$80. That’s the payout that launched this prop firm success story. Leon, a 19-year-old trader from a small Croatian village, had been struggling for 2.5 years before that first withdrawal. Today, he manages over $300,000 in funded trading accounts across multiple prop firms.
This isn’t a get-rich-quick story. It’s a funded trader interview about finding a mechanical trading strategy, trusting the process, and why your first prop firm payout matters more than its size. In this exclusive ThinkCapital YouTube interview, Leon reveals exactly how he did it.
Leon’s Prop Trading Journey: Key Stats
| Age | 19 years old |
| Location | Small village, Croatia |
| Trading Experience | 3 years (started at age 16) |
| Time to Consistent Profitability | 2.5 years |
| Profitable For | 4-5 months (started picking up in June) |
| First ThinkCapital Payout | $80 (1% profit on $10K account) |
| Total Payouts from $10K Account | 5-6 payouts |
| Current ThinkCapital Funding | $60,000 (50K funded + 25K Phase 2 + 10K funded) |
| Total Funded (All Prop Firms) | $100,000 funded + ~$300,000 in evaluations |
| Trading Platform | TradingView (direct execution on ThinkTrader) |
| Strategy Type | Mechanical (“Tap and Barrel”) |
How Leon Started His Prop Trading Journey at 16
Leon’s journey to becoming a funded trader began with a random video on his “For You” page. At 16, still attending high school in Croatia, he discovered content from “The Trading Addict” on YouTube.
“It amazed me how he can make that much money in so like in a few minutes. And that’s what attracted me to trading,” Leon recalls. “And then after a while, I even realized it’s not even about the money. It’s just how free you can be once you actually get profitable.”
For the next few years, Leon’s daily routine was relentless: school, chart analysis, YouTube tutorials, and boxing training. He also got into calisthenics, which he’s been doing for about 4 years. Trading and working out became his main occupations.
The Mechanical Trading Strategy That Made Leon Profitable
Here’s where this prop firm success story gets interesting. While most trading educators blame psychology for trader failures, Leon disagrees.
“Everyone is saying that the main thing that is actually keeping you away from profitability is psychology, which I do not think so is the right answer,” he states. “When I look at myself, I was trading for two and a half years before I became profitable and basically I thought it was my psych but in the end what happened is I found a strategy that I resonate with.”
Leon’s Strategy Evolution:
| Phase | Strategy | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Trend lines, support/resistance, supply/demand (learned from The Trading Addict) | Not profitable |
| Year 2 | ICT concepts (learned directly from ICT) | Not profitable |
| Year 2-3 | TJR method (~6 months) | Profitable for a couple months, then “it all came down” |
| Year 3+ | “Tap and Barrel” (mechanical) | Consistently profitable |
What made Leon leave TJR’s method? “He gives out a strategy, right? I trade the strategy and then a few months later I see he’s trading something like differently which is that didn’t fit me.”
Leon’s breakthrough came with a mechanical strategy called “Tap and Barrel,” where every element is fixed.
“What made me profitable is that the strategy is mechanical which means basically like it’s so simple to the point where you don’t really need to use your psychology that much. Like everything, every level is fixed. So every stop loss, every entry, every take profit basically like every trade is the same. And that’s what helped me major.”
He’s now building a community around this strategy: “Almost everyone who joins and who actually dedicates himself to learn the strategy has accounts. Some of them get payouts as well.”
Why Leon Chose ThinkCapital Over Other Prop Firms
Leon’s first experience with prop firms was FTMO’s free trials. He then discovered ThinkCapital through an Instagram ad during his first year of trading.
“What attracted me is basically how I knew about ThinkMarkets and since they are a broker I was like what, like a broker is opening up a prop firm? And I like in the moment I just said I trust these guys because it’s from a broker.”
He started with a $5K account. Failed three times. Then bought a $10K challenge—and passed.
Another major factor was TradingView integration: “I trade directly through TradingView… It’s my preferred way because where I look at the charts and then I can execute as well. That’s also like one of the top reasons why I chose you guys.”
The $80 Prop Firm Payout That Changed Everything
When Leon reached just 1% profit on his funded $10K account, most traders would wait for more. Leon requested a payout.
“This can be potentially my first ever payout after two and a half years of trading. And then I just said let me pay that out.”
That $80 became what Leon calls his “canon event.”
“From there I just proceeded to get like every month or every second month like five, six payouts right now at the moment just from the 10K. When you look at it the return on investment is bizarre completely.”
He still has that original $10K account active today.
Leon’s Current Funded Trading Portfolio
ThinkCapital Accounts:
- $50,000 funded account
- $25,000 account (Phase 2)
- $10,000 funded account (the original—still active)
Total: $60,000 with ThinkCapital
Across All Prop Firms: “In total I am right now yeah 100K funded and with other firms I have more evals as well like around 300,000 waiting to get tested basically.”
All of this from a 19-year-old who’s been consistently profitable for only 4-5 months.
The Mindset Behind This Prop Firm Success Story
What separates Leon from traders who blow up after early success? Discipline and delayed gratification.
