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BOOK YOUR FREE STRATEGY SESSION NOW >>From Zero to Trader in Just 4 Weeks? Yes, It’s Possible! Although we haven’t renamed our "From Zero to Trader in 8 Weeks" program, Lorenzo almost made us reconsider!
In his interview, Lorenzo reveals how he successfully went live with a portfolio of automated strategies within just four weeks.
The excitement doesn't end there. Just one month later, Lorenzo earned the title of March’s Trader of the Month, boasting a stellar $16,000 profit and a 30% return.
Curious about his secrets? Here’s a preview:
-Thorough theoretical knowledge
-Expert coaching from Federica, who maximized Lorenzo’s prior knowledge and experience and supported him through the critical steps of going live.
If you're intrigued by Lorenzo's journey with Unger Academy®, check out his full interview!
Enjoy watching!
What does Lorenzo do for a living?
Chelsi
Hey everybody. Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Lorenzo, our Trader of the Month for the month of March, who's eager to share his trading experiences and his journey at Unger Academy. Hey Lorenzo, how’re you doing?
Lorenzo
Hello everyone and thank you so much!
Chelsi
Alright, so let’s start with you telling us a little bit about yourself, your career, and what you do in life.
Lorenzo
Sure! I'm a consultant, primarily in management control, focusing on costing, industrial product costs, business planning, and analytical financial forecasting. So, I deal with economics all day, although this is definitely not connected to trading. I mean, it might seem so, but in reality, they are entirely different fields. The part of my job that has helped me in trading is that I use Excel extensively, including its programming features, which have been very useful in learning to develop trading systems.
Chelsi
Certainly, and of course, also having a bit of a scientific mindset, I believe.
Lorenzo
Yes, exactly!
What difficulties did he face before discovering our Method?
Chelsi
Great! And, what challenges did you face before you joined our program?
Lorenzo
Well, I began trading in the early 2000s when the tech boom was at its peak, and any tech stock you bought was pretty much a guaranteed money-maker. Then the bubble burst, and I got caught up in it, so I took a break from trading for a couple of years. I did start again later, with mixed results, but overall, I can't really complain.
But for sure, I wasn't really pulling in great results. In 2017, a friend introduced me to commodities and how to invest in them, especially by following their seasonal trends. You know, all commodities have their own seasonality. For example, agricultural products may have more pronounced seasonal patterns, but even energy and metals have their seasons of rise and fall.
I capitalized on this seasonality and made good money until I took a hit with natural gas. I encountered significant troubles when gas prices skyrocketed between 2020 and 2021, likely due to geopolitical maneuvers aimed at driving up prices. Anyway, I was shorting gas based on its seasonal trends, and that’s where I got burned. And that is when I decided to take a course with the Unger Academy.
I started with 'One Year Target' in September 2021 but fell off track for various reasons. Later, I decided to try again and enrolled in the 'From Zero to Trader in 8 Weeks' program. I was lucky to find an excellent coach, Federica, who helped me overcome several minor yet critical challenges I faced. And once I got past those hurdles, I was back on track and ready for live trading.
Ironically, over the past years, I had already developed some trading systems. However, it was fortunate that I hadn't gone live with them. Indeed, when I tested them again and evaluated their out-of-sample performance, I realized that only three or four of them were actually working, while the others fell apart immediately after I finished developing them. This experience taught me the importance of waiting at least three to four months also to decide on the effectiveness and robustness of a trading system, because otherwise the risks can be higher.
How has he found working with the Dedicated Coach?
Chelsi
And how was your experience with the dedicated coach?
Lorenzo
Oh, it was excellent. Federica is highly skilled and really understood my advanced level. In fact, instead of taking eight weeks, we completed the program in just four weeks because she recognized my proficiency and we were able to speed up the process. She helped me overcome the issues that were holding me back, and I was trading on my own after just four weeks.
It’s evident because I signed up for the program at the beginning of February and by March I was already Trader of the Month, so I definitely didn't spend more than four weeks in training. However, I don’t want people to think it’s always that easy. Looks, I had a head start because I had already completed the One Year Target program and only needed to address some specific issues.
Chelsi
Right, it's probably a bit challenging for a complete newcomer, but thankfully our coaches are pretty adept at working with learners at all levels, even absolute beginners. Anyway, Lorenzo, your path’s amazing! Your journey’s been amazing! Four weeks and fully equipped to go live, wow! And, what drove you to choose our program over others available in the market?
Why did Lorenzo choose our training program?
Lorenzo
Well, I discovered Andrea Unger while trading commodities back in 2017. While researching, I learned about the World Championships of commodity trading and checked out the previous winners. There was Larry Williams, who had an incredible run, making – I think – even as much as one million dollars, and then I noticed the name of Andrea Unger, who had won the championships four times. I thought, 'Wow, he’s really impressive!’ Given the name, I assumed he was probably from Germany.
Then, right around 2017, a former student of yours, Serafini, won the same championship. I watched an interview where Serafini discussed how he reached those heights, credited Andrea Unger's training programs, and highlighted their benefits. That stuck with me. Although I wasn’t looking for a course at the time since I was doing well, I remembered it because if he could succeed, clearly, the course was effective.
