Meet Aurel Herrmann, one of our traders, who received an impressive $15,550 payout.
In this interview he’s telling about his strategies and what helps him trade on such a high level.
Spoiler: simplicity is the key!
We're excited to have a conversation with you and hear a little bit more about your trading journey. You have received $15,550 in payouts and even won one of the prizes at the New York give away recently!
Tell me, how did your trading journey start and how did you reach your current level?
Sure! Winning the New York competition was fantastic, and I even posted about it on LinkedIn. My journey started back in 2017. I was in high school, and there was this event called Gramspiel Börse. It involved using virtual capital to trade over eight weeks. I did really well, and I ended up being the top trader in my region. That success sparked my interest in trading. I started cautiously, investing around €5,000 to €10,000 of my own capital, with guidance from a mentor in Mallorca. He helped me navigate the trading world early on.
Are you still working with the same mentor?
No, I’ve changed mentors over time. In this field, it can be hard to identify who’s genuinely helpful and who’s not. I moved on from him years ago, but his early guidance was valuable.
You’ve mentioned in your earlier responses that you follow simple trading principles.
Can you tell me more about this approach?
Yes, simplicity is key. A couple of years ago, I almost branded myself as The Primitive Trader. I still might. Trading, at its core, is about buying low and selling high. I use very few indicators—just support and resistance areas, momentum, and divergences. I also rely on a program called Market Cipher, which is incredibly simple, using green dots, red dots, and money flow to signal trades. This minimalistic approach has worked well for me.
What’s your trading style? I’ve heard you mentioned scalping.
I mainly focus on intraday trading, ensuring that by the end of the day, 90% of my positions are closed. I don’t like holding positions overnight, especially with the current political and economic climate, where anything can change the next day. It helps me sleep well at night. I think that's the aspiration — to sleep like a baby in the night.
Has there ever been a time where you lost sleep over a trade?
Luckily, not with The Trading Pit, but when I was trading cryptos. Crypto markets never close — Bitcoin, Ethereum — they trade 24/7, even on Sundays . Sometimes I’d leave a position open, and it would be hard to relax, knowing the market could move at any moment.
How do you manage your emotions if something unexpected happens?
I think one of the biggest challenges for any trader—whether beginner, advanced, or somewhere in between—is to detach emotionally.
Do you manage to do that?
That’s one of the most crucial things in trading—keeping your emotions in check. If I said I had mastered it, that wouldn’t be true. But I’m definitely better than when I started. It all begins with routines. You can’t just jump into a trade as soon as you wake up and open your phone or trading account. I commit to analyzing the market for at least 10 minutes each morning — looking at the general trend of assets before making any decisions.
In the beginning, I used to rush in like a small child, thinking, "This is going to be the big move!" But over time, I realized that huge moves rarely happen. The key is mastering the small moves and being consistent.
What’s your daily routine as a trader?
I wake up around 8 a.m. I’m not an early bird but 8 a.m. is fine for me. I’ll go out on my terrace, visualize how my perfect trading day will look, then have a coffee or smoothie. After that, I check the economic calendar for major events and do my technical analysis. I recommend everyone check the economic calendar almost daily. It’s in your best interest to stay informed about upcoming events that could impact your trades. I avoid trading around big news events; I prefer calm, steady waters over volatility.
How do you keep developing your skills as a trader?
If you think you’re good, you stop improving. I attend events, buy mentorships, but I’m selective. You can’t just buy mentorship and think everything will fall into place. I recommend booking private sessions to get tailored advice. I’ve been to conferences in Stuttgart and Dubai, which opened my mind to new trading techniques. Even though I keep my trading simple, the markets are always evolving, so you need to stay open to change.
For example, bots and AI have become major players in the market. When a big news event happens, bots react instantly, buying assets in huge quantities. That’s why you’ll see sudden price spikes. Thirty years ago, this wasn’t as common, but now it’s a reality we all must adapt to. You need to constantly evolve and refine your strategies to stay ahead.
What’s your favorite asset to trade in 2024?
I love trading indices because they’re volatile, like Bitcoin or single stocks. The German DAX is my favorite—it tracks the 40 biggest companies and offers great opportunities.
And your least favorite? Any assets that betrayed you this year?
Bitcoin. The spreads are always high, which means you start in a big negative. It’s unpredictable—when it moves, it doesn’t have the natural balance that other assets have. For now, I avoid it.
Finally, what’s your trading motto or tip?
For me, it all comes down to discipline. This applies not just to trading but to every area of life. If you stick to your rules every single day—whether you feel like it or not—you will succeed. But those rules need to make sense for you. The second key is persistence. You can’t expect results in just four, five, or six months. You must keep learning, evolving, and pushing forward. In summary, my motto is: Discipline and persistence. Together, they make your dreams and goals a reality.
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