Meet Lindsay Duff | Educator, Coach and Day Trader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Duff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, what role has risk played in your life or career?

My name is Lindsay Duff and I am the owner of both Responsible Day Trading, LLC and UProfit Trader, LLC. As a Day Trader, Educator, Business Owner and Mother, understanding Risk vs Reward is the absolute core of everything I do, create and work for. The concept of Risk vs Reward never really had much value in my life until becoming a Day Trader fell into my lap. 

Well, I like to say it fell into my lap, but in reality it was the moment when I took what I consider to be the first big risk of my life— quitting my job and jumping into a field I knew nothing about. I never could have imagined the reward would be what it is today.

I had recently become a single mom of 2 children under 4 and was tending bar with a criminal justice degree. One of my coworkers had a brother who owned a company that taught clients how to Day Trade (for a VERY high price), and he started hiring some of the most intelligent men that I worked with at the restaurant. So I did something completely out of my character and took that first big risk—I cornered his brother and his wife, told them that I was WAY smarter than those guys and that he needed to hire ME, a woman who knew nothing about Day Trading in the slightest.

And they did.

I was hired on, as an educator, spent months in the conference room learning everything from the ground up and my life forever changed—because at that moment, I REALLY began to understand the great rewards that come with a well thought out risk. This is where people might say that you’re lucky in life—but as they say, luck is just when preparation meets opportunity.

I really wanted to be a part of this company because I found that I had the opportunity to learn, help my family AND grow in a way that I could help others- which is one of my true passions. Over the next 10 years, I went on to take several more risks that moved me along in the world of Day Trading. I worked for 3 other companies in the field but never found myself happy in any of them because I found that they didn’t truly care if the customer came out on the profitable end or not just as long as the company did.

So, I took another big risk—I quit the industry. I walked out of the last company with no job prepared (high risk if you ask me) and I picked up driving Uber for a bit while I figured things out.
Day Trading and watching people go through the assistance I could provide for them was definitely now DEEP in my bones. So, I started trading in my car, while sitting in the airport parking lot between rides. Then I started recording myself doing it—yes in my car—and started my Responsible Day Trading channel in 2017 all from the comfort of my front seat.

It was scary and it exposed me. I had not been live trading all that long and my account was small. And knowing that people were watching my every move made it even harder to make those moves. Plus—how was that going to look that I was driving Uber AND trading from my car?! I cared a little—but not enough to stop me. So from that moment, it was full speed ahead!

Believe me when I say that when I began my Responsible Day Trading YouTube channel, I got a LOT of criticism. And even over the years, some people turned me away just for being a woman in the industry. Some gentlemen would actually ask to speak to a man in the company when they got me on the phone. But I smiled and said, “I’m what ya got sir—so we can continue or you can have yourself a good day!”

When you really think about it, risk is part of everything we do in life. Every professional you have ever seen, has taken a risk to be there. Every top athlete, poker player, entertainer, CEO, business owner, every relationship, every decision we make—EVERYTHING comes with risk. The questions are, have you thought it out, are you willing to take the risk, is it worth it and what is the alternative?

Learning these things on how to “risk properly” becomes a lifestyle. Learning to become a Day Trader, parting ways with comfortable salaries and commissions to be more of who I knew I deserved to be is something anyone can do. I’m not special for it—I was just willing to DO it. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a great team behind me. Cheerleaders the whole way! They took that risk just being by my side and I am forever grateful. You’re only as strong as your team and my team can move mountains!

Day Trading does require the kind of risk that promotes a lifestyle that will encourage self-growth, health and integrating a certain “I’m worth it” mindset into your life. And if you think taking on these qualities will only help you learn to Day Trade—you are mistaken. These things will seep into every aspect of your life and before you know it, the entire game will change.

Taking the risk to shift my whole life to become a Day Trader and business owner has taught me that you must always know how much you’re willing to risk, all while only being able to envision the possibility of the reward when you choose to put your skill to work. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about risk, it is that the reward must always have a bigger potential—and if things don’t work out, you’ll live to play another day.

