Chat With Traders

We’re joined by Jamaal Ghauri, a trader and fund manager who began his journey unusually early — first exposed to crypto markets as a teenager during Bitcoin’s early adoption phase, before moving into stocks and eventually options. Jamal walks through the full arc of his development as a trader: early overconfidence, aggressive options bets, a rapid run-up followed by a major drawdown, and the hard lessons that ultimately forced him to rethink risk, position sizing, and process. From there, he explains how he rebuilt by focusing on more structured setups, volatility awareness, and consistency over time. We discuss the evolution of his core strategies — including swing trades, breakout-style setups, and short-term options structures — and how those approaches are now applied within a multi-strategy fund he launched in 2025. Jamal also shares how he thinks about trade distribution, win rates versus loss severity, and why discipline and risk management ultimately mattered more than finding the “perfect” setup. As always, this conversation is about understanding how a trader thinks, how strategies evolve over time, and how real-world risk shows up differently than it does on paper. Links + Resources: Connect with Jamaal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaal-ghauri-282947172/ Time Stamps: Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads. 00:00 – Intro and Background 02:37 – Early Interest in Financial Markets 07:08 – Transition to Stock Trading 08:46 – Early Stock Trading Experiences 09:37 – Shift to Options Trading 10:32 – Learning Options Trading 11:22 – Developing a Trading Strategy 14:51 – First Successful Trades 19:04 – Account Growth and Setbacks 21:00 – Impact of the COVID Crash 32:06 – New Trading Strategies Post-Crash 37:24 – Becoming Profitable 38:22 – Performance in 2022 and 2023 41:07 – Establishing a Hedge Fund 44:40 – Hedge Fund Strategies 50:34 – Current Challenges and Advice Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast: Trade The Pool:  ⁠http://www.tradethepool.com⁠ Trading Disclaimer: Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quiet, end-of-year reflection on the middle stage of trading — where progress is subtle, patterns are familiar, and the real work happens internally. Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast: ●       Trade The Pool:  ⁠⁠⁠http://www.tradethepool.com⁠⁠ Trading Disclaimer:  Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we examine what actually happens when crypto markets break — how leverage builds beneath the surface, liquidity disappears, and liquidation cascades turn volatility into systemic failure. Doug Colkitt, a quantitative trader and DeFi builder whose experience spans both traditional finance and crypto market structure. Doug began his career on Wall Street at Citigroup before moving into high-frequency trading at Citadel during the 2008 financial crisis. He later built and traded his own systems across futures, volatility products, and international equities, including running a major market-making operation in Turkish stocks. Today, Doug focuses on crypto and DeFi infrastructure, working with perpetual futures, liquidation mechanics, and exchange design. We discuss why traders still get wiped out when they think they’re hedged, how liquidation cascades accelerate, and what recent market failures reveal about leverage and market structure under stress. Links +Resources: Ambient Finance on X (Twitter): @AmbientFinance Website: https://ambient.finance Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast: ●       Trade The Pool:  ⁠⁠http://www.tradethepool.com⁠⁠    Time Stamps: Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads. 00:00:00  Intro and Background 00:03:43  Starting Individual Trading and High Frequency Systems 00:04:09  Focus on Index Futures and Competitive Markets 00:06:15  Michael Lewis's 'Flash Boys' and HFT Accuracy 00:07:00  Impact of HFT on Smaller Traders 00:09:13  Market Makers and Price Competition 00:09:37  HFT Evolution and Market Dynamics 00:11:24  Trading VIX Futures and Market Inefficiencies 00:13:08  Transitioning to Medium Frequency Trading 00:13:34  Trading Turkish Equities and Market Makings 00:15:35  Exploring Cryptocurrency Trading 00:18:32  Diving into Decentralized Finance (DeFi) 00:20:06  Arbitrage Opportunities in Crypto Markets 00:22:00  Flash Loans and Risk-Free Trading 00:22:48  Adjustments to Trading Bots Over Time 00:25:11  Criteria for Trusting Decentralized Exchanges 00:28:46  Liquidity Providing and Yield Opportunities 00:29:16  Volatility and Risks in Liquidity Provisioning 00:31:47  Understanding Perpetual Contracts in Crypto 00:36:04  October 10, 2025 Crypto Massacre Overview 00:37:36  Leverage and Market Dynamics 00:41:23  Impact of Liquidations on Market Sentiment 00:41:43  Market Maker Behavior During Crises 00:43:45  Liquidity Issues in Centralized Exchanges 00:44:53 Hyper Liquid Vault and Liquidation Dynamics 00:45:55 Market Making Strategies and Risk Management 00:49:15 Insurance Fund Models in DeFi 00:51:43 Ambient Finance Project Overview 00:53:08 Separation of Exchange and Clearinghouse 00:54:14 Innovations in Perpetual Trading 00:55:46 Takeaways from the October 10th Massacre 00:57:03 Future Plans for Insurance Fund Integration 00:58:28 Real World Assets and Crypto Integration Trading Disclaimer:  Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Returning guest Vincent Bruzzese — trader, former statistics professor, poker player, and former Hollywood behavioral analyst — joins Tessa for a candid discussion about navigating one of the most narrative-driven markets in years. Known online as “Hari Seldon” in the Real Day Trading community, Vincent is recognized for posting his trades live and delivering multiple years of standout performance, with returns north of 60% and even 80%.  