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Penny Stocks-Timothy Sykes Millionaire Challenge

How to Grow a Small Account in This Crazy Market Now

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Updated 1/10/2023 22 min read

Wanna know how to grow a small trading account? Let me tell you this…

It’s not a coincidence. And it’s not luck.

It’s strategy. 

Everything’s coming together nicely at once, and smart traders who understand this market volatility report crushing it …

In the current market, low-priced runners aren’t just running 20%, 30%, 50% … In some cases, like with Lighting Science Group (OTCMKTS: LSCG), they’re running 1,000% or more!

I’ve been trading like a maniac.

Many of my top students report killing it, too … in spite of the fact that the overall market’s down.

Wanna learn from this unprecedented market? Let’s look at some of the biggest spikers in recent memory.

Remember: these penny stocks move fast. By the time you’re reading this, there’s a chance these stocks could even be done. So why bother writing this post?

A few reasons.

First, because there are ALWAYS lessons you can learn … patterns repeat over and over.

For me right now, it’s all about morning panics and first green days. If you can master key patterns, you can learn to take advantage of them when they come along again.

Second, sometimes spikers come back. Former runners are more likely to run again. It happens all the time in the market right now…

Finally, none of these tickers will be totally new to my Trading Challenge students … I CONSTANTLY post every single trade and market commentary in my chat room and on Profit.ly. So if you’re part of the Challenge, you get this kind of information in your inbox and via chat all day.

How to Grow a Small Trading Account in This Crazy Market

© Millionaire Media, LLC

If you expect stocks to perform like they would in a normal bull market, you’ll be disappointed BIG TIME.

It’s all about adapting.

My top students understand this. This is how they report profiting right now — like Jack Kellogg, my latest six-figure student who reports profits of $70K last month.

(*Please note: Jack’s results are not typical. He’s spent years developing exceptional skills and knowledge. Always remember trading is risky. Never risk more than you can afford.)

Understand the Market

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There’s no excuse to not understand what’s going on in the market right now. I just released a FREE two-hour video lesson, “The Volatility Survival Guide.” In this comprehensive guide, I explain the basics of this market … and any volatile market.

Learn how to adjust your approach — get this no-cost guide now.

There are also SO many amazing tools at your disposal right now, like StocksToTrade’s new Breaking News chat feature or social media tool…

Examples of Stocks in Motion RIGHT NOW

Looking for evidence that penny stocks can grow your account fast? Look no further. These are just a few of the MANY insane spikers right now…

Clickstream Corp (OTCMKTS: CLIS)

This stock has gone CRAZY. Last week, it had a news announcement that it signed a deal with former NFL star Brian Baldinger to host a program on the company’s app and platform…

The stock went insane, climbing from 4 cents to 20 cents … Five times your money in one day.

It hasn’t stopped. As of this writing, it’s up to 27 cents.

I killed it with CLIS, making $846, $630, and $750 profits.**

Profit.ly user Luke_Fenwick reports trading CLIS too … with a small account.

You can learn how to grow a small account. By starting small and scaling up over time, you can learn to master the patterns. That’s a smart way to work toward consistency.

Check out the CLIS chart:

how to grow a small trading account
CLIS 5-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

Genius Brands International Inc. (NASDAQ: GNUS)

Here’s a play that made me over $5K over the course of a few trades. That’s how to grow a small trading account.

Here, you had a stock that was up based on a real catalyst — a shareholder letter. I found that out thanks to the new Breaking News tool on StocksToTrade

Once I realized the catalyst was real, I initially bought in the $0.70s. I sold way too soon in the $0.80s before it nearly doubled … Even so, I made almost $2K.**

The next day I went back for more, dip buying and netting a $3K+ profit.**

Not long after, it hit new 52-week highs … Check out the chart:

how to grow a small trading account
GNUS 10-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

(**Results are not typical. I’ve developed exceptional knowledge and skills over time. Most traders lose money and trading is risky. Do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford.)

Lighting Science Group Common Stock (OTCMKTS: LSCG)

After LSCG was featured on Fox News a few days ago about a new method of UV light cleaning, the stock went up from about 8 cents to about a dollar — in about an hour.

You just don’t see large-cap stocks like Google do that.

The spike was VERY short-lived, but this just goes to show how fast things can move in the penny stock world … It’s also a good lesson in why you need to be prepared for spikes like this.

Check out the chart to see the crazy action:

how to grow a small trading account
LSCG 1-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

Remark Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: MARK)

This stock was up on a potential contract … But when a stock like this starts going up many times over and the contract still hasn’t been announced, it’s cause for concern.

