Book Synopsis
An inside look at what it really takes to become a better trader
A proprietary trading firm consists of a group of professionals who trade the capital of the firm. Their income and livelihood is generated solely from their ability to take profits consistently out of the markets. The world of prop trading is mentally and emotionally challenging, but offers substantial rewards to the select few who can master this craft called trading.
In One Good Trade: Inside the Highly Competitive World of Proprietary Trading, author Mike Bellafiore shares the principles and techniques that have enabled him to navigate the most challenging of markets over the past twelve years. He explains how he has imparted those techniques to an elite desk of traders at the proprietary trading firm he co-founded. In doing so, he lifts the veil on the inner workings of his firm, shedding light on the challenges of prop trading and insight on why traders succeed or fail.
An important contribution to trading literature, the book will help all traders by:
- Emphasizing the development of skills that are critical to success, such as the fundamentals of One Good Trade, Reading the Tape, and finding Stocks In Play
- Outlining the factors that really make the difference between a consistently profitable trader and one who underperforms
- Sharing entertaining, hysterical, and page turning stories of traders who have excelled or failed and why, many trained by the author, with an essential trading principle wrapped inside
Becoming a better trader takes discipline, skill development, and statistically profitable trading strategies, and this book will show you how to develop all three.
From the Back Cover
Praise for
ONE GOOD TRADE
"Bellafiore is a committed and dedicated trader and teacher of the profession. His book shows the same attention to detail and the finer points of making a career in trading."
--Howard Lindzon, cofounder and CEO, StockTwits
"A terrific book for traders who desire to gain a complete understanding of the inner workings of proprietary trading and what it takes to become a consistently successful trader."
--Charles E. Kirk, The Kirk Report
"If you've ever desired to journey into the professional world of a leading proprietary trading firm--how they organize their strategies, train new traders, select stocks in play, and even fight the mental game of trading, then One Good Trade is certainly the book for you."
--Corey Rosenbloom, CMT, President, Afraid to Trade
"One Good Trade is the only book I know that truly takes readers inside the proprietary trading world and explains what it takes to achieve career-long success."
--Brett N. Steenbarger, PhD, author, TradeFeed blog and The Daily Trading Coach
"With One Good Trade, Mike Bellafiore gives you a front-row seat to see what it takes to become a successful trader in today's volatile markets. The stories and examples of how some traders achieve incredible wealth and how others crash and burn are great lessons for any aspiring trader."
--Tim Bourquin, cofounder, www.TraderInterviews.com
"One Good Trade provides an insider view to the world of proprietary trading. If you are new to trading, you will learn that successful trading requires a lot of hard work, resiliency, discipline, continuous introspection, and a courageousness to challenge yourself and adapt."
--Jason Gardner, Managing Director, Head of Trading, Kershner Trading Group
"Exceptional care coupled with a standard of excellence and attention to detail is the mantra that is at the foundation of SMB. Mike and Steve have created a unique and insightful angle to the development of new traders."
--Nadav Sapeika, Chief Operating Officer, T3 Live, LLC / T3 Capital Management, LLC
"This book is a must-read for all developing traders and those who are interested in a good read about the behind-the-scenes goings on of a successful trading business."
--Brian Shannon, author of Technical Analysis Using Multiple Timeframes
About the Author
MIKE BELLAFIORE is a cofounder of SMB Capital, a proprietary trading firm in New York City. He has had numerous trading articles published in SFO Magazine. SMB regularly appears on CNBC and TheStreet.com. SMB also hosts four trading shows a week on StockTwits TV, the first Web-native finance television network. Bellafiore's trading strategies have been featured in Brett Steenbarger's book, The Daily Trading Coach, and his trader training program was recently highlighted in Trader Monthly and on the TV documentary Wall Street Warriors. Bellafiore is a regular contributor to the SMB blog, which provides market stories and trading advice. He was a speaker at the 2009 Traders Expo in New York. Bellafiore is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and a former member of the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees.
