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BOOK YOUR FREE STRATEGY SESSION NOW >>In this interview, our student Gianluca tells us about his adventure in the world of trading and his experience with the Unger Academy.
Gianluca has just hit an important goal: he earned his first €25,000 using the method he learned in our training program.
You should know that Gianluca has been trading for several years. As he explains in the interview, he has always tried to develop additional income sources, which has led him to discover trading.
Like many traders, he started with a discretionary approach. And he was doing pretty well! He was very good at identifying the right moments to open positions and, despite some difficulties with exiting them, he has always made more money than he lost.
However, there were also some problems. Gianluca in fact, struggled to find the time to monitor the markets and didn't like the fact that he couldn't follow more than 3 or 4 markets at a time.
In addition, there was also uncertainty - the fact of "being a victim of events", of working so hard to understand how a market works, and then being left empty-handed due to some unforeseen event.
Watch the interview to find out more about Gianluca's story and results!
Enjoy! 😊
Hello everybody! I'm Valeria from Unger Academy and today I am here with Gianluca, one of our best students who has made €25,000 in 4 months, doubling his initial capital. So it's no coincidence that he's our new Trading Hero! So hello Gianluca and welcome!
Hello Valeria and good morning everybody!
Well, we can say that my professional life has always been close to the computer world. Even if when you say the words "computer science" most people immediately think about programming, I've never actually done anything related to it. The computer world is just so vast! I have dedicated myself to graphics, 3D graphics, and, above all, to the infrastructural world. In fact, 12 years ago, I founded the company where I’m currently working, and this is my main occupation. We also have our own data center and provide our customers with IT infrastructure services, especially in the industrial sector.
This is my main occupation today. And as for the future... well, there can be no certainty.
So, let's wait and see!
Uhm, well, I must admit that throughout my life I have always done some trading - discretionary trading - now and then. I also achieved good results and kept on doing it because I’ve never lost any money or, at least, I've never lost more than I earned. My job gives me the opportunity to spend many hours in front of the computer, but not to monitor the trends on the graphs. And in recent years, I have approached the world of cryptos and I’ve noticed that all the events that required my intervention took place during the night. And so, the impossibility of being constantly in front of the monitor was a major limitation for me.
I've always been good at identifying entry points; I was quite precise and usually achieved excellent results. However, I used to have some difficulties in closing the positions, due to various reasons such as being too convinced of my own opinions, being a little selfish, and so on... And I suppose that this is something that happens to many discretionary traders. I was good at entering but bad at exiting.
So these are the two main triggers. Then there’s another aspect that is certainly not less important, and that's that when you monitor the charts, you can't follow a large number of markets. Actually, you generally end up following only 3 or 4 markets and you also struggle a lot to do it.
Then, one of the main reasons why I decided to abandon this method... Well, I think I have to thank Elon Musk because last year, during the first Bitcoin retracement, I had identified the exact retracement point. I mean, I was so sure of it, and I had also started making money. But then, one morning I woke up and found out that Elon Musk had changed his signature on Instagram and well, I lost a lot of money. And that's something I can't put up with.
Well, I always try to verify the sources. I mean, we live in an age when information is really overabundant. So more than being informed about what we are told, we need to be informed about who’s telling it. So I think it's much more important to analyze the source than the news itself. And that's why, when I heard about Andrea, I looked for more information about him. His story is full of concrete facts, and so I concluded that there's no reason for a person with a past like this, and who's achieved such results, to say things that don't correspond to the truth.
And then the second reason is that the things he said, what you all say at Unger Academy, I mean the whole team, are very realistic. No one has ever made promises that can't be achieved or promises easy richness, and everyone has always emphasized the huge commitment that it takes. And by the way, that was one of the things I couldn't fully understand at first. I mean, the necessity to put in so much effort and study became clear to me only the moment I opened the program of the course. And this is one of the main things about this course that really amazed me, the vastness of the subjects that have to be studied and the things that I didn't know, and they were really, very many. By the way, these are the main reasons. So, the message that was given but above all the verification of the source they were crucial to me.
