In our latest TTP podcast, we sat down with Lama - a trader and the founder of Alpha Woman, a community that is all about the habits that keep traders consistent: risk management, emotional control, and building time freedom. Lama shared the biggest takeaways from her journey and the practical tools she uses every day.
Lama began trading three years ago, motivated by time freedom. She now leads Alpha Woman, hosting global events and workshops that blend financial literacy (budgeting, saving, managing debt) with practical trading education - especially to help women grow skills and confidence in markets.
The 1% Rule: A Simple Anchor for Risk
Lama’s core rule is straightforward: risk a maximum of 1% per trade. With a fixed, pre-calculated position size, losses remain manageable and emotions stay out of the driver’s seat. On days with U.S. high-impact news, she reduces exposure even further, or stands aside, rather than gambling on volatility spikes.
Practical tips:
Pre-compute lot sizes for your account and instruments.
Take partials, then move your stop to break-even to let a runner work without stress.
If you’re on a prop evaluation, re-read the rules regularly- rules can change, and discipline protects your account.
Emotions: 80% of the Game
Technical skills are learnable; the harder part is psychological. Lama teaches traders to name and manage greed (over-trading, FOMO) and fear (exiting winners too early). Regular webinars in her community focus on recognizing these triggers and replacing impulse with rules.
Journaling: How to Break Your Losing Patterns
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. Journaling reveals repeating emotional patterns - like revenge trading after a loss or chasing during news. Lama tracks instrument, risk %, entry/exit, P/L, and notes in a simple spreadsheet to keep decisions data-driven.
How to start:
Log every trade the moment you place it.
Tag the emotional context (calm, rushed, FOMO).
Review weekly to spot patterns; set a rule to address each one (e.g., “After 2 losses, stop for the day”).
Focus on Fewer Markets
Lama favors GBPUSD, USDCAD, and Gold. Specializing builds pattern recognition and patience. Fewer charts = higher quality setups and less over-trading. If it takes a week to find a clean trade, that’s fine - the goal is consistency, not constant action.
Prop Firm Structure = Discipline
Prop rules (daily loss limits, maximum drawdown, news restrictions) can be a framework for good behavior. Lama credits this structure with helping traders detach from screens, avoid gambling during news, and keep trading a healthy, repeatable routine.
For Beginners: Expect a Longer Runway
Lama is candid: don’t expect to make money in the first two years. If your technicals aren’t ready, reduce size or go back to demo. Don’t chase the money; chase clean results- profits follow process.
A Note on Women in Trading
From Lama’s perspective, many women thrive because they follow rules and avoid over-risking- traits that suit disciplined trading. Her mission with Alpha Woman is to empower more women to build financial skills and multiple income streams - without sacrificing life priorities.
Key Takeaways You Can Apply Today
Set a hard 1% cap on risk; pre-compute sizes.
Trade a small watchlist you know deeply.
Journal to expose (and fix) emotional loops.
Step aside or scale down during red-folder news.
Measure progress by rule-following, not just P/L.
Watch the full conversation
Catch the full podcast episode with Lama for the complete discussion on risk, psychology, and purposeful trading