So, when I hit a snag with the gas situation, I decided it was time to stop going at it alone and start getting serious by taking the Unger Academy training program. Later on, I opted for a second program because I recognized the system was sound and it was working, but I needed further assistance to complete what I hadn’t been able to do on my own.
Which aspect of our program helped him the most?
Chelsi
Awesome, thanks for sharing that. Besides the dedicated coaching, was there another aspect of our program that really helped you?
Lorenzo
Certainly, the parts of the One Year Target program that resonated with me the most were the chapters on programming, which I found easy due to my proficiency with Excel. The logic was similar—'if this, then that'—which made the systems conceptually similar, though not identical.
And then chapter 3 on optimizing a trading system and the steps involved, because beginners often only look at the profit. I’ve learned that profit isn't everything; there are other metrics that are critical when developing and optimizing a trading system. Understanding these also greatly helped me select the systems that performed well in March.
What results has he achieved?
Chelsi
Fun. And what specific results have you achieved since applying what you learned from our program?
Lorenzo
The first and most immediate result was the significant profit I made in March. April wasn’t as strong, though, but it still ended positively, which I'm happy about. Consistently ending in the black is important, even if the gains are smaller than in March. It’s unrealistic to expect every month to match the success of March, but I’m pleased with my progress.
Chelsi
We’ll see what the future holds in the months to come...
Lorenzo
Hopefully.
Chelsi
Okay. And how has achieving these results changed your life, both financially and in terms of your understanding?
Lorenzo
Honestly, not much has changed. I already have a good income from my job, so the trading profits are currently being reinvested in trading. Financially, there's been no major change.
As for awareness, yes, there's been a slight boost. It’s comforting to know that I’m competent, which has been reassuring. But I remain grounded and cautious, mindful of past setbacks and aware of potential risks and of what could happen.
Where would he be today if he hadn't discovered Unger Academy?
Chelsi
Fantastic. Where do you think you'd be now if you hadn't joined our program?
Lorenzo
I'd probably have quit, honestly. The highs and lows can be overwhelming and very hard to manage and accept, especially the lows. Like in the early 2000s, I would have given up. Maybe I’d have tried again, and likely given up once more after the next downturn.
Chelsi
It's a rollercoaster of emotions.
Lorenzo
Exactly, emotions are always hard to manage and can really deceive you. Sometimes, you close a winning position too soon just to secure a gain, and keep a losing one open thinking, 'it will bounce back.' That’s what happened with the gas, and it was a disaster. I should have cut my losses much earlier.
His advice for those considering starting or who are already trading
Chelsi
Okay, got it. Finally, what would you say to those watching this interview and are on the fence as to whether to sign up for the program?
Lorenzo
I strongly recommend this program, as the method taught is really very useful. It also helps to remove emotions from trading—since you can trade in an automated way, you're less likely to get swept up in the moment. You just check in occasionally during the day, maybe with the Strategy Checker, and review what happened in the evening without getting carried away by emotions.
For instance, this April, I experienced a significant downturn but I wasn’t overwhelmed. I thought, 'I've made gains before; I'll make them back.' And I did, by the end of the month, closing with a profit. April ended positively, and that's a good outcome.
Like Serafini before me, I highly endorse it. Unger's advantage is that he’s not just theorizing; he’s a trader who has actually competed and won. He's not just an expert in theory, like many books teach; he has practical experience. I’ve read countless trading books and can assure you this is something entirely different.
Andrea has been in the trenches, won championships, and his advice is effective. So what I can say to everyone who’s interested is just: go and try it out! The cost might seem off-putting at first, but considering my results in just one month, it’s definitely worth it.
Chelsi
Thank you, Lorenzo, for your time and insights. I look forward to seeing you as Trader of the Month again, maybe even Trader of the Year.
Lorenzo
Fingers crossed!
Chelsi
Thanks so much! Goodbye everybody.
Lorenzo
Thank you. Bye-bye!
We'll help you map out a plan to fix the problems in your trading and get you to the next level. Answer a few questions on our application and then choose a time that works for you.
BOOK YOUR FREE STRATEGY SESSION NOW >>Andrea Unger here and I help retail traders to improve their trading, scientifically. I went from being a cog in the machine in a multinational company to the only 4-Time World Trading Champion in a little more than 10 years.
I've been a professional trader since 2001 and in 2008 I became World Champion using just 4 automated trading systems.
In 2015 I founded Unger Academy, where I teach my method of developing effecting trading strategies: a scientific, replicable and universal method, based on numbers and statistics, not hunches, which led me and my students to become Champions again and again.
Now I'm here to help you learn how to develop your own strategies, autonomously. This channel will help you improve your trading, know the markets better, and apply the scientific method to financial markets.
Becoming a trader is harder than you think, but if you have passion, will, and sufficient capital, you'll learn how to code and develop effective strategies, manage risk, and diversify a portfolio of trading systems to greatly improve your chances of becoming successful.
