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 >>In this interview, our student Tommy talks about his experience with our training program.
Like many other traders, Tommy started with a discretionary approach. However, the results did not meet his expectations, and emotions played an important (and negative) role.
So Tommy decided to move to automated trading. He made several attempts on his own but couldn't figure out how to properly set up the entire infrastructure until he joined Unger Academy!
He went live with a portfolio of fully automated strategies in just a few months. He even won the Trader of the Month competition in May 2023 with an outstanding performance: he earned over €44,250 in one month, achieved a return of +33%, and recorded an impressively low drawdown of only -3%.
In the interview recorded just before his win, Tommy talks about why he gave up discretionary trading, why he chose our training program, and how it helped him achieve his goals.
Don't miss it ;-)
Introduction
Chelsi
Hello, everybody. Today I have the pleasure of speaking to Tommy, our successful Unger Academy student. Welcome, Tommy. It's a pleasure to talk to you today.
Tommy
Thank you.
Chelsi
All right, so tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you do for living?
Who is Tommy and how did his journey in the world of trading begin?
Tommy
I work as a software engineer, so actually as a system engineer, but I used to be a software engineer in the automotive business, so I developed software for engine control units for electric vehicles.
Chelsi
Wow. Impressive. So what was the problem that you had prior to joining our program?
The problems he had before joining our program
Tommy
I lost money, so I struggled with trading for several years and tried different programs, and I learned a lot, really a lot. And I think also the programs were pretty good, but finally I came to the point where I recognized that my emotions do play a big role when trading, and then I got more and more in the direction to develop systematic trading strategies, unfortunately with the wrong tools.
But I was not able to trade it automatically, so I still used it as an indicator or a signal, but it didn't work because, still, I have to place my trades manually and I was always thinking, "is that the right thing?" and depending on your emotions, how was your day and so on, you make different decisions. So I decided to become a fully automated trader.
Chelsi
Amazing. So you started discretionary and saw that it was really impacting a lot of time, energy, and emotions. Okay. So why did you decide on the Unger Academy program specifically over any other program?
Why did he choose our program among the many available in the market?
Tommy
I did research, what programs are on the market, and one day I found the web page of Unger Academy.
So I did not know Andrea Unger. I found, I think, the webpage 2 years ago, and then I immediately ordered the book, "The Unger Method", but unfortunately I did not enter the Academy after reading the book, because when I read the book it was like too far away for me, I thought, that's a different level.
And, yeah, last year, I changed my mind, so I decided to join the Academy, and that was the right decision.
Chelsi
Did you find that, you know, despite maybe the book, making it seem like it was more advanced, did you find that when you joined, you had all the tools you needed, you know, to get to the level you needed to be?
Tommy
In the book there were so many things that I did not spend time for, so, like, all the statistics that you do when you do automatic trading and it was a lot of information.
I didn't see that it makes sense to spend money on the next course, and the next course, and the next course, and so I decided not to try the Unger Academy this time, but later in my progress to become a trader, I found out that I still need a lot of information to get on the level to set up all the tools and all this, the whole tool chain and the configuration.
And so actually my wife told me to call the Unger Academy because I always tell her what I'm doing and what is not working and so on. And one day she said, okay, call Andrea Unger, you need help.
Chelsi
That's a great wife you have.
Tommy
I do.
Chelsi
Was there anything in particular about the program that really helped you more than others?
What has helped him the most in the program?
Tommy
Yes. So because, before I joined the Unger Academy, I already bought the license of MultiCharts. So I played around with MultiCharts, I imported data and it just did not work. I tested some strategies that are supposed to work, but it did not work. And then I get deeper into the topic, DataFeed and so on, and I found out there are a lot of things that you have to think about when importing data to MultiCharts.
And immediately after I got access to your course, I downloaded some, not even the videos, I downloaded some papers, tutorials and stuff, and it helped me to save a lot of time.
Chelsi
Awesome!
Tommy
For example, use TradeStation, use different computers, how to get a second computer to access TradeStation data and so on, and you have all the documents and the description, how to get contact to the support and what to tell them, what to do, and everything.
Chelsi
I'm glad that you found that helpful. Awesome. So as a result of implementing what you've learned during the program, how is the outcome, you know, how's your trading been?
The results he has achieved
Tommy
So, to be honest, I spent most of the time to get all the environment running. So my target was not, at the beginning, to develop strategies. My target was to start trading as soon as possible. So in, I think, November last year, I joined your Academy and I was able, in the middle of January, I was able to get online with my systems.
So I collected different systems from the Internet, from your Million Dollar database, and then I started to trade in January with a demo account to see if the whole tool chain is working, and I did this for 3 weeks.
In the middle of February, I started with real money on my private account and this worked perfect for me, so it was really a good experience to make money.
And later on I started to trade in an LLC account because in Germany we have some Tax Laws, so we cannot trade futures in private accounts, only for a limited amount. And the first of April I started to trade in LLC and that was absolutely the game changer for me.
Chelsi
So very good results so far. That's great.
Tommy
Yes. So this month was perfect. May was perfect. April not that good, but May is perfect. I will also apply for the trade of the month, that's for sure.
Chelsi
Yes, we look forward to seeing you there. I think it's only fair that an English speaker receives the trader of the month this year, it's been Italian so far. Let's get an English speaker going. Very cool. So how has your life changed since achieving this outcome, since trading live and reaching your goals?
Tommy
Because I do not have the stress sitting in front of the computer and make decisions, I'm more relaxed, of course. And what I really like is, I still love to spend time in front of the computer to develop strategies or improve my tool chain and whatever, but it's independent of the time.
So I do not have to sit in front of the computer at 04:30. It's the US open in Germany. It doesn't matter. I can work at the weekend. I have a second computer at home as a development PC with a MultiCharts license, a backtesting license, so I can work whenever I want. I can develop strategies, and if I don't want to, I go outside and play with my kids and do whatever I want.
Chelsi
That's really great. So, yeah, you're there because you want to be and not because you have to be. And you can trust that, you know, things are going. That's great. That's really great.
Tommy
More flexible. A lot more flexible now.
Chelsi
So where do you think you'd be right now if you didn't take action and join our program, or if your wife hadn't told you to join our program?
Tommy
Yeah! I think I would still be playing around with MultiCharts and try to get the whole tool chain running and I would not be confident to click the button to do auto trading.
But with your help and the help of your colleagues, and you have really good people in the weekly coaching call, they can answer almost everything. So this is perfect and that makes you confident to click the button and to start the auto trading.
Chelsi
We're really lucky we have a team of experts on our side, and that team is growing every day, so it's more and more support for you guys. So, last question, if there's anyone watching this video that is maybe on the fence about joining our program, what would you say to them?
Tommy's advice to those who want to become traders
Tommy
I would say to them, if you like computers, if you like to work with computers and you like trading, this is perfect. This is the perfect course you can make, and you should do it as soon as possible, because my experience is every month makes money. And if you put the decision more in the future, then you lose money, because you do not join the Academy.
Chelsi
Great. Thank you so much Tommy for your time and for sharing your experience with us.
Tommy
You're welcome!
Chelsi
And as I tell everybody else, I wish you happy trading, and I hope to see you in the contest next month, and I hope to see you as a winner next month.
Tommy
Yeah, I'll try my best.
Chelsi
All right. Thank you so much, Tommy.
Tommy
Thank you.
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.
