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Trade with a plan

TradeCompa is built around one idea:

Good trading is not about predicting every move. It is about finding strong setups, defining risk, and following a repeatable process.

We do not chase hype or promise easy returns.

We document setups, trade plans, results, and lessons.

The goal is simple:

  • Find strong setups
  • Define risk before entry
  • Wait for confirmation
  • Cut losses when the setup fails
  • Let strong trades work
  • Review every result

Protect capital first

The first job is to stay in the game.

Losses are part of trading. Large losses do lasting damage.

No single trade should matter enough to hurt the account.

Trade the setup, not the story

A great company can still be a bad trade.

We look for:

  • A healthy market
  • A clear trend
  • Strong relative strength
  • Constructive price action
  • Supportive volume
  • A defined entry
  • A clear stop
  • Enough upside to justify the risk

If the setup is incomplete, we wait.

Plan before entry

Before entering a trade, we want to know:

  • Entry
  • Stop
  • Targets
  • Risk per share
  • Position size
  • What confirms the setup
  • What invalidates it

The plan comes first.

The trade comes second.

Do not chase

Strong stocks can still offer poor entries.

Price matters.

A stock that runs too far above support may still be strong, but the risk has changed.

We would rather miss a trade than force a bad entry.

There will always be another setup.

Cut losses

Every trader gets stopped out.

That is not the problem.

The problem starts when a planned loss becomes an unplanned one.

Do not widen a stop because the trade is going against you.

Do not average down without a defined plan.

Do not hold and hope.

When the setup fails, exit.

Let winners work

A gain is not a reason to sell by itself.

Strong trends can continue longer than expected.

We use price, volume, support, momentum, and market conditions to manage winning trades.

The goal is not to sell at the exact top.

The goal is to stay with the trade while the thesis remains intact.

Size the trade

The stop defines where the trade is wrong.

Position size defines how much the trade can cost.

A simple formula:

Position size = Maximum dollar risk / Risk per share

Risk should be small enough that one failed trade is routine.

Judge the process

A good setup can lose.

A poor setup can make money.

One result proves very little.

We care about whether the plan was sound and whether it was followed.

That is why TradeCompa documents both setups and trade reviews.

The TradeCompa checklist

Before entering a trade, we ask:

Market

  • Is the market healthy?
  • Is the sector acting well?
  • Are breakouts holding?
  • Is risk appetite improving or fading?

Stock

  • Is the stock in an uptrend?
  • Is it outperforming the market?
  • Is the setup clear?
  • Is volume supporting the move?
  • Is price near a reasonable entry?

Trade

  • What is the trigger?
  • What is the entry?
  • Where is the stop?
  • What invalidates the setup?
  • What are the targets?
  • Is the reward worth the risk?
  • How large should the position be?

If the answers are unclear, we wait.

Risk management

Keep risk small.

Many traders risk no more than 0.5% to 1% of their account on a single trade.

Stops should come from the chart, not from an arbitrary percentage.

Watch total portfolio risk too.

Five positions in the same sector can behave like one oversized trade.

When market conditions weaken, reduce exposure.

Cash is a position.

Trade Setups

Trade Setups document opportunities before the outcome is known.

Each setup records:

  • Setup type
  • Current price
  • Technical structure
  • Entry
  • Stop
  • Targets
  • Risk and reward
  • Trigger
  • Invalidation
  • Status
  • Trade plan
  • What we are watching

Not every setup becomes a trade.

Some trigger.

Some fail.

Some expire.

Some are simply passed.

That record matters.

Trade Reviews

Trade Reviews document what actually happened.

We record:

  • Setup
  • Entry
  • Initial stop
  • Targets
  • Exit
  • Realized result
  • Mistakes
  • Lessons learned

The point is accountability.

Memory is unreliable.

A journal is not.

Playbooks

Playbooks explain how we approach recurring setups.

These include strategies such as:

  • Mini Golden Cross
  • Golden Cross
  • 20 SMA Support
  • Breakout Follow-Through
  • Momentum
  • Pyramiding

The playbook defines the rules.

The setup applies them to a stock.

The trade review shows what happened.

The TradeCompa process

The workflow is simple:

Playbook → Trade Setup → Trade → Trade Review

First, define how the setup should work.

Then document the opportunity before the outcome is known.

If a trade is taken, manage it according to the plan.

When it is over, review the result.

That closes the loop.

What you will find here

TradeCompa covers:

  • Market conditions
  • Trade setups
  • Scanner results
  • Risk management
  • Trading playbooks
  • Trade reviews
  • Lessons from both winners and losers

The goal is not to predict the market.

The goal is to build a process we can trust.

Disclaimer

TradeCompa provides educational content, trading research, setups, and observations. It is not financial advice.

Trading involves risk and losses are possible.

Do your own research and make decisions based on your own financial situation, objectives, and risk tolerance.