I've seen a lot of them. I have to be honest. It wasn't really a matter of money - I mean, yes, the money I would have invested in the training course. You see for me, what was important was the time - my time - that I should have invested in following the program. And so, you can believe me when I say that I've watched a lot of Andrea's interviews. I didn't want to improvise. I wanted to make the right choice and I looked into his story and what he did in life, and that's what I did.
To be honest, last year I had a very brief experience with algorithmic trading. I was already getting close to this world, or at least I wanted to get close to it, so I tried to put together some information I could find on the Internet. Now, I also tried using some open source platforms. However, since as I said before programming is not my strong point, I encountered several difficulties. But I must also say that the platform I had chosen was inappropriate, both in terms of programming difficulty and of backtesting accuracy. So for me, the value of this training course is not only related to the information it provides but also to the fact that to start this path I had to make a number of choices that would have cost me months, if not years, of experience. Choosing the right broker, choosing the right platform, choosing the data provider, and then obviously choosing the whole approach. This aspect is not of secondary importance because, for example, I had tried different platforms when I was a discretionary trader. Not to mention those that boast zero commissions... After becoming a bit more experienced in this field, I remember that the first time I started to study Crude Oil, and to study a system for Crude Oil, and also to send the first orders, I saw the difference between the bid and the ask price given by the broker that I use now, and I compared it to those of the platforms I used in the past. And yeah, the delta is embarrassing, so boasting zero commissions with such bid and ask differences is nearly a scam. So, starting with the right broker and the right platform really has great value.
First of all, as I’ve just mentioned, it helped me a lot with choosing the tools. This choice would have taken months if not years of studies, testing and experience. The other thing that I kept wondering before starting the program is how was it possible that the method was transmissible. I was amazed that, except for a few examples of systems that are released and explained throughout the course, you are actually told how to create your own systems. And this is of fundamental importance because everyone has a very different personal situation, and through the parameters of the system, you can decide your approach and your level of risk. And so it’s really you who creates that system. So now I understand why using someone else's system wouldn't make any sense because it's not suited to your personal situation. So this is one of the things about this course that really amazes me.
So, the most exciting ones are those you've already mentioned in the beginning. In less than 4 months, I’ve made a percentage that exceeds 110%. However, it's not the number itself that’s interesting, but how I obtained it. I mean, I worked with at least 7-8 assets and I had at least one or two systems for each of them. So, it was the result of a few hundred operations that, combined, produced that result.
Even in the past, I did some great performances, but never in such a granular way. And even if after reaching this peak of equity, I entered a retracement phase – because obviously, like all traders, I live in retracement – that retracement was something I could expect for that kind of trade. And in fact, now my equity has resumed rising and it's getting closer to that equity peak again. And that's something that further reinforces the result I achieved.
The performance is so high because I decided (and maybe Andrea wouldn't agree with me in this) to go live with my systems using a margin that was very close to the whole capital I used. And Andrea generally says that you know, using one third or at most a half. But it's also true that this is part of a personal choice. I mean, everyone chooses their starting capital. And the starting capital, you know... it sounds bad to say that, "You're willing to lose it," but that's the way it is. When you invest your capital in trading you know that your equity curve can go up and down, and so you have to be aware of that.
In my life and in my profession, I've always tried to build different sources of income. So, there is the main activity that occupies most of the time you decide to dedicate to work. Then there are other activities where maybe you only invest a part of your capital or mixed activities or activities that you do only occasionally. What changed is that trading is now a static part of my income, and no longer an occasional one. And the time that I've dedicated to it... Well, it's really a lot, and there's no use in hiding it. My job took a lot of time, so I had to dedicate myself to this course in the evening or at night. So, for two or three months I really studied a lot.
Obviously, I was highly motivated because of the quality of the material I found. Also, as you progress, you can't wait to put what you learn into practice. However, to do it you first need to complete it. And so, I really did my best to speed up the process. That being said, now I could even avoid following the systems I have in production, which is more or less what happens. I mean, I obviously check out my platforms once a day, but only for a few minutes. There are also days when I’m very busy at work and I don't even look at them. I always perform the weekly restart on the weekends, etc. but I mean, I could go on like this.
By the way, these results I'm getting make me want to invest more time and more money in trading, and I also would like to continue studying and make sure that this component of my income will get an even more important role than the one it has today.
