“I loved stock market movies. I just had no idea anything outside stocks even existed.”

• How did he lose his first account, and what did he learn from it?
• In which market did he earn his first big payout with Fintokei?
• What is the biggest myth about trading that he’d like to debunk?

Lukáš, let’s start from the beginning. When did trading first grab your attention?

I had dreams of becoming a broker ever since I was a kid. Back then, I had no idea that trading outside stocks even existed, but I loved stock market movies. I opened my first real account when I was nineteen with Plus500. I deposited one thousand crowns there. I made almost 300% profit and felt like a king… until I lost it all, of course. 😀 I think every trader has to go through a similar experience to understand the reality and complexity of this whole thing.

Three hundred percent must sound like paradise to a beginner trader! What came next?

I got another glimpse into the markets when I worked as an investment broker. I became friends with the company’s chief analyst, who gave me my first book on trading and introduced me to the concept of a behavioral trading strategy: a combination of technical analysis and trading psychology. For a long time, he was my role model of a trader who combines hard skills with ease and humor. And I think that is absolutely key for long-term mental resilience.

And what inspires you today? Do you follow any podcasts?

I don’t have any social media as a trader. Twitter blocked my account years ago, even before the AI era, when I was testing RPA options for monitoring crypto. 😀 Recently, I have been trading mainly based on fundamentals and political news. As for podcasts, I like Ve vatě and Pro bohatší život. Neither of them is primarily about trading, but they give me a broader view of what’s happening and help me grow personally.

“I lost an account because of a time zone. Even though I was in profit overall.”

Let’s move on to prop trading. When did you try it for the first time?

About eight years ago with FTMO. I turned my very first challenge into a real account. But I never made it to a payout. The problem was absurd: I was using an Australian broker with CET, while FTMO’s rules used CE(S)T. I interpreted it differently. I lost the account because of the time difference and a breach of the maximum daily loss rule, even though I was in profit overall. That hurt.

That must have been really frustrating. How did you return to prop trading?

At that time, I was starting out as a data analyst, so I didn’t have much time or space for it. Every now and then I tried a challenge, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it. Then last year, Fintokei caught my eye. Mainly because you offered greater variety in accounts and rules. Over time, I went through all account types and reached a payout in every one of them. The first big one came around the turn of the year. I caught the gold and silver rush at the right moment.

Silver has seen a lot of movement recently. Are you still watching it?

I’m curious to see where silver stops and what price level will trigger consolidation. But at the same time, I’m not financially dependent on trading; data analysis is still my main source of income. So the stress and pressure are not that extreme. I take losses as part of the whole thing. Natural, just like the alternation of day and night.

“People make tons of small mistakes like that. The important thing is to see them as part of the story.”

What is your trading strategy? Do you have any trade you are especially proud of?

Honestly, I don’t have one specific trade I’m particularly proud of. My strategy is more about multiple smaller trades, a combination of adjusting volume along the way and moving SL/TP to maximize potential. Of course, it often happens that I reassess something and close a trade. And that can be a huge mistake. Once, for example, I closed NATGAS before the weekend, still in the afternoon. And by the end of the trading session, it moved about 7%, which would have meant successfully completing the phase if I had waited just a few more hours.

But people make tons of small mistakes like that, and it’s important to take them as part of the story.

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What does your typical trading day look like?

In practice, my day is about trying to balance work, family, and occasionally finding a few moments for trading. Since I’m not primarily a trader, I accept that this is perfectly fine. Sometimes I think I should go to bed later, especially on Sundays when the market opens after the weekend and there are often plenty of opportunities. But the Monday alarm is the Monday alarm. 😀

“Opportunities come and go. And it has never been any different.”

What is the biggest myth about trading you would like to bust?

Success is not about never making mistakes, but about trying not to repeat them. Under market pressure, that can be very difficult, but it’s important to look back at your mistakes, think about them, and learn from them. And then there is this one: if I don’t take this opportunity, I’ll miss out. Opportunities come and go. It has always been that way and always will be.

To wrap things up: what advice have you taken with you? The best advice you have ever received?

Never give up. If you do, you’ve lost. Simple as that. But it’s true.

Lukáš, thank you for the interview, and we wish you many successful trades and calm Sunday evenings!