Some key tools to evaluating my risk are these:

*Preparation: Learn everything you can about the situation in order to be ready when the rubber meets the road. Practice, practice, practice! If it’s important to you, make it a part of your being in every way,

*Comprehension: Understanding why you took the risk and where it could go—the ups and the downs. If you just jump into things all Willy-Nilly then you’re likely to get run over more times than you like, making you think something about yourself that just isn’t true. You CAN be good at things—you just have to understand them more clearly

*Vision: Even if things don’t go exactly as planned, know when to rope in the risk and when to let it run. Too soon and you could cut things short, too late and you may lose a lot of the momentum (and money) you put into the opportunity. Staying focused on the goal is what keeps you moving in that direction.

*Perseverance: Not every decision you make will be the best one and may be hard to come back from—but it was a decision you made. If you really want the reward to outweigh the risk, then you take that moment and you learn from it so you can know what to do the next time that opportunity comes your way.

Because of this mindset, I’ve been able to help people grow into the Day Traders they’ve desired to be.  I’ve done so with the education we’ve created at Responsible Day Trading AND by assisting thousands of traders to become funded through our 1-step evaluation at UProfit Trader. I’m living my dream helping others to live theirs!! Stepping out of my comfort zone as a bartender and into the role of a Day Trader was the biggest and most rewarding risk I’ve ever taken—and I’d do it a million times over.

I just try to remember that things don’t happen overnight. One risk will not be enough—but several risk opportunities, that happen over the course of time, will lead to realities that were once simply dreams. Risk isn’t something to be feared. It’s something to be embraced. Risk is a constant partner of Reward—and without it, life would just be on repeat every day.  That in itself is the biggest risk of all.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

As I said before, I had no intentions of starting to Day Trade. It was so far out of my realm of knowledge that when I happened upon it, it was almost like a dream. I knew that I wanted to be a teacher/ role model for others but I had no idea how far it would go.

When I did first get my foot in the door of trading, I had no idea what I was doing. I spent months learning everything and while I had a good concept of HOW it was done, implementing it was something completely different. I had so many struggles and blocks (many of them in my head) to overcome that I really didn’t find my way until I was able to step away from the companies I had been with and start to see things for myself.

I was with the first company for 3 years. I started to lose my drive when I realized that there were so many indicators that there was definitely some paralysis by over analysis. There was always something telling you NOT to take the trade and the risk this company taught people to take was HUGE. The cost for traders to LEASE the indicators (not even OWN) was over $16,000 with hefty monthly fees to take classes from people, like myself, who were basically learning right along with them. When I came in to the world of trading, I took everything I learned as a solid truth. I had no other reason not to. But as time went out, I found out a lot of it was just static… junk… unnecessary noise to try to wow the customer into thinking they had more than the rest.

I soon found out that this company was not alone in this behavior.  It became a pattern. When I joined each new company, I had so much hope that I was going to help people to achieve their dreams. I started to realize that the owners of these companies didn’t really care if their customers were profitable—as long as the company was. The owners of these companies weren’t even trading their own systems—their wealth was not created from trading but from a business that promised something they couldn’t deliver.

I lost faith in the fact that this could really be done and I parted ways with any company thereafter. So, what I started to do, now that I was on my own, was begin to take the bits that I had learned—the parts that DID work and piece them together to create what we have here today at Responsible Day Trading. There were so many parts of the puzzle missing from these companies that I felt like if I could fill them in for people, they could finally see the whole picture—so that’s what I set out to do.

I wanted to create something that would teach people to not only be responsible in the decisions they made, but teach them to listen to what the market was telling them. People often end up telling the market what THEY think IT should do. That was the BASE behind all of the places I’d been. You were going to MAKE the market do what you wanted it to do, dang it!! And let me tell ya, that NEVER works, no matter how many times you mash the button to take a trade.

