Reference

Retail traders' actual edges:

1. Wider universe of products — institutions have mandates limiting what they can trade (liquidity/risk constraints). You don't.

2. Customer flow flag — you can see where retail is piling in.

3. Scale — things that make money are simpler under $100M, even simpler under $1M. Above that is a much harder problem.

Key insight: Most retail traders blow up trading ES (S&P futures) where institutions HAVE to execute. Trade "dumber" products instead — small/micro caps, less liquid futures. ES has the worst edge/var ratio of basically any futures product.

Simple parameters for growth stock selection:

1. Great product, service and brand
2. Rising sales QoQ and YoY
3. Rising EPS QoQ and YoY (or EPS turning positive)
4. Increasing institutional sponsorship (500-1000 fund range is prime)
5. Technically: near support, at breakout, or within base (near 50d or 200d MA)

Philosophy: CANSLIM foundation. Hold positions over time. Cut losers quicker, take profits when technicals extend (100%+ above 200d MA). 95% of people should just own index funds.

Portfolio structure: Growth (active), IRA (passive), Index Funds (passive), Crypto (active & passive). Growth account = ~25% of investable net worth.