In this episode, Vincent talks about why traders are struggling with discipline, how sentiment and storylines are overpowering both fundamentals and technicals, and what separates structured trading from gambling. He also shares how tools like his walkaway analysis help reinforce better habits and improve decision-making. Tessa and Vincent dig into mindset, process, relative strength, risk management, and how he rebuilt after blowing up his account twice. They also explore the emotional side of trading in a market that often feels disconnected from reality — and how traders can stay grounded despite the chaos.   Links +Resources:  ●      Follow Vincent on Reddit:  ⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/RealDayTrading/⁠ ●      Follow Vincent on X:  ⁠@RealDayTrading⁠ ●      Vincent on CWT ⁠Episode 255⁠ ●      Vincent can also be found in the OneOption Chat Rooms Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:   ●       Trade The Pool:  ⁠http://www.tradethepool.com⁠    Time Stamps: Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads.   ●     00:00:00  Intro and Background ●     00:07:13  Market Analysis and Trading Strategies ●     00:09:00  Trading Mindset and Emotional Challenges ●     00:11:07  Market Trends and Skepticism ●     00:13:08  Market Irrationality and Future Predictions ●     00:14:41  Valuation Concerns and Institutional Influence ●    00:15:19  Psychological Aspects of Trading ●    00:16:30  Narratives and Market Bubbles ●    00:18:00  Passive Income Strategies in Trading ●    00:21:57  Long-term Investment Strategies ●    00:21:25  Personal Trading Experiences ●    00:24:08  Learning from Trading Losses ●    00:25:12  The Journey to Becoming a Trader ●    00:25:58  Mindset and Trading Psychology ●    00:30:45  Identifying and Avoiding Bad Trades ●    00:32:58  Overcoming Trading Challenges ●    00:37:48  Trading Strategies and Market Analysis ●    00:40:52  Current Market Conditions and Trading Decisions ●    00:43:20  Portfolio Management and Trading Style ●    00:46:39  Trading Preparation and Daily Routine ●    01:01:25  Navigating Market Volatility and Uncertainty ●    01:05:41  Final Thoughts on Trading and Market Dynamics   Trading Disclaimer:  Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christian Carreon returns to Chat With Traders nearly three years after his first appearance, where he shared his remarkable journey through stage-five kidney failure and the discipline it forged in him as a trader. Today, he brings an even deeper perspective—on markets, on patience, and on the Box Strategy that has become his signature. Christian is a breakout trend trader who waits for compression, defines his levels meticulously, and only commits when price breaks cleanly from the “box” with tight risk and clear direction. In this conversation, he walks us through how his approach has evolved, how he sizes up with confidence, and why patience inside consolidation is the foundation of every edge he has. From day-trading futures for cash flow to swing-trading leading stocks for growth, Christian shares the discipline, structure, and gratitude that guide both his trading and his life.   Links + Resources:  ●      Follow Christian on X:  @trading_boxes ●      Christian on NinjaTrader Live ●      Christian on CWT Episode 254   Sponsor of Chat With Traders Podcast:  ●       Trade The Pool:  http://www.tradethepool.com   Time Stamps: Please note: Exact times will vary depending on current ads. ● 00:00 Intro and Background ● 05:23 Kidney Donation Journey ● 06:37 Recovery Process After Transplant ● 09:45 Mental Focus During Recovery ● 12:51 Trading Goals and Adjustments ● 12:09 Risk Management in Trading ● 12:38 Sizing Up and Position Management ● 15:24 Identifying Trading Opportunities ● 16:23 Market Conditions and Trading Strategy ● 17:28 Support and Resistance Analysis ● 19:00 Using Indicators for Trading ● 22:48 Influence of News on Trading ● 24:00 Box Strategy Overview ● 27:18 Adapting Trading Strategies ● 29:40 Trading Discipline and Limits ● 32:10 Managing Investor Funds ● 33:15 Handling Market Events ● 36:03 Investor Mistakes and Adaptation ● 47:04 Reflections on Trading Journey ● 50:34 Catch up with Tessa Trading Disclaimer: Trading in the financial markets involves a risk of loss. Podcast episodes and other content produced by Chat With Traders are for informational or educational purposes only and do not constitute trading or investment recommendations or advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices