183 episodes

How do traders do it, overcoming setbacks, managing their risk and reining in their emotions to take chunks of money out of the markets? Showhost Nicholas Penrake chats with traders from all kinds of backgrounds, inviting them to share with us their highs and lows on their way to achieving consistent results. Trading is a tough game – they say only around 5 per cent of those who try actually make a profit. Listen to A Trader’s Life to glean some valuable insights from the market wizards Nic get to talk to. 
If you glance at my profile on LinkedIn, you’ll see I’m no big shot trader. Mid way through 2023, after nearly three years' trading, I'm still only break-even.  But every week I learn something new. And part of that learning process is enriched by talking and listening to other traders, those with more experience than I have.We all know that emotions can seriously derail your trading aspirations. It's been my experience - and I hope you agree - that every so often listening to other traders' stories can not only be instructive but inspirational, even comforting, to a degree.  Just one example: one of my guests lost 50,000 in just a just a few months. Today’s she’s crushing it in commodities. How did she do it? You come here to find out.
And here’s the thing… the picture I’m getting is that it’s not so much about the money, it’s about the challenge.
It’s also about freedom: finding a pursuit that can make you an income that only relies on your smarts and an internet connection.
If you can get there, trading can potentially free up your day, allowing you to explore a world that extends far beyond the daily commute to an office.
So, if you’re a trader interested in comparing your story with the stories of traders who’ve cracked it, or even if you’re just curious about trading, grab your headphones, open your browser and have a listen – A Trader’s Life.

A TRADER'S LIFE Nicholas Penrake

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 5 Ratings

How do traders do it, overcoming setbacks, managing their risk and reining in their emotions to take chunks of money out of the markets? Showhost Nicholas Penrake chats with traders from all kinds of backgrounds, inviting them to share with us their highs and lows on their way to achieving consistent results. Trading is a tough game – they say only around 5 per cent of those who try actually make a profit. Listen to A Trader’s Life to glean some valuable insights from the market wizards Nic get to talk to. 
If you glance at my profile on LinkedIn, you’ll see I’m no big shot trader. Mid way through 2023, after nearly three years' trading, I'm still only break-even.  But every week I learn something new. And part of that learning process is enriched by talking and listening to other traders, those with more experience than I have.We all know that emotions can seriously derail your trading aspirations. It's been my experience - and I hope you agree - that every so often listening to other traders' stories can not only be instructive but inspirational, even comforting, to a degree.  Just one example: one of my guests lost 50,000 in just a just a few months. Today’s she’s crushing it in commodities. How did she do it? You come here to find out.
And here’s the thing… the picture I’m getting is that it’s not so much about the money, it’s about the challenge.
It’s also about freedom: finding a pursuit that can make you an income that only relies on your smarts and an internet connection.
If you can get there, trading can potentially free up your day, allowing you to explore a world that extends far beyond the daily commute to an office.
So, if you’re a trader interested in comparing your story with the stories of traders who’ve cracked it, or even if you’re just curious about trading, grab your headphones, open your browser and have a listen – A Trader’s Life.

    Trailer | Ian Coleman - Swing trading FX and indices

    Trailer | Ian Coleman - Swing trading FX and indices

    I think most of us who have been trading even a year can agree that managing risk is more than half the battle when it comes to making consistent returns in the markets. 
    That was va clip from my conversation with veteran trader Ian Coleman. Ian mostly trades forex, occasionally the indices. In this episode we talk about the kinds of patterns and correlations he looks for. Why he prefers swing trading to intraday and his own quiet obsession with the markets. Check out the full episode on A Trader’s Life. I think you may find Ian’s wit and modesty quite charming. I know I did.


    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 1 min
    Ian Coleman - Swing trading FX and indices

    Ian Coleman - Swing trading FX and indices

    So we’re all pretty familiar with terms like head and shoulders, double bottom and double top. But are you familiar with these more esoteric patterns like bearish butterfly and tapering wedge? My next guest Ian Coleman lives and breathes this stuff. 
    He often posts his marked up charts on Linkedin and I’ll often sit there studying them as if I were in a gallery before an arresting landscape. Ian’s been in the trading game for donkey’s years. The past 15 years, he’s been trading on his own and writing for FX Street. 
    Before I bring Ian on, if you’re enjoying the show, do please subscribe and check out the YouTube channel for interviews on video.
    Ian and I got together in March 2024. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

    ==

    Boost your performance levels in front of your charts

    I was looking for a way to boost my energy levels, without resorting to more coffee, tea or snacks, when I came across Magic Mind. 

    This unique energy drink comes in these handy, little bottles and works like a shot. You knock it back in a gulp or two and it boosts your energy for the next few hours without any of the usual downside of coffee or tea. 

    Nice taste, too. Close to passion fruit, but not at all sweet.

    I tend to have my usual coffee in the morning then take one of these little Magic Mind bottles around midday - to carry me through the afternoon session.

