Meet Sam Shaper

Sam is a Trading MasterClass OG in the truest sense - he joined the community back in August of 2018 just hours after launch! He also spent some time working on the TMC Team in 2018/2019, providing stellar community support to our newer members (both technically and psychologically). Sam is now in the midst of launching his own business, while trading part-time and diversifying his overall portfolio. We believe big things are on the horizon for Sam, and we couldn't be happier for him! Check out the full interview TMC recently conducted with Sam below...

When did your trading journey first begin?

January 2018 was when I first started to really study trading, I had heard about it through friends and colleagues but didn’t really know what it was. A friend of mine was good mates with the operator of Irek’s previous community and so I got started there. Initially just swing trading with very simple strategies until Irek launched Trading MasterClass which, as soon as the payment link was available I jumped on... I wouldn’t be surprised if I was one of the first 5 to join TMC! Since then I haven’t looked back.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if I was one of the first 5 to join TMC! Since then I haven’t looked back."

What was it that made you want to pursue full-time (or part-time) trading?

I’ve always been interested in investing and building generational wealth and I saw trading as another avenue to do that through. The lifestyle was attractive but I’m more looking towards the future and building a financial wall for my future family. This is why MasterClass resonates so strongly with me, as Jonny and Irek are great examples of how to do that.

What is something unexpected that you love about trading?

The personal development aspect. When I started trading I was a perfectionist and always strove to win and be the best. Trading humbled that side of me as obviously we have no control of the markets, as the markets will always do what they want. Separating the structural from the personal was a tough but liberating experience. I found it very challenging initially to not get down about losses and accept that they are part of the process but I worked on that aspect of myself. Now being able to seperate my self-worth from wins and losses, and take a broader view of my own development, has been great not only in trading but in other pursuits in my life.

What are one to three books that have profoundly impacted your trading journey / life in general? Why?

Trading in the Zone was a great read as it really helped me with understanding the mental aspect of the game and breaking it down more strategically, especially when going through the period of handling losses and learning how to play the game properly - this book really outlines some of those core mental principles.

The 4-Hour Work Week planted the seed many years ago that money and time were not correlated and helped build the belief that making a weeks income in a day was possible which lead me to the pursuits that I have undertaken.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, a great little book discussing methods for letting go of ‘the small stuff’ which aligned with what I was learning about losses and letting mistakes go and to continue moving forward.

What new belief, behaviour, or habit has helped you gain the most forward momentum since becoming a trader?

Understanding that everything is structural, if I’m not getting the results I want it’s not because of any external force it’s because something in the structure of how I’m operating is not working and I can always analyse and fix any structural differences, so my results are always within my own control.

What advice would you give to an inspired, driven individual about to step into the trading world?

I’d say when starting out, focus on doing the little things well. You don’t need to chase big returns, just take it one step at a time, learn the skill, then aim to be profitable, even if it’s just 1% a month... build your confidence that you can make money in the markets and continue to build on that confidence without the pressure of needing to prove something and those profitable months will climb.

"When starting out, focus on doing the little things well."

How has Trading MasterClass assisted your evolution?

When I started with Trading MasterClass I had been up and down in profitability, joining MasterClass gave me structure and the consistency I lacked in my trading routine. This was in big part due to being able to follow Jonny and Irek's standards not just as traders but how they conduct themselves in their life to start to build my blocks and achieve a level of consistency that enabled consistent profitability. I can now rely on trading as a key component of my overall portfolio and carry on to pursue other ventures… Also Molly’s words of wisdom during the inevitable challenges were always timed perfectly.

What is your next immediate trading goal?

My current objective is to dilute my trading account across other investment strategies and have a bigger base in my Active and Passive Investment strategies so that trading is a small component of my overall portfolio.

Any final words of wisdom?  

Trust the process and run your own race, in the world of trading it’s very easy to get caught in comparison and take everything personally. Nothing in the markets is personal it’s purely structural, you don’t have anyone to prove yourself to but yourself. There’s many ways to make money in the markets but if you don’t have a handle on yourself, none of them will work for you so focus on finding what works for you and constantly review your work.

"There’s many ways to make money in the markets but if you don’t have a handle on yourself, none of them will work for you."

How can we keep up with you?

You can keep up with me on instagram at @samshaper_23 but I’m currently in the process of launching a company and have been for the last 6 months so I’m not too active on social media at this stage. I’m sure that will change once the company is launched though. I’m mostly available in Slack / the TMC Club if anyone has any questions and now that we’re getting closer to company launch I’m attending webinars live again so will be around there!