Trading mentoring from someone who’s been in the markets since 1985.

01

New traders

Starting out and not sure where to begin? I’ll walk you through how markets actually work: how exchanges, brokers and platforms fit together, how orders get filled, and what really moves prices, from economic data and central banks to the big money flows behind each day’s moves. We’ll map out sensible first steps, like practising on a demo account and building a plan, so you understand the game before real money’s on the line. The choices of what and where to trade stay yours.

02

Traders who are struggling

We go through your journal and completed trades and work out where your process is breaking down. Usually it’s overtrading, averaging down, moving stops or revenge trading. We’ll look at how your trading is structured, from your plan and risk rules to your daily routine, and stress-test any backtested or data-mined strategies you’re relying on: sample size, market conditions, costs and whether the edge is real. And we’ll talk about your state of mind when you trade, because how you feel after a loss or a winning streak often explains more than any chart.

03

Retirees taking it up

Taking up trading in retirement? Good on you. We can start from scratch, at your pace: how markets and brokers work, what a trading platform actually does, and how leverage can magnify losses as well as gains. I’ll walk you through the common pitfalls I’ve seen catch people out, like trading too big, chasing losses, “get rich quick” courses and scams. We’ll work out how trading can fit around the rest of your life, including which hours markets are open, so it stays an interest rather than a worry. You’ll practise on a demo account first and understand the risks properly before any real money is involved.

Covered

• Trading psychology and discipline
• How markets, exchanges and order types work
• The big picture: how economic data, central banks and global flows move markets, and how to account for them in your trading plan or system
• How different types of brokers work, and how to compare costs, regulation and platforms for yourself
• Risk management and position sizing concepts
• Trade planning, routines and record-keeping
• Getting comfortable with the platform you’ve chosen
• Reviewing your own closed trades and journal
• Reviewing your backtests: sample size, market conditions, costs, and why live results usually differ
• Using AI tools in your trading process, such as journaling, analysing your own trade data and testing ideas

Not covered

• Financial product advice or recommendations
• Financial planning, or advice for your personal situation
• What to buy, sell or hold, or which broker to use
• Trade signals, alerts or live calls
• Comment on open positions
• Placing orders or managing accounts
• Any promise of profits

About Richard Mahoney

Watch Bulls and Bears on YouTube

I started in the markets in 1985 and I’ve traded futures ever since. First in the pits at the Sydney Futures Exchange, then on screens once the floor closed. From 1992 I traded mostly my own capital, at times with a firm’s backing on a 90/10 profit split in my favour.

Over that time I’ve seen what keeps traders in the business and what takes them out. That’s what my sessions are about: process, discipline and managing risk. Not any particular strategy.

I still trade futures today, just from home and in a different style to the pit days. So I deal with the same markets, platforms and pressures you do. I never share my own trades as signals or recommendations.

Why I mentor

I’ve been trading for over 35 years, on the trading floor and on screens, with my own money on the line for most of it. I’ve made most of the mistakes and watched plenty of others make theirs. Now I’d like to pass some of that on.

Starting out in this game is tough. There’s a lot of noise, a lot of people selling something, and not many straight answers.

I also see a lot of young traders building strategies purely off backtests. They’re good with the data, often better than me. What the data doesn’t tell you is how everything fits together and why the market’s actually moving. That only comes from being around it a long time, and I’ve been around it a long time.

Richard

1. 1985

   Settlements clerk at The Australian Bank, Sydney

2. 1987–1989

   With brokerage firm All States Futures on the old SFE floor at Spring Street. Was there for the October 1987 crash

3. 1989–1992

   Broker with Tullett & Tokyo in the 10-year bond pit on the new SFE floor

4. 1992–1999

   Local on the SFE floor; large-volume trader in the 10-year bond pit

5. Mid-1990s

   Shareholder in United Capital Securities, a member firm of the Sydney Futures Exchange

6. 1996

   Traded on the floor in the 30-year bond pit at the Chicago Board of Trade

7. 1999

   Featured in “Bulls and Bears”, a documentary on the SFE’s move to electronic trading

8. 1999–2009

   Moved from the floor to screens as the SFE went electronic; traded my own capital as a shareholder in an SFE member firm

9. 2009–2011

   Trader, Silkroad Capital

10. 2012–2014

    Director and trader, Spectrum Capital

11. 2014–2017

    Trader, GFIN Group

12. 2017–2018

    Trader, Phoenix Trading Group

13. 2019–present

    Trading futures through my own company, Red Tower Trading, including the SPI 200

1. Free 30-minute call

A no-obligation call to see which program fits you: where you’re at, what you trade and what you’re after.

2. Clear agreement

Before we start paid sessions, you’ll get a written agreement that spells out what I do and what I don’t.

3. Regular sessions

Book in as often as suits you. We’ll work through your journal, your routine and your closed trades. Most sessions are online, but we can meet in person if needed. I like to see the setup you trade from.

Start with a free 30-minute call

Send me an email and we’ll set up a time. Online anywhere in Australia, or in person in Sydney.