So I set out to take what I had learned, simplify it and teach myself and anyone else who was willing to listen to Flow with the Market. Read the patterns, understand fully what to expect and WHY. There were so many “whys” missing from the previous courses that it was a wonder that anyone came out on the other end with profits at all. Not only knowing how but WHY is the game changer.

Let me also tell you, I got a lot of giggles from my industry when I decided to name my company Responsible Day Trading—they said no one would join because of the name. I said, “Well, you see—that is what is missing in this game—Responsibility… to yourself, to the market, to your learning, to your trades.. and anyone who realizes that, will come.” And they did. I won’t even go into detail about the laughs I got when I started my YouTube channel because I was NOT used to having my trading on camera, and my inexperience showed.  I didn’t even know how to edit videos.  But I’ve learned, grown, and had so many people stick with me from the beginning that it makes my hear warm! It has also allowed me to create The Vault on my website, which is a subscription based program that allows followers to hear all of the ins and outs of why I did or didn’t take a trade. It breaks each trade down thoroughly so that there is a deeper understanding of the WHY—and if you know anything about me, I’m HUGE on the why. I need to know why in order to make it work. That’s just what my brain needs!

I’m 16 years in to the trading education business and I still feel like I learn all the time. New markets, new indicators, new ideas from new traders – you name it. I like to say, “If you’re not learning, you’re not living” because what kind of life is it to know it all?

We’ve created as many resources as possible for our students and traders to learn and grow. There are several levels of programs which you can join, depending on your needs (all with extremely affordable payment plans). Each program is accompanied by a comprehensive online curriculum, video instruction, and homework and exercises for each student to do following each new concept. Students also receive a video follow up for at home assignments that goes in depth to each of their examples so we can make sure they fully understood each lesson. As I mentioned previously, we also have The Vault which serves as a library of video resources. 

We have one-on-one live private sessions where we go through trades the students have made, helping them to work through their strengths and weaknesses—identifying what they need to work out and HOW they can work on them. These sessions are also recorded so students can refer back them later. We have Facebook groups for our students to post trades to get feedback, have a community of traders around them and maybe boast a little about what an amazing job they’re doing. We work hard to provide a community that promotes growth, peace and well-being while learning to become a professional in one of the hardest careers out there.

We even have a scholarship program that we offer to two lucky applicants twice a year. I wanted to open up the door to people who would not normally have this opportunity to grow—and give them EVERYHING! These students are taken in as part of our VIP program and have everything they need to come out on top— and what a PLEASURE it is to see them do just that!

Once we were able to see that people were putting the pieces together and truly coming out profitable on the other side, we knew that we could take the next step. This is why we created Uprofit Trader – to help those who have learned to trade successfully get funded. This takes the pressure off of a trader to use their own hard earned money while they take the steps to make this a living. A trader can sign up for a subscription for our $25K, $50K, $75K or $100K program.  After a quick evaluation and agreeing to adehere to our risk management rules, traders can earn a funded account within 10 trading days. My business partner was once one of my students and is based out of South America, which has led to a HUGE Latin American following and has spread all over the world.

And speaking of making it a living, we also created ResposnibleDayTradingTaxPros.com so that anyone looking to make a career out of trading could turn it into a business. This way, you can write off your education, your funding subscription, your data, your platform purchase and anything business related around your home (office space, internet, electricity, etc) in order to take advantage of the tax breaks you receive as a trading business instead of an investor. We offer a free 20 minute consultation with our trader tax pro to make sure students are set in the right direction. And let me tell you, this was a topic that NO company I ever worked for would EVER touch. They would just tell them to go ask their tax person and send them on their way… but we’re not scared of it! WE LOVE IT!

Responsible Day Trading and UProfit Trader are expanding so much each day.  It makes me proud to be a part of something that helps those around me grow in a way that makes us unstoppable. It gives you the knowledge you need to not only Flow with the Market—but to make it your career.

