
David’s also had some losses. Like many newbies, he was taken for a ride by Twitter promoters. But he learned from his mistake, his gains still outweigh his losses, and he’s more dedicated than ever to the process.
Never blindly follow alerts or other traders. Instead, learn from them.
There’s a lot you can learn from David’s recent trades. New students, study up … longtime students, get inspired. Let’s look at what David did right — and how you can follow his example.
(*These results are not typical. Individual results will vary. Most traders lose money. My top students have the benefit of many years of hard work and dedication. Trading is inherently risky. Always do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford to lose.)
Table of Contents
This is NOT a Common Story
North Carolina-based David has only been in my Trading Challenge for a few weeks. Yes, you read that right. Weeks.
Like many other people, his day job changed during the pandemic. As he puts it, “I have a job that takes care of my needs … but that’s all it does.” As his sales rep work slowed way down, he started to think about ways to generate extra income that might give him more control and freedom.
He’s had an interest in trading for years — it seemed like the right time.
If you ask me, there’s been no better time to start trading. With all the crazy volatility in the market, there are tons of opportunities. But you’ve must be prepared and have the right approach. Don’t miss my “Volatility Survival Guide” — a must-watch for trading in the crazy world we’re living in right now.
David opened up a brokerage account and started researching stocks and trading-related topics on YouTube. That’s how he found my channel. He “connected with the authenticity” — and decided to give me a try…
He initially signed up for a VIP account, but quickly upgraded to the Trading Challenge.
What Hooked David?
Wanna hear why David upgraded to my Trading Challenge so quickly?
I love his response — it proves he’s got the right trading mindset.
It wasn’t because I promised he’d make millions…
… or because I promised it would be easy…
It was because I’m transparent — or as he says, “I fell in love with the authenticity.”
He liked the idea that if he was willing to work hard, study, and learn the patterns, he could become self-sufficient.
So he started studying. For about two weeks, he “studied and digested” all the while working around his flexible day job schedule.
David started working his way through all of the videos and webinars in my Trading Challenge. He started learning from my alerts and got involved in the chat room community.
He focused on learning about penny stocks, patterns, and learning what to look for in potential trades. David knew he had to be “ready to get out and take small losses.”
He started keeping his own watchlist, and when he saw me alert a stock that he was already watching, he was prepared to trade.
He’d already had his eye on the stock. My alert just strengthened his case for the trade. Don’t blindly follow alerts!
How David Made $15K on His Very First Trade*
I always say, “$1K keeps a real job away.” David did even better.*
Please congratulate this 2-week old https://t.co/EcfUM6l2S3 student who made $15k today on $HALB anyone can do this if you study enough, the market is in fire right now, bothers David, great work!!!! https://t.co/wyo2S99LwS
— Timothy Sykes (@timothysykes) October 14, 2020
Halberd Corp. (OTCMKTS: HALB)
David had already been watching Halberd Corp (OTCMKTS: HALB). So when I alerted it on October 13, 2020, it caught his attention.
It looked good to him. He got into the trade at $0.0478. From there, the stock went crazy.
“I watched the thing just go … I watched my account move up and up and up.”
He held overnight, but decided to get out “when I saw it dipping down.” He’d already made more than he expected. So he sold at $0.0645. Check out the price action during the times he traded:
All said and done? A $15,482 profit.* On his very first trade.
In case you’re wondering — David is trading with a larger account than most newbies. He’s over the PDT (pattern day trader rule) and was able to take a pretty sizable position in this stock.
I typically caution newbies to start small. But in this case, David had a solid plan and it worked out for him.
I was amazed. I actually wrote David an email to congratulate him, but I also warned him — don’t get cocky.
Remember, most traders fail. You can’t get complacent or think that you’re on a winning streak. Always be ready to cut losses quickly!
Two More Amazing Trades…
Even though David is a newbie, he’s been diligent in his process. Let’s dig into two more of his trades…
Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (NASDAQ: STAF)
On October 15, 2020, David saw that Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (NASDAQ: STAF) was spiking big in the premarket.
Since it was doing so well, he jumped in on the trade before the market opened. Premarket trading can be risky, but in this case, his plan worked out.
When the market opened, the stock skyrocketed — then quickly dipped. He sold into the dip, getting a leg up on the dip and rip pattern. All said and done? A nice $6,005 profit.*
Check out the stock’s crazy spike here:
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ)
David’s other big trade in recent memory was Hertz Global Holdings Inc (NYSE: HTZ.)
In studying my lessons and those of my friend and StocksToTrade lead trainer Tim Bohen, David’s gotten interested in the dip and rip pattern. He saw an opportunity to trade the pattern with HTZ, and he went for it. Here’s the chart:
On October 16, 2020, David traded HTZ not once but twice on the dip — making over $3K total.*
Thanks to @timothysykes and his teachings I made $3,118 today following his program and techniques on $HTZ buying the dip.
— David Martinez (@dmartinez1011) October 16, 2020
What He’s Working On Now
David’s had some great early success … but he still has a lot to learn.
Right now, becoming self-sufficient is a top priority for him. He’s still got a ways to go, he admits: “I’m still working on my strategy … trying to figure out what works best for me.”
He’s getting up before the market opens to create a watchlist based on percent gainers. And he’s been hitting up the chat room community. He’s been looking at how and why stocks are breaking out.
David also just signed up for StocksToTrade and has been using it to scan and follow stocks. He reports that he loves it: “It does a much better job than my brokerage account.”
Other objectives? “Understanding float better, understanding volume better, understanding patterns.” David wants to make the most of the resources available to him!
He’s watching my videos and studying. Here’s one of his favorites:
He’s also working to become more disciplined and getting smarter about whose advice he listens to…
Beware Twitter Fakes!
It hasn’t all been winning trades and zero consequences for David. A few weeks ago, he “got duped by someone on Twitter” who he thought was part of the Trading Challenge community.
They told him a stock was gonna spike and to ‘hold on’ because a squeeze was coming.
Thinking it was legit, he “followed the counsel, and ended up getting hammered.” He didn’t realize what had happened until someone called out the faker.
These fakes make my blood boil!
Luckily, David learned his lesson — he won’t fall for that trick again. But you have to know how convincing some scammers can be. Check out this post for more tips on how to avoid this type of scheme.
The best defense against falling prey to a scam/pump is a.) education & b.) expecting the absolute worst out of EVERY "trader" on $TWTR & EVERY stock they tweet about. Promoters change screen names, or even have multiple screen names, all to pump the stock for those who pay them!
— Timothy Sykes (@timothysykes) October 13, 2020
Get Motivated … To Study!
It’s easy to get inspired by a story like David’s. But if you follow me, you already know what you should be taking away from this story…
- Do NOT count on being profitable as a trader — especially early on.
- Don’t think ‘trading is easy.’
- Never blindly follow alerts.
Midnight motivation: no matter what any negative/toxic person has told you, YOU ARE CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING ANYTHING YOU CAN DREAM OF IN THIS LIFE SO BE SURE TO DREAM BIG & WORK/STUDY HARD TO MAKE ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE, I know because several of my top students & I have done it!
— Timothy Sykes (@timothysykes) October 14, 2020
If David’s trading career so far is any indication, he’s got a bright future. But for now, it’s all about learning. He’s inspired, diligent, and committed. What more could I ask for in a student?
Are you ready to put in the work? Apply for my Trading Challenge now.
Are you inspired by David? Leave a comment and let me know your favorite part of his trading story!
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