Credit Where Credit Is Due: Thank You!

If you're on StockTwits and follow the ES_F stream, then you're already familiar with @FuturesTrader71 (FT71 for short). He owns/runs a prop firm at the CBOT and has been very generous in openly sharing his knowledge with the large group of traders over on StockTwits. I recently began posting Volume Profile (Distribution) charts on the Blog, and an Anonymous user left a comment asking me to give FT71 his due credit. I use the Blog and my Twitter account in conjunction with each other, so it didn't even cross my mind to specifically credit FT71 since I've asked him several questions on the ES_F stream on StockTwits, and he also helped me setup the Volume Distribution chart in TradeStation.

I was in one of FT71's impromptu after-hours chat sessions earlier today, and he mentioned that some blogs/websites were posting charts similar to his, and weren't giving him due credit. A red flag went off in my mind immediately! I can assure you, that wasn't the intention. I've made it quite clear on Twitter and StockTwits that I'm new to Market Profile, and I post these charts to get feedback from traders better than myself. I would like to post a big public THANK YOU to FT71 for getting me interested in the Volume Profile charts, helping me set them up in TradeStation and sharing his real-time views on StockTwits. I've also learned some core Market Profile concepts from Matt Fahmie's Order Flow blog, so thanks to him as well.

Now, onto my next point: FT71 also mentioned that he noticed that some traders had recently completely revamped their trading style in an effort to duplicate his method, and were talking about Market Profile and Auction Market Theory as if they had been using it for years. As far as my trading method goes, it has NOT changed. I still look at the same areas every day, and use the same setups I was using last year. I've known about Market Profile and Auction Market Theory for quite a while now (before I ever read anything posted by FT71). I've had a very basic understanding of it from some readings from last year, and have been using VWAP, Value Area High and Value Area Low on my charts for a long time. The only thing I'm doing differently is incorporating Volume Profile in my nightly homework. I've always used price-created support/resistance levels in conjunction with Fib retracements/extensions, but now I also look at Volume Profile to find Confluence of support/resistance levels across price, volume and Fib levels.

Since we're on the topic of credit, lets move beyond FT71, and move on to other people who have had a positive impact on my trading. The two people who have had the biggest impact are Joe Baker and David Dube from Trade Pilot Pro. They are two of the best traders I've come to know, and they've taught me a LOT over the last year. Both have spent hours on the phone explaining market concepts to me over and over until I finally got it. I've been on the phone with Joe past midnight more than a few times, and I sincerely appreciate his help. A very big part of my trading method can be credited to these guys. So here's a big THANK YOU to David and Joe! I've also picked up several small things from Al Brooks' book: Reading Price Charts Bar by Bar. Last but not least, I'd like to thank my friend Ziad, who is an excellent trader. I've had great discussions with Ziad and he has helped me see what it takes to be a successful trader (recall his post on Learning to Become a Successful Trader).

I'd also like to thank the Anonymous user who brought this to my attention. Thanking the people who've helped you along the way is very important. I apologize if I missed someone, and I hope this clears things up going forward.