And you can smile every day knowing that YOU are your own boss. Your time is yours. Your money is yours. Your life is yours to do what you choose because with this kind of job, you can work from wherever you want. The only limitations you have are in your mind. But if you come and sit with us for a bit, then we’ll help you expand your mind to become limitless! That is what makes us tick.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

These days, I don’t make it out as much ae I used to BUT here’s a few ideas–

For food: Soliz Tacos, Breakfast Klub, or Turkey Hut- they’re all local staples for a variety of reasons and offer different cuisine styles.
Ruchi’s Taqueria for a post night-on-the-town meal because Mexican food and eating late at Ruchi’s is a rite of passage in Houston.
The Blind Goat which represents Houston’s large Asian food scene and DEFINITELY Chuy’s (which is where I was bartending when I began trading).

We could do yoga at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, not to mention walk around all the museums downtown. Then maybe a body class and some meditation at Define. A movie at the Miller Outdoor Theater and skating at Discovery Green. Then we could hit up the Houston Monopoly Exhibit with a life-sized Monopoly board, and we could NEVER forget NASA.

If we want some drinks, we could go to Anvil to get some craft drinks or maybe the 8th Wonder Brewery to have some local beer, music and food trucks! There are so many options to plan out for sure!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I would be NO WHERE without Megan Good of Geeked Out Media (megan@geekedoutmedia.com) who encouraged me to start my own business and built my website for me when I told her that was what was holding me back. She’s been by my side since I started RDT and I don’t think I could have done it without her– I am truly grateful every day that we crossed paths.

Brendon Burchard for creating High Performance Habits and the coaching that accompanies that. It truly propelled me to take steps that I didn’t know how to take as a business owner.

Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now changed my life in a way that I never thought possible. It opened my eyes into what was holding me back as an individual and allowed me to create space in my life for growth.

Brene Brown– can’t say enough about her! Because of her Ted Talk, I fell in love with her work and realized that I AM ENOUGH. I’ve read through all of her books and regularly recommend The Power of Vulnerability to any and everyone.

Henry Richardson, the owner of Define Body and Mind. This man is a gift to anyone that crosses paths with him. I am so lucky to call him my friend. He teaches health and wellness in the River Oaks area and is one of the kindest, most passionate and giving people I have come across in my lifetime. I’ve seen him go through so many obstacles in the past and watched how he rebounds so resiliently.  It has been quite the inspiration to those of us who have been able to be in his network. He studies positive psychology and it absolutely shows!

Huge shout out to my parents Marilyn and Fields Jackson, who housed me for many years and gave me the opportunity to live out my dreams when others would have told me to move on. Thanks Mom and Dad!

My children– while I guide them everyday– I also learn SO much from them. They keep me up to date but also keep me grounded when I need it. I’m so grateful for my (not so little anymore) Dufflings!

My team at Responsible Day Trading and UProfit Trader. Jason, Claudia, Angelina, Johnattan and Diego, you’re more than just business– you are my friends and I love you! Man, these folks work so hard for the same common goal: To make the lives around us better through the world of Day Trading. Kindness, compassion and amazing customer service have allowed the folks on our teams to break through barriers each and every day. Thank you, my friends. Without you, I’d be a one-woman-show and definitely wouldn’t have made it anywhere without you!

And to all of my dear friends (and co-workers) who never gave up on my dream, who always encouraged me, and who always told me, “Lindsay, if anyone can do it, it will be you” – you were right! Thank you for believing in me!!

Finally– I want to give thanks to all those opportunities that DIDN’T work out. Without that, I would have never taken the risk and opened up the opportunity to move forward and grow. So thanks for the lessons because they have helped me to grow into the person I am today!

Website: https://www.responsibledaytrading.com/

Instagram: responsible_day_trading

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-duff-responsible-day-trading/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ResponsibleDayTrading

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponsibleDayTrading1

Other: https://responsibledaytradingtaxpros.com/ https://www.uprofittrader.com/ https://www.facebook.com/UProfitTrader https://www.trustpilot.com/review/uprofittrader.com