Stephen here—today I want to introduce you to my friend and colleague, Justin Spittler.
Longtime RiskHedge readers know Justin as our Director of Trading. His approach to markets is simple, direct, and different from mine. Justin studies thousands of charts a week to identify the strongest stocks, then recommends trades to profit from them. He’s built a great reputation and track record and has been helping RiskHedge readers make money since 2019.
Below, Justin and I talk about how he got over the hump to become a professional trader… why we disagree on red-hot nuclear stocks… and more. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just curious about trading, I think you’ll find our talk useful.
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Stephen McBride: Justin, you started as a research analyst 10 years ago writing about gold. How’d you become a trader?
Justin Spittler: Early on, I loved digging into individual companies and looking for long-term winners. But I quickly realized that one factor drives stock prices above all else: money flows. A stock’s chart is just a visual representation of money flowing in and out.
If I have an “edge,” it’s that I’ve studied thousands of charts a week for going on 10 years now. So any situation that comes up in markets, I’ve seen a similar one before. And if it’s possible to make money from it, I’ll know and I’ll let my members know.
Over time, I developed an ability to see patterns that lead to rising stock prices, which has helped me significantly outperform the market.
Stephen: Our Jolt readers love stories about companies like Nvidia (NVDA) or Tesla (TSLA) that are changing the game. How does your trading work tie into that?
Justin: Disruption is the heartbeat of the market—it’s what’s driving the biggest financial trends. Trading is a tool to profit from these trends in real time. My job is to spot those moves early and help our community capture the profits.
The big advantage of trading is the ability to buy a stock early in its uptrend. We often own a great stock long before its financial “fundamentals” suggest it’s a buy. I’m a big believer that stock prices usually lead fundamentals.
Mindset is important in trading. I only care about one thing: Can this stock make my members money right now? I don’t worry about a company’s future in a quarter or two. Approaching it this way gives clarity.
Stephen: Give me example?
Justin: Next-gen nuclear stocks are red hot right now. These are the companies that make small nuclear reactors that can fit inside a garage.
All sorts of questions are swirling: Are they the real deal? Is this tech six months away, or 10 years? What about regulation?
These are questions for you to figure out, Stephen. For me, I’m just interested in profiting from stocks like Oklo (OKLO), which has ripped from $17.50 to $55 in two months.
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Stephen: The best next-gen nuclear companies are actually private. I’ve visited them. So I’d say don’t buy these stocks. There are better companies out there.
Justin: I’m sure you are correct. The difference is I don’t care why nuclear stocks are surging 200% in two months. I just care about making money for my members from the surge.
Stephen: Yes, that’s the investing vs. trading mindset in a nutshell.
We’ve heard from readers who want to start trading... but worry they won’t have enough time to research, monitor, and manage their trades. What do you say to folks who think trading = a huge time commitment?
Justin: It’s a legit concern. It’s tempting to want to be glued to a screen eight hours a day, consuming every piece of financial news. But that’s exhausting and counterproductive.
The reality is, most information is just noise. Two to five hours a week is plenty time to become successful at trading, once you know what to focus on.
Stephen: So what do you focus on?
Justin: I have a three-step framework.
First, I focus on stocks in surging industries—think tech during COVID or biotech when gene-editing stocks like Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) were breaking out.
Right now, themes like next-gen nuclear tech, certain artificial intelligence stocks, and gaming are surging. In “the room,” I recommended Roblox Corp. (RBLX)—a gaming leader—to profit. (We’re up 29% in a little over a month on this one.)
Next, I look for stocks forming a “launchpad range”—a tight, sideways pattern that signals a big move is coming. We seized this opportunity with GE Vernova (GEV), and we’re up 29% with this one too in a little over a month.
Third, I track trading volume to see where big money is pouring in. These are the vertical lines you see at the bottom of a chart. This helped us make a 30% gain on Celestica (CLS) in about a month.
Charts are my North Star. They tell me what’s actually happening, not what CNBC thinks is happening.
Stephen: What’s a tip for an aspiring trader?
Justin: Start small and develop a system you can stick with. The right mindset is everything. Trading isn’t about getting rich quick—it’s about discipline and consistency. I live by the 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle)... 20% of your trades will drive 80% of your profits.
Also, don’t catch falling knives. When a stock is in freefall, it’s usually for a reason.
Most importantly, protect your capital. Cut your losses quickly and let your winners snowball into bigger profits.
Stephen: Before we go, tell us a little more about the RiskHedge Live trading room. What’s it like? Do people need to be there all day?
Justin: The trading room is the heart of RiskHedge Live. I’m in there during regular market hours, Monday through Friday, sharing real-time trades, breaking down charts, and posting trade alerts.
It’s not just me talking at you—it’s a community. Members share ideas, ask questions, and bounce thoughts off each other.
I keep things clear and actionable. You can hang out all day, and some members do. Or you can pop in for 10 minutes, catch up in the “Chat and Ideas” channel, or watch my Monday Market Huddle videos for the week’s playbook.
Stephen: Thanks, Justin. We’ve worked together for five-plus years now, and even though your approach is different from mine, I have a lot of respect for your way of making money in markets, which has directly benefitted many RiskHedge readers.
Reader, if you want to learn more about the RiskHedge Live trading room, go here now. There, you’ll find a special, limited-time discount if you’re ready to jump in.