Author: Chris Flores, Founder | March 13, 2025
If you've found your way here, chances are you've experienced at least one of these scenarios:
- Watched a stock plummet seconds after buying the "perfect dip"
- Stayed up until 3 AM researching a company only to panic sell at the first sign of trouble
- Followed a "guru" who mysteriously disappeared after the market turned
- Explained to friends or family why you're still bullish on an investment that's down 70%
Welcome. You're among friends now.
How BTD Journal Began
BTD Journal wasn't born in a boardroom or dreamed up by a marketing team. It started with a catastrophic loss specifically, my third blown account while I was still in high school.
After losing $43,000 (money I had saved from years of side hustles and a small inheritance), I had two choices: quit trading forever or figure out why I kept failing. Being stubborn, I chose the latter.
What I discovered was that successful trading isn't about finding the perfect indicator or having insider information. It's about developing a systematic approach, managing risk properly, and perhaps most importantly mastering your own psychology.
The name "BTD Journal" comes from the trading mantra "Buy The Dip," but with an ironic twist. The "Journal" part represents the meticulous tracking and analysis that finally turned my trading around.
What You'll Find Here
This blog will be a no-BS zone where we'll discuss:
- Market Analysis: Not the surface-level stuff you find everywhere, but deep dives into what's actually moving prices.
- Trading Psychology: How to recognize and overcome the mental traps that cause most traders to fail.
- Risk Management: Practical ways to protect your capital while maximizing returns.
- Trading System Development: How to build, test, and refine your own trading approach.
You'll also get behind-the-scenes looks at our apparel designs, each of which tells a story about the trading journey we're all on.
A Different Kind of Trading Community
I'm now a Finance and Economics major, but I still believe the most valuable lessons come from the market itself not textbooks. That's why BTD Journal exists: to share real experiences and practical knowledge without the hype.
You won't find promises of overnight riches here. What you will find is honest conversation about what works, what doesn't, and how to improve incrementally over time.
Join Us
Whether you're here for the apparel that speaks to your trading experience or for insights that might transform your approach to the markets, I invite you to:
- Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly trading insights
- Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BTDJournal
- Join our Discord community where we discuss setups, strategies, and occasionally commiserate over our losses
Thank you for being part of this journey. The markets may be unpredictable, but one thing is certain: we'll learn more together than we ever could alone.
Remember: In trading as in life, the goal isn't to avoid every dip it's to be prepared when they inevitably come.
—Chris Flores