Well, I'd say that you're on the right track.
For example, doing discretionary trading or maybe that algorithmic approach you started experimenting with?
I think I'd be seeing a doctor and getting antacid pills, given Elon Musk's statements over the last few months. Perhaps I would have distanced myself a bit from the world of trading because you are a victim of it without this approach. And that's what I couldn't stand - being a victim of events. Now I'm making light of it because I solved the problem, but believe me, when it happened, it was very frustrating. I mean, you know, following a market for a long time, identifying the entry points, following it again to make sure you made the right choice, and then some sudden event destroys all your work.
Yeah, that must be frustrating.
Yes, it's really frustrating and this is what changed. And it's no small thing. Actually, it's a very important goal, because approaching this world in a scientific way means detaching yourself from it at the emotional level. This is an incredible result because emotions, in addition to making you feel frustrated, also prevent you from focusing on other things, they disturb your attention, and that's detrimental.
Yes, that's right.
Well, what I can recommend is that if someone is experiencing some of the problems I've mentioned during this interview, such as with emotions or the fact of not being in front of the monitor when crucial events occur, then I think they can definitely find a solution to all of this. I found it, and I'm very, very happy about it. Because I was really distancing myself from the world of trading and I was sorry because it's a world that I'm passionate about and that somehow attracts me.
The other thing that I’d like to say is that the program is really challenging. On the one hand, this means that the investment in this training program is worth all the money that it costs, given the vastness of the content. Everyone may have skills that can help them in some steps. For example, my infrastructure expertise has made it easier for me to implement what I studied in the module about setting up the infrastructure. The installation of the VPS, the platform, and the environment configuration were very simple for me. And you know, I stick to my knitting when it comes to the VPS because I have my own data center so I built it in my own house. But, on the other hand, for example, I didn’t know any programming. Zero. But maybe there's someone who, unlike me, already dabbles it. So, everyone has some skills that can help them in this path. A path that requires a lot of perseverance and motivation because, in my opinion, you can't complete it in less than three months, unless perhaps you can dedicate yourself to it full time.
We can say that, from the moment you start, it's an exponential growth curve. You realize those things can really work and you can't wait to put them into practice, and this makes you invest more time in it. So, this is my advice. It's obviously demanding, so it's not an income that comes without any effort or commitment. You need skills, but you also receive the help you need. We should also say that... I've spoken about some things that have helped me, but I should also mention some things I'm somehow lacking. For example, I'm not a social media guy, and so due to either a lack of time or of discipline, I managed to participate in the coaching calls very few times. However, when I participated in them, I saw that they were very useful.
But actually, precisely because I got over the infrastructure part quite fast, I managed to start in an almost autonomous way. But the coaching calls really have an incredible value. So those who have difficulties with the infrastructural part can find valid and concrete help because the coaches - I heard them - have excellent knowledge and skills. As a result, we don't stop in the face of technical problems related to information technology.
Yes, they're very important. And of course, if you can't participate in the calls, you can find all the recordings in the archive.
Yes indeed! And I must admit that I used them more in this way than in live mode. When I needed something, I searched the archive and found the answers I was looking for. For me it was practically impossible to participate in the live calls.
Well then, I'd really like to thank you for the time you dedicated to me and this interview.
Don't mention it, thanks to you.
You told us about your experience and how the Academy helped you out. We are very happy not only for your more tangible results but also because we've given you this boost, this desire to find your way. So we hope you'll continue like this and keep moving on.
Well, one of the things that happened with Unger Academy was that I've finally got a Facebook account after many years. It was a way to get the assistance of the coaches, and my wife is so happy because now she can add me to her friends.
The absolute minimum!
Yeah, and well, I think we said everything. I'd like to add that I can only be happy to have taken this initiative, and I must be honest, I will continue investing in this direction. Speaking to the Academy, I’ve found out that there are other training courses that I consider very interesting, and in which I’m going to participate soon.
Great, we’re waiting for you! So, you can continue your training with us whenever you want. Thank you again, and thank you all for watching this interview. See you next time!
Thank you Valeria, and happy trading everybody!
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.
