I Met a Prop Firm CEO—Here’s What He Told Me

Author

Atif Hussain
March 18, 2025

In partnership with

Hey Mate,

I wasn’t expecting this.

A few weeks ago, a prop firm CEO DM’d me on X.

He told me things about prop firms that nobody talks about.

And what he said completely changed how I see them.

The Harsh Truth About Prop Firms

Everyone thinks the biggest reason traders fail is:

  • A bad strategy

  • Risk management mistakes

  • Not being disciplined enough

Nope.

The #1 reason traders fail is… they blow the max daily loss limit.

That’s it.

Most traders risk way too much, get emotional, and gamble their way through a challenge.

And what’s crazier?

The average time to pass a challenge is a few weeks—not a few days.

Yet, most traders act like they have 24 hours to make it happen.

Here’s What the Top 5% Do Differently

According to the CEO, less than 5% of traders make almost all the payouts.

What do they have in common?

  • They take fewer than 10 trades a month.

  • They pass challenges over weeks, not days.

  • They treat their prop firm account exactly like their real account.

They don’t try to pass in one go.
They don’t revenge trade.
They don’t gamble.

A Quick Tip from Atif

When I spoke to the CEO, one thing became clear: the best traders think long-term.

That’s why I make sure I’m always seeing the full picture of the market.

One of my favorite tools for this is The Daily Upside.

It’s one of the only finance newsletters I actually read because it skips the hype and delivers sharp market insights in minutes.

A lot of traders waste time scrolling Twitter for news—this is a much better way to stay ahead.

If you’re serious about trading, you’ll love it.

Smarter Investing Starts with Smarter News

Cut through the hype and get the market insights that matter. The Daily Upside delivers clear, actionable financial analysis trusted by over 1 million investors—free, every morning. Whether you’re buying your first ETF or managing a diversified portfolio, this is the edge your inbox has been missing.

How to Pass Prop Firms

The CEO told me exactly how they make money:

  • Failed challenges. They profit from traders who over-leverage and blow their accounts.

  • Copy-trading the best traders. The tiny % who pass consistently are used for in-house strategies.

That’s it.

So if you actually want to pass, do the opposite of what most traders do.

  • Stop treating it like a lottery ticket.

  • Stop risking 3-5% per trade.

  • Stop trying to pass in 2 days.

The traders who move slow and trade like they already have a funded account are the ones who win.

Final Thoughts

If you keep failing prop firm challenges, the problem isn’t your strategy—it’s your mindset.

  • Trade like you already have the account.

  • Take it slow.

  • Execute like the 5%—not the 95% who fail.

I’d love to hear from you:

  • How many prop firm challenges have you taken?

  • What’s the biggest mistake that’s stopped you from passing?

Reply and let me know—I read every response.

Until next time,
Atif

P.S.

If you’re tired of failing prop firm challenges, I’ve put together everything I wish I knew when I first started.

You’ll learn exactly how to trade like the top 5%, master liquidity, and pass without gambling your account.