Introduction
In this Q&A, I share how I built a catalyst-driven equities trading approach after hard lessons in Forex and prop evaluations. I break down my journey, the exact system I use today, how I filter noise, and the rules that keep me consistent.
Trader Talks QnA
What got you into trading?
I’ve always pursued three themes: Financial Freedom, making an impact, and autonomy. My brother made about 30K in a month trading equities in 2017, which grabbed my attention. That pushed me to explore trading as a path with no ceiling and full ownership.
What happened after seeing your brother’s success?
Here’s where I took a wrong turn. Instead of learning equities from him, I entered a Forex MLM ecosystem. It was insulated, marketer-driven, and focused heavily on psychology over edge. I spent about two years there before I revisited equities.
What’s the biggest difference between the Forex space and professional equities education?
In that Forex space, the predominant voices are marketers. The conversation is psychology-first, not about positive expectancy, edge, or finding symbols in play. There’s little discussion of market efficiency. With SMB Capital (via Mike Bellafiore’s books One Good Trade and The Playbook and Brian Shannon’s book), I learned about building a Playbook, catalysts, and structured setups.
How did you start building capital?
I did a $100 challenge to $1,000 in about three months, then used prop evaluations. I built a catalyst-driven approach for indices and passed challenges to get payouts. I leveraged multiple firms and a trade copier to aggregate buying power, then stacked profits to build a personal fund.
What risk hit you with prop/eval accounts?
In late 2023, the US cracked down on CFDs and many offshore-broker-connected firms restricted US traders. Overnight I lost a lot of buying power. I transitioned to Futures evals (regulated in the US), then fully into equities for more opportunities, aligning with my SMB training around catalysts and stocks in play.
How did your brother’s approach influence your equity focus?
My brother traded penny stocks ($1–$20). That aligned with small-cap momentum. I leaned into scanning, momentum trading, and scalping in names that fit my account size and opportunity set.
Were you consistently profitable by 2022?
Yes, 2022 is when consistency clicked using multiple prop accounts and a copier. I withdrew and stacked cash to build my personal war chest, anticipating firm risk. I kept lifestyle modest and focused on funding my own account over time.
What was the hardest challenge early on?
Filtering through the BS. I read ~50 trading books; maybe 10% were truly helpful. I bounced through strategies (supply/demand, SMC, etc.) before finding real mentors and frameworks that emphasized edge and data-driven playbooks.
How do you advise filtering out the noise?
Avoid lifestyle marketing and unverifiable claims. Look for verification where possible (e.g., eval certificates, payouts). Pros have a common language: no “get rich quick,” more process and edge. If someone promises profit in a weekend, that’s a red flag.
What was your darkest trading moment?
Early on, I was hyper-focused on money. First week live, I lost 5K taking signals. During a Tesla split, I went long as it fell, added to the loser, froze, and watched my account drain. That moment forced me to change my approach to risk and process.
What rules prevent “deer in headlights” now?
I cut losers fast and let winners run. I internalized ideas from Tom Hougaard’s “The Best Losers Win” and Mark Douglas. I track win rate and R:R using data I pull and analyze. Losses are tuition. I plan, execute, and stick to my trading series despite individual losses.
What is your strategy now?
Three steps: 1) Idea Generation (stock selection ~50%) with fresh news/catalysts: earnings, pharma milestones, macro themes, 56-week breakouts, or sector themes (e.g., China stimulus, DJT on political catalysts). 2) Setups: 4–5 repeatable structures like momentum breakouts post-earnings. 3) Trade Management: reading tape/Level 2 and execution. Selection is king; being in the right ticker does most of the heavy lifting.
What advice would you give your past self before Forex?
Think bigger. Stop aiming for $100–$1,000 and start thinking in terms of $1M+ per year. That mindset shift pushed me to seek out experts, build a Playbook, keep a daily report card, and treat trading like a business.
What’s your routine?
Weekly: macro prep (FOMC, CPI, Fed, earnings). Night before: post-market scan. Morning: prayer, family, premarket scan, grade ideas (B to A++), pick top 3–5, size risk, and write if-then statements. During the day: execute and document feelings to maintain self-awareness. End of day: film review and process-based grading.
Why journal feelings and film trades?
Self-awareness prevents spirals. A phone call once made me miss a trade, then I tilted. Now I use Do Not Disturb. Filming exposed distractions and helped me identify fatigue, forcing, or overconfidence so I can reset mid-day if needed.
If a new trader asked where to start, what are the four core skills?
1) Build a Playbook with Edge (2–3 setups, match to personality; backtest). 2) Risk Management (keep risk consistent, gather months of data). 3) Execution (hotkeys, fast entries/exits). 4) Psychology (important later; avoid big risk early to reduce trauma). Scale slowly so subtle issues like hesitation or greed surface one at a time.
Did working with a trading psychologist help?
Yes. I learned I was self-sabotaging by delaying getting an office despite being able to afford it. After moving out of the house to work, my performance improved. Subtle psychological limits appear as you scale; keep risk small early so you can address them progressively.
Abdullah Rashed Trade Statistics
Here are distilled highlights from my journey before we dive into the deeper takeaways and tools I rely on daily.
- Consistent months in the $10K–$30K range during eval-firm phase
- Primary focus now: catalyst-driven equities trading
- Setups: 4–5 momentum and catalyst structures
- Process: weekly macro prep, daily A/B/A+ grading, if-then statements
Key Trading Insights from Abdullah Rashed
My biggest edge comes from idea quality. Catalysts create asymmetric opportunity. Pair that with strict risk, fast cutting, and journaling for self-awareness, and you have a durable framework.
- Selection first: be in tickers with real catalysts and volume
- Systematize risk and trade management; winners run, losers cut
- Film and journal to catch subtle self-sabotage and tilt
- Think bigger, treat trading like a business with a Playbook
Abdullah Rashed Trading Strategy
My approach is built on catalysts, repeatable setups, and disciplined management. Below are the core components I execute daily.
Idea Generation (Catalyst-First)
Scan for earnings, pharma milestones, macro events (FOMC, CPI, policy), sector themes (e.g., China stimulus), political catalysts (e.g., DJT). Grade ideas from B to A++ and prioritize top 3–5 each day.
Momentum Setups
Classical momentum patterns (flags/pennants) triggered by catalysts. For example, post-earnings range into open, breakout entry on volume with clear risk levels.
Trade Management
Read tape and Level 2, cut losers quickly, scale winners where justified by flow and structure. Execute with hotkeys and predefined if-then rules.
Abdullah Rashed Tools
I rely on structured education and data to build and validate my edge. I learned from SMB Capital resources (One Good Trade, The Playbook) and Brian Shannon’s multi-timeframe TA, plus journaling, filming, and scanning tools.
- Books: One Good Trade, The Playbook, Technical Analysis Using Multiple Timeframes, Trading in the Zone, The Best Losers Win, Market Wizards
- Education: SMB Capital courses and methodology
- Workflow: Journaling, filming sessions, idea grading (B to A++)
- Scanners/Data: Earnings calendars, news feeds, volume filters
Common Trading Mistakes to Avoid
Most errors stem from chasing lifestyle signals, ignoring edge, and risking too big too soon. I made them all—signals, averaging down, distractions, and rushing skill development.
- Following marketers over measurable edge
- Averaging down and freezing in losers
- Trading distracted—phone calls, multitasking
- Skipping data collection and backtesting
Conclusion
Focus on catalyst-driven equities trading, keep risk small, systematize your playbook, and journal relentlessly. Think bigger about what’s possible, but build it on real edge. Share your takeaways below or subscribe for more deep dives.