Reinier Passed The CTI Traders Challenge And Here’s What He Learned

By Scott Geekie
October 3, 2022
7:56 am
Funded Traders

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Reinier, a trader from Germany, shares his journey from learning what doesn’t work—such as gambling-based systems like Martingale—to developing a solid, disciplined approach to trading. After five years of trading, he now focuses on trading with the trend using higher timeframes for direction and lower timeframes for precise entries. With a clear risk management system and a strong mindset, Reinier emphasizes that the first goal of trading is not to make money but to protect your capital.

Field	Details
Program	CTI Funded Account
Result	PASSED ✅
Win Rate	77% (High-consistency execution)
Experience	5 Years
Risk Management	Dynamic Capital Preservation (Risk reduction after targets)
Trade Management	Early Break-even protection
Trading Philosophy	Capital Protection First (Process-driven growth)
Primary Focus	Consistent gains & Exposure control
Validation	✅ Validated by CTI Risk Team

Key Challenges

Early Struggles:
Reinier began his trading journey by trying various ineffective systems, including gambling strategies like Martingale. Through trial and error, he realized these approaches don’t work in the long run.
Unlearning Bad Habits:
Early in his trading career, Reinier had to unlearn poor strategies and behaviour, like chasing too many trades and not following a strict process.

Turning Point

The turning point in Reinier’s trading journey came when he found a mentor and developed a simple, trend-following system based on higher timeframes for identifying trends and lower timeframes for entries. This shift toward simplicity and discipline allowed him to find consistency in his results.

Strategy and Approach

Reinier’s strategy revolves around trading with the trend. He uses weekly and daily charts to define the overall direction and makes entries on the one-hour and 15-minute charts. He emphasizes keeping his risk small and taking one trade at a time. Reinier also employs a unique risk management approach: He reduces risk after hitting his monthly target, allowing him to let trades run with minimal exposure to losses.

How He Overcame His Challenges

Capital Preservation Over Profit:
Reinier learned that protecting his capital is the key to long-term success. He focuses on reducing losses and managing risk, knowing that profits will come as long as he doesn’t lose too much capital early on.
Focusing on One Strategy:
By focusing on a single, straightforward strategy, Reinier trains his mind to spot the right setups easily, leading to more consistent trading.

Current Process and Success

Reinier maintains a high success rate of around 77%, with most of his trades being 1:1 risk-to-reward.
He uses a break-even strategy to reduce risk quickly and lets his winners run when possible.
He also emphasizes reviewing his trades regularly, learning from both his winning and losing trades to improve his performance.

Key Takeaways for Traders

Keep it Simple:
Focusing on one strategy allows you to find the best setups and avoid confusion in the market.
Capital Preservation is Key:
The first goal in trading is to keep your money. If you protect your capital, you’ll always have opportunities to make money in the future.
Focus on Process, Not Profits:
Consistency comes from adhering to a process. Profits will follow naturally if you manage your risk and avoid unnecessary losses.

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Scott Geekie

Scott Geekie is CTI’s Chief Marketing Officer, focused on growth and retention in prop trading. He has spent 8+ years inside the model — progressing from trader to intern, client relations, marketing manager and now CMO, a path that spans the full trader lifecycle: who a firm attracts, how traders behave once funded, and what actually drives long-term retention rather than short-term spikes. That perspective shapes how CTI grows: deliberate about who it brings in, attentive to behaviour beyond conversion metrics, and mindful that in this model small changes compound quickly. Scott is Certified in Content Marketing, SEO and AEO, and is the author of ‘The Trader in the Chair: A Story for Anyone Who’s Bled Quietly at the Charts.’

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