STP Algo Trader - User Blog

Welcome back to STP Algo Trader User Blog!

Each week, we'll bring you a unique perspective from a team member or STP user, detailing how they use the platform to power their trading.

We aim to demonstrate Signal Trader Pro's many use cases for everyday investors.

If you’d like to contribute a piece, please email us at [email protected] or just let us know in the WhatsApp! group.

Even if you just have an idea for a blog, we’d love to hear it.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s issue, brought to you by team member and amateur trader, Jessica Cadby

Since the day I was born, I’ve been a try-it-my-way-first kind of person—and that’s been a tough habit to break. I’ve had my fair share of painful lessons, but in hindsight, some of my most painful lessons have turned into my biggest strengths.

If there’s one thing failure has taught me, it’s the value of listening to people who’ve already been through the fire. Learning from others’ mistakes (instead of insisting on making my own) has saved me more than once.

When I got serious about trading a year ago the timing was… well, both excellent and terrible.

On the one hand, the market was in a solid uptrend. Confidence? High. Portfolio? Growing.

I was increasing my position sizes, feeling pretty sharp, and—for the first time—actually thinking, “Hey, maybe I do know what I’m doing.” I wasn’t fooling myself by believing I had mastered the art of trading, but let’s just say I was starting to strut a little.

Then the market pulled the rug out from under me during the recent correction.

Suddenly, it felt like I was back at square one, staring at the screen asking myself “What just happened!?” Man plans, the stock market laughs...

Who knew I’d ever feel like I could relate to an ostrich? I just wanted to stick my head in the sand and wait until the market returned to what I knew and loved.

Thankfully, STP helped keep my head on straight with the insights provided through the STP Algo Trader newsletters. If it weren’t for STP I probably would’ve let my losses run and been left with zero capital—and even less confidence—to take advantage of the best opportunities I’ve seen yet.

STP’s shift in strategy saved my portfolio from giving back all the gains I’d worked so hard for over the past year.

I’m going to step outside my comfort zone here, and share with you all my actual portfolio performance...

Here’s my cumulative performance compared to the three major indices from August 2024 (when I started to get more comfortable trading and increased my position sizes) through January 2025 -

Not too shabby, right?

Now, I’m not here to brag and claim that I’m some trading prodigy who was born to beat the market. That’s not the case at all.

My point is to show the power in harnessing the tools, strategies and market wisdom that STP provides.

It’s like that classic saying - “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” only with STP it’s - “Give a person a trade, they win for a day. Teach them the strategy, they win for a lifetime.”

What I love about STP is that it doesn’t just throw trade ideas at you. It gives you winning strategies curated from 30 years of experience and teaches you why they work, empowering both the beginner (ME) and the seasoned trader.

I think we all can agree that life doesn’t just hand out shortcuts, but STP feels like one (the long-lasting kind, not the “lose all your money in meme stocks” kind). It’s accelerated my understanding of the market and given me a legit framework to trade with confidence.

Has it all been smooth sailing? Of course not. I’ve had setbacks. I’ve made mistakes (and continue to do so). The recent correction was my biggest psychological test yet—fear, FOMO, panic, confusion, frustration… they all came knocking.

After getting smacked by the market downturn, there was officially no room left for my usual ‘I’ll figure it out myself’ routine. I had to wave the white flag and lean on STP—plus the MVPs in the STP WhatsApp group chat (cue the Nine Inch Nails’ song ‘We’re In This Together’).

Here is my cumulative portfolio performance from the past year -

Now, I’m not as proud of my performance since February. Listening to STP though and staying disciplined after taking such heavy losses was my saving grace. I went from feeling two steps ahead… to one giant step back… to now three steps ahead.

It’s safe for you to assume that I strayed from the plan sometimes. Had I bought more when Enrique was shouting it from the rooftops in the STP WhatsApp chat, I would be closer to the alpha I was achieving prior to the market meltdown.

Volatility doesn’t scare me anymore though - in fact, it excites me. Call me crazy, but now that I understand how to play it, it feels more like opportunity than chaos.

Yes, corrections bring pain and, as you can see, I certainly felt that. But I’ve learned they also provide rare opportunities where investors can make most of their money.

With STP, I feel like I now have the tools to take advantage of those moments rather than panic.

The recent bounce has been kind of boring for me. Don’t get me wrong—it’s nice seeing some gains come back, but I’m not interested in chasing a rally that doesn’t have real legs.

Most traders may be feeling a bit of relief and jumping back into the stock market with the recent win streak, but I’m patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop.

If the market decides to pull the rug again, which history has shown it is likely to do, I’ll be ready this time.

I’d love to hear from my fellow Signal Trader Pro users! Do you also have a “do-it-my-way-first” mentality? How were you feeling after the market plunged? Drop a comment, let us know in the STP Whatsapp group chat or email us and let’s connect!

Click here for more information and to sign up for the market’s best algorithmic trading platform, Signal Trader Pro.