I bought in the $0.30s and $0.40s … But I didn’t get greedy. In fact, I got out too soon … It went as high as $2.68 before it started to fail.

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Pumpers and short squeezes are some of the biggest things driving up stock prices right now … You need to know that. I usually find them through the STT social media tool … These pumps all come in at the same time.

My students killed it on this one, too…

Profit.ly user Mattrick04 reports trading this stock:

“Thought this was way overextended, and decided to short 1k shares premarket when it was at 2.04. Then I was able to short another 500 at 1.74, which brought my avg down to 1.94. This continued its downtrend and hit my sell in after hours.”

Check out the insane movement over the past week and a half or so:

how to grow a small trading account
MARK 10-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

MicroVision Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS)

At the end of April going into May, this stock was trading for about 25 cents … Then in early May, it spiked all the way up to $1.82.

I love catching recent runners. So when the STT Breaking News tool alerted that there was a video released that hinted at a relationship with Microsoft, I thought a spike could come fast.

I ended up making a nice little $1,875 profit on MVIS thanks to getting this news early!**

Here’s a 15-day chart. You can see how this stock went from snoozing at the beginning of the month through two key spikes and many small ones in between…

how to grow a small trading account
MicroVision 15-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

NMC Health Plc ADR (OTCPK: NMHLY)

Students like Kyle Williams and Jack Kellogg were wise to this ticker during its first big spike earlier this month. That’s when it went from about 20 cents to 80 cents in a matter of days…

Then I saw a chance to dip buy this morning spiker when it cracked off its highs. I got out fast because I didn’t want to get greedy and took roughly 10% gains … Even so, I made a quick $1,125 profit before lunch.** It’s SO hard to avoid overtrading with all these amazing plays!

Check out these beautiful spikes:

how to grow a small account
NMHLY 10-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

(**Results are not typical. I’ve developed exceptional knowledge and skills over time. Most traders lose money. All trading is risky. Never risk more than you can afford.)

Champignon Brands (OTCQB: SHRMF)

About a week ago, this ticker was trading for about 70 cents, and it spiked all the way to the $1.50s. I missed that first dip and bounce. But when I saw my chance I dip bought, hoping to sell in the $1.30s or $1.40s…

I tried to give it time for more of a bounce, but the first panic was the better dip buy. So I got out midday for a tidy little $504 profit** … Not too bad — especially if you’re learning how to grow a small trading account. But there were just so many plays that I wanted to move on!

Check out the action:

how to grow a small trading account
SHRMF 2-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

Simlatus Corp. (OTCPK: SIML)

I normally stay away from sub-penny plays. But the fact that so many low-priced runners have been exploding lately — plus the fact that it was breaking new day highs — drew me in.

I bought at $0.009 and sold at $0.013 for a quick $1,100 profit.** It was a solid winner, but I didn’t want to get greedy … I focus on locking in singles during an insane $10K+ trading day!**

I couldn’t resist one more play going into the end of the trading day on May 18 … It just kept going. I only got partial execution and didn’t hold overnight — that can be risky in this market environment. But I still made one last $294 profit for the day.**

The two-day chart shows how crazy this stock got and how fast it happened:

how to grow a small trading account
Simlatus Corp. 2-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

(**Results are not typical. I’ve developed exceptional knowledge and skills over time. Most traders lose money and trading is risky. Do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford.)

SPO Global Inc. (OTCMKTS: SPOM)

At the beginning of May, this stock was nothing. Then on May 5, it started running. The company announced a merger with a Chinese healthcare group in February … Right now, even a whiff of a connection to coronavirus can move stocks, even with a delayed reaction.

It went from about 8 cents to 17 cents in a day … Then it went to about 30 cents the next day.

Check out its performance from April to May:

how to grow a small trading account
SPOM 1-month chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

I bought this as a breakout, and when I saw it started running again on May 18, I got in for a single … Even though I actually thought GNUS was a better play on that day, I still had two successful trades with $316 and $1,588 profits.**

Here’s a close-up of the most recent action:

how to grow a small trading account
SPOM 2-day chart — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

(**Results are not typical. I’ve developed exceptional knowledge and skills over time. Most traders lose money and trading is risky. Do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford.)

Touchpoint Group Holdings Inc (OTCQB: TGHI)

Touchpoint is a digital media and tech company. In early April, it announced a deal with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons to stream his yoga classes. The stock spiked but didn’t hold its gains.

Then this SEC filing on April 30 made TGHI a big percent gainer on May 1. The filing announced a licensing agreement with Royal Personal Training. As so often happens with low-priced stocks, there was informational inefficiency. (If you’re learning how to grow a small trading account, you need to understand informational inefficiencies.)

The market took an entire day to react.