Despite consistent payouts, Leon hasn’t rushed to rent a luxury apartment or buy a sports car. When internet connectivity became an issue in his Croatian village, he bought Starlink instead of moving to a city.
“I decided not to jump ahead of myself just because I get like five, six payouts to instantly move out and everything. I wanted to become like get more in funding, get more stable, and then eventually move out.”
“I also don’t want to put myself in an environment where if I rent out something big right now, if I get two bad months which is completely possible, that’s completely normal in a year or so, and I don’t get the payout I have to then maybe force my trades or something like that to find ways to make money so that I can pay my rent and everything—which is what I don’t want.”
His goal? “The main goal right now is to scale up as much as possible. After I get let’s say 300K, 400K, at that point you can live freely like you don’t need to worry about that much stuff you know because the money is very good.”
Leon’s Mission: Proving Trading Is Possible
Leon has been documenting his journey on social media from the beginning—not for clout, but for proof.
“The main goal behind that was actually to show people if it’s possible because I decided like I’m going to try out trading and I’m going to document it and let’s see what happens if I get profitable. That’s just proof for people who watch the whole journey that it is possible, because there are rumors and everything that it’s not possible, that trading doesn’t work, you know a lot of scammers as well in the space.”
“So that was my main goal. I wanted to show people that it’s actually possible. And now that I did, now I started actually showing people how to do so, like how to turn profitable as well.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Leon’s Interview
Q: How long does it take to become a profitable prop trader?
A: Leon achieved consistent profitability after 2.5 years of trading. He’s now been profitable for about 4-5 months, with results really picking up in June. However, he notes the breakthrough came from finding a mechanical trading strategy that fit his personality—not just accumulating screen time.
Q: Is ThinkCapital a legitimate prop firm?
A: ThinkCapital is backed by ThinkMarkets, an established broker. This broker heritage is what attracted Leon: “A broker is opening up a prop firm? I trust these guys because it’s from a broker.”
Q: Can you make a living from prop firm trading?
A: Leon believes so. With $100,000 funded across prop firms and $300,000 in pending evaluations, he’s building toward a level he says allows “living freely” without financial pressure. However, he emphasizes not rushing into lifestyle inflation and staying disciplined.
Q: What’s the best trading strategy for prop firm challenges?
A: There is not one best trading strategy. However, Leon recommends mechanical strategies with fixed rules for entries, exits, stop losses, and take profits. His key insight: “A lot of strategies are profitable. Most of the times it’s just basically your ability to actually follow the rules of that strategy.”
For backtesting, he suggests: “If it’s a mechanical strategy, you can easily backtest it. Backtested for like six, seven months, eight months, maybe even like… three, four, five years and then you see in those five years the strategy was profitable. If I keep using it, I’ll be profitable.”
Leon’s Advice for Aspiring Funded Traders
1. Never quit. “Just try to keep going. Whatever is happening right now, whatever situation it may be, just keep trying to be better every single day. Try to outwork yourself as well.”
2. Strategy hop wisely. “That strategy hop made me profitable but don’t do it in an environment where you have proof that it works.” Backtest first—whether that’s 6-8 months or several years.
3. Find a strategy that fits you. “This completely depends on what kind of a person you are and you need to find something that really suits you as a person.”
4. Take small wins seriously. Leon’s first payout was just 1% profit ($80). That decision to secure a small win after 2.5 years of work became his “canon event.”
5. Stay disciplined with lifestyle. “I want to right now create a stable environment, save up some money as well and then I can do it.”
6. Stay humble. When asked what message he’d give himself 5 years from now: “I wish that I stay humble as I am right now, that the money doesn’t change me at all. And if possible, I would love to actually help people in every way possible.”
Key Takeaways
- Leon, 19, turned an $80 payout into $100K funded + $300K in pending evaluations after 2.5 years of learning
- He’s been consistently profitable for 4-5 months, with results picking up in June
- His breakthrough came from switching to a mechanical trading strategy (“Tap and Barrel”) with fixed rules—not from “fixing psychology”
- He chose ThinkCapital because it’s backed by ThinkMarkets (a broker) and offers seamless TradingView integration
- 5-6 payouts from a single $10K account—he still trades that original account today
- His advice: find a strategy that fits you, backtest it, take small wins seriously, don’t rush lifestyle upgrades, and stay humble
Start Your Own Prop Firm Success Story
Leon started with a $5K challenge, failed three times, then passed a $10K challenge. Today he has $60,000 funded with ThinkCapital alone—and 5-6 payouts from that original $10K account.
ThinkCapital offers prop firm challenge accounts with TradingView integration and the backing of ThinkMarkets—an established broker that earned Leon’s trust from day one.
Start Your ThinkCapital Challenge →
Disclaimer
This content is provided for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial or investment advice. Trading in forex, stocks, or any other financial markets involves significant risk. You may lose more than your initial investment, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
Always consider your personal financial situation, level of experience, and risk tolerance before trading. If necessary, consult with a licensed financial advisor or qualified professional. Any strategies, tools, or examples mentioned are for illustration only and do not represent a complete guide.