    Grab your Magic Mind discount and help A Trader's Life while you're at it

    Go to: MagicMind.com/atradreslife put in the code TRADERSLIFE20 and that’ll get up to a whopping 56% off your subscription, or 20% off a one-time purchase.  
    And if you don’t like it, you can write in to the company and they’ll give you your money back. 

    Give it a go!


    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 47 min
    Kim Yew - Filmmaker and trader with 100% win rate

    Kim Yew - Filmmaker and trader with 100% win rate

    So you know about Ukraine, you know about Gaza, but did you know there’s an even bigger war raging in Africa? At least in terms of death toll. i'm referring to the war in the Congo. Even though millions have died and many thousands are still dying, it’s a conflict that's hardly reported. 

    My guest for this episode is a man who set out to make a film about what’s been going on, and in so doing put an assassin’s mark on his back. 
    Kim Yew, filmmaker and trader, talks to me about film and his absolutely extraordinary win rate trading with a proprietary fibonacci tool and a strategy he learnt from Alla Peters-Plocher.

    ==

    Boost your performance levels in front of your charts

    I was looking for a way to boost my energy levels, without resorting to more coffee, tea or snacks, when I came across Magic Mind. 

    This unique energy drink comes in these handy, little bottles and works like a shot. You knock it back in a gulp or two and it boosts your energy for the next few hours without any of the usual downside of coffee or tea. 

    Nice taste, too. Close to passion fruit, but not at all sweet.

    I tend to have my usual coffee in the morning then take one of these little Magic Mind bottles around midday - to carry me through the afternoon session.

    Grab your Magic Mind discount and help A Trader's Life while you're at it

    Go to: MagicMind.com/atradreslife put in the code TRADERSLIFE20 and that’ll get up to a whopping 56% off your subscription, or 20% off a one-time purchase.  
    And if you don’t like it, you can write in to the company and they’ll give you your money back. 

    Give it a go!
    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 50 min
    Trailer | Kim Yew - Filmmaker and trader with 100% win rate

    Trailer | Kim Yew - Filmmaker and trader with 100% win rate

    So you know about Ukraine, you know about Gaza, but did you know there’s an even bigger war raging in Africa? At least in terms of death toll. i'm referring to the war in the Congo. Even though millions have died and many thousands are still dying, it’s a conflict that's hardly reported. 

    My guest for this episode is a man who set out to make a film about what’s been going on, and in so doing put an assassin’s mark on his back. 
    Kim Yew, filmmaker and trader, talks to me about film and his absolutely extraordinary win rate trading with a proprietary fibonacci tool and a strategy he learnt from Alla Peters-Plocher.


    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 1 min
    Will Nutting - how to invest like a contrarian

    Will Nutting - how to invest like a contrarian

    Shoot for the skies as a day trader or bypass leverage altogether and aim for a 10% return investing in stocks? 

    Writer and investor, Will Nutting, prefers the latter. For one thing, it gives him more time to travel around the world exploring investing possibilities of ten overlooked by the mainstream. 

    Will runs a successful fund, also Nuttstuff, a newsletter which he describes as ‘No nonsense, common sense, stock ideas and conclusions.’ 
    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 46 min
    Trailer 90 | Zack van Niekerk - co-founder of The Trading Cafe

    Trailer 90 | Zack van Niekerk - co-founder of The Trading Cafe

    We can probably all agree trading has some bad connotations. Gambling and scam being the two words that readily spring to mind. 
    My next guest is first and foremost an entrepreneur in online education. He’s not in fact a trader. But he passionately hates gambling and wanted to introduce some fresh transparency and genuine education to the trading world. 
    So, a few years ago, Zack van Niekerk teamed up with a man who does trade and together they created The Trading Cafe and The Trading Academy. 
    If you haven’t yet managed to be consistently profitable in your trading, or you’re looking for some new ideas to pepper into your strategy, I highly recommend you stick around. 

    ==





    Support the showPlease follow A Trader's Life on Twitter.

    And if you're a trader with some stories you'd like to share and you'd like to be on the how, don't hesitate to reach out: nic.penrake@gmail.com.

    Link up with me on Li.

    • 1 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
5 Ratings

5 Ratings

Charlie Burton trading ,

Charlie Burton

The interview Nick did with me was excellent with thorough questions and research from his side. A pleasure and honour to be on his show!!

Simon @ IX Media ,

I love tuning into this excellent podcast for traders!

Nic’s ability to share his honest experiences of his ongoing trading journey is immensely valuable to all traders from beginner level to experienced and can help you understand what it really takes to win at trading.

His first-person narrative is brilliantly written, descriptive and reflective (think of listening to a good Philip Marlowe detective audio book!) and I’m sure many traders will find themselves nodding along in agreement.

The content is peppered with numerous useful trading tips along the way, raw and witty accounts of trades won - and lost – plus great interviews with invited experts.

Don’t miss this very enjoyable way to learn how to trade!

Simon Campbell
CEO IX Media

Kym Watson ,

A great variety of interviews

Nic has done a great job putting together these interviews. He has spoken to so many different types of trader, that there has to be something for everyone. There are so many wise words and experiences shared, that I would recommend that all new traders should give them all a listen.

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