Take a look at the TGHI three-month chart:

how to grow a small trading account
TGHI chart: 3-month, daily candle — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

As you can see, TGHI went from one cent up to 18 cents on May 1. It finished at roughly 12 cents per share. The next day, it went all the way up to 21 cents.

Check out the TGHI 12-day chart:

how to grow a small trading account
TGHI chart: 12-day, 1-minute candle — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

I banked on TGHI, riding it up a few times and then playing the wannabe comeback on May 12. My total profits on this stock are $11,120.**

And it wasn’t just me…

On May 12, Profit.ly user WinterSoldier reports trading TGHI. And ThePennySqueeze reports trading it too.**

Remember, it’s not just about big wins. It’s about how you trade. When you’re learning how to grow a small trading account, take it one trade at a time. Profit.ly user joshmagder reports this trade and commented…

“First day of trading with 25K to avoid PDT… obviously WAY overtraded and gave a lot back. […] Need to be more patient and trust the trades that work.”

The point is…

In this hot market, when a stock can grow from one cent to 21 cents in two days, that is something you should focus on…

Let’s look at another play…

TOMI Environmental Solutions (OTCQB: TOMZ)

TOMZ first hit my watchlist back on February 5. It was an early spiker on news about its SteraMist disinfectant product. On February 4, TOMI announced registration with China’s CDC. On February 27, the company announced several countries were using SteraMist.

Before I review my recent TOMZ trade, here’s the six-month chart:

how to grow a small trading account
TOMZ chart: 6-month chart, daily candle, spiker — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

I’ve traded TOMZ six times in the past three months. But my trade on May 18 was by far the best. It was a classic morning spike after the company reported awesome earnings. TOMZ has spiked fast in the past, so my goal was a quick 10%–20%.

Take a look at the TOMZ chart from May 18:

how to grow a small trading account
TOMZ chart: May 18 intraday, 1-minute candle, earnings winner — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

As you can see from the chart, TOMZ spiked fast. I took the easy 23.08% win for $2,730** in profit. It was a GREAT way to start the week.

(**My results are not typical. I have exceptional knowledge and skills developed over time. Most traders lose money and trading is risky. Do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford.)

Let’s take a look at another low-priced spiker…

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (AMEX: UAVS)

I’ve written about UAVS a few times recently. The stock could’ve helped you grow a small trading account considerably. But it was abuy the rumor, sell the news play. It caught a lot of traders on the wrong side of the move.

First, take a look at the UAVS three-month chart:

how to grow a small trading account
UAVS chart: 3-month, daily candle, drone play — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

That big red candle in the chart above was when the actual news hit. It was a conference call — and it was a joke. The awesome thing is, you had two days to play the front side of this spike.

Anyone who understands the concept of ‘buy the rumor, sell the news’ could’ve played the backside as well.

Check out this chart from April 21 to May 1…

how to grow a small trading account
UAVS chart: April 21 to May 1, 1-minute candle, buy the rumor, sell the news — courtesy of StocksToTrade.com

On April 27, the drone company announced a partnership to deliver medicine to the elderly. That was my buy on the chart above. But the stock didn’t really spike until a few days later. Read more about that trade in this Monday Motivation post.

The bottom line … UAVS went from 88 cents to over $5 per share. So, more than five times your money. That’s how to grow a small trading account…

Lessons to Take From These Plays

It can be challenging to start with a small account … But with the right education and intelligent trades, you can learn how to build a small trading account right now.

This isn’t to say you should EVER just buy any random penny stock. If it has a first day runup with news like SPOM, you don’t need to be afraid to buy a stock that’s already up. You can get in without being first.

It’s a  great market for speculative, even crappy little stocks. This is a hot market for low-priced stocks … Are you ready to learn how to recognize these patterns?

Consider applying for my Trading Challenge. But remember: I don’t want losers or lazy people. I only want students who will watch and learn from lessons like this. I want self-sufficient traders ready to learn how to grow a small trading account in this insane market!

How are you trading during the crazy market? What’s your experience? Leave a comment and let me know!


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Author card Timothy Sykes picture

Timothy Sykes

Tim Sykes is a penny stock trader and teacher who became a self-made millionaire by the age of 22 by trading $12,415 of bar mitzvah money. After becoming disenchanted with the hedge fund world, he established the Tim Sykes Trading Challenge to teach aspiring traders how to follow his trading strategies. He’s been featured in a variety of media outlets including CNN, Larry King, Steve Harvey, Forbes, Men’s Journal, and more. He’s also an active philanthropist and environmental activist, a co-founder of Karmagawa, and has donated millions of dollars to charity. Read More

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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”