The Star Trading Podcast

In this episode of the STARTrading Podcast, Lewis and Sophie dive into how trading can be tax-free in the UK and what taxation looks like in other countries. Lewis is clear he’s not anti-tax, but anti over-taxation and the mismanagement of public money, and explains that UK traders can legally trade tax-free either through certain ISAs (within annual limits) or, more powerfully, via spread betting accounts where you don’t own the underlying asset, so profits are treated as gambling and not taxed. They highlight that this tax-free treatment applies to personal accounts rather than company accounts, that there’s a grey area if trading becomes your only income, and strongly encourage listeners to speak to a tax advisor about their own situation. They also touch on how different countries tax trading (often via capital gains after a tax-free allowance), how some places offer low or zero tax with the right structures, and why the main focus should always be learning the skill of trading first, with tax efficiency as an added advantage. Throughout, they link trading back to freedom, choice of where and how to live, and the idea that for most people in their community, trading is a powerful, often tax-efficient side income alongside their normal job or business.

In Episode 7 of the STARTrading Podcast, Lewis and Sophie catch up with mentor Sarah a year after her last appearance to hear how her trading and life have transformed. Sarah shares how combining day trading with swing trading has helped her average around 19% per month (about 7% from swings and 12% from day trades), doubling her account last year while actually trading less and living more. She talks honestly about forcing trades in the past, learning to wait for high-quality setups, and discovering that the real challenge isn’t the strategy but her own mindset—especially managing greed and risk once she truly believed in the power of trading. Sarah also opens up about investing most of her savings into STARTrading when she was struggling to afford her one-bed flat, and how that scary decision created the freedom and options she now has, including the potential to leave her 9–5 in the next decade. As a mentor, she wants to help others move past fear, see that they’re “not too dumb” to learn trading, and use this skill to change their financial reality, not just survive it.

In this episode of The STARTrading Podcast, Lewis and Sophie break down everything you need to know about choosing a safe, reliable broker – whether you’re in the UK, Europe, the US or Australia. They cover what a broker actually is, why regulation (like FCA status in the UK) matters, and how much of your money is really protected if the worst happens. You’ll learn how brokers make their money (spreads, commissions, overnight fees), what to look out for with costs, and why you want your broker to be profitable — just not at your expense. Lewis also shares the brokers he and STARTrading students use around the world (including FXCM, Pepperstone, Oanda, NinjaTrader and IG), plus why TradingView is their go-to charting platform with low or no upfront cost.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by broker choices or worried about where your money sits, this episode will give you clear, practical guidelines so you can trade with more confidence and peace of mind with a fun snack review at the end, of course. 🍫📈

In this inspiring episode, Lewis and Sophie sit down with Rosie, a STARTrading student who went from losing her business during COVID to becoming a confident, profitable trader in just six months.Rosie shares how she turned a tough financial setback into motivation to create new income streams, and the exact moment she realised, “I can do this.” She talks about reaching consistent 3% monthly returns while balancing family life, and how mindset work helped her overcome fear, self-doubt, and trading emotions. Rosie also explains why community, mentorship, and accountability made all the difference in her success.This conversation is filled with encouragement, honest insight into the ups and downs of live trading, and proof that it’s never too late to learn a skill that’s 100% yours and tax-free in the UK.

In this episode, Lewis and Sophie dive deep into the lessons they’ve learned from their trading journeys and the things they’d do differently if they could start over.They both agree on one big takeaway: start sooner.Whether it’s trading, investing, or personal growth, time is your biggest advantage, especially when you understand the power of compounding. Sophie shares how she wishes she’d invested in herself earlier, from mentorships to masterminds and how paying to learn made her more committed to doing the work.Lewis echoes this, revealing how taking out a credit card to fund his first mentorship completely changed his life.. but also why, in hindsight, he’d have stayed in his job longer to build his trading capital and reduce pressure while learning.They discuss how mindset and habit play a bigger role than most people realise, and how consistent small deposits, even £10 at a time, can build wealth faster than people expect. Lewis highlights the importance of the three C’s of the STARTrading method — confidence, consistency, and competency and how mastering these creates the foundation for long-term success.The episode closes with an honest reflection:“Every successful trader I know wishes they’d started sooner.Time will pass either way — you might as well use it to build freedom.”And, of course, a little light-hearted snack review to end things on a laugh.

The episode welcomes Robbie, a devoted listener of the Star Trading podcast, for a relaxed, candid conversation with hosts Lewis and Sophie. After some light banter about snacks—Robbie’s weakness for crisps and Lewis’s current “no processed chips” challenge—the trio shift to Robbie’s story. He works in a crash repair garage and enjoys the craft, but the physical demands and nine-to-five routine have pushed him to seek greater freedom, less financial stress, and more time with his family. He discovered STARTrading through the Touchstone community after hearing Lewis speak at events in Leeds and London, joined soon after, and says he hasn’t looked back.Robbie’s training journey stands out for its intensity and early traction. For his first group coaching session—where most bring around ten practice trades—he arrived with nearly thirty. He explains that the course’s modular, systematic structure and clear criteria checklists helped everything click quickly. He learned to spot trends and recurring patterns, apply the checklist, and move on when a setup didn’t qualify. To avoid screen fatigue, he splits his study and chart work into short blocks: early morning before work, lunchtime, and after work. He emphasises the importance of self-awareness—if his focus slips, he stops rather than forcing it and risking mistakes (“like forcing a fart,” he jokes).Progress-wise, Robbie has earned seals of approval for pullbacks and reversals and is halfway through testing breakouts, already completing 25–30 backtests. He’s enjoyed dissecting breakouts across multiple timeframes and seeing how candles behave differently. Transitioning from backtesting to live trading, however, brought a predictable challenge: frequency and patience. Backtesting offers instant feedback—clicking quickly through days to see outcomes—whereas live trading demands waiting for confirmation candles and accepting that a nearly perfect setup can fail at the final hurdle, sending you back to square one. Adopting the “assess and forget” discipline—risking a fixed 1% and moving on—has helped him align with the long-game mindset: trading is a marathon, not a sprint.Robbie credits his background in gaming for sharpening his pattern recognition and checklist thinking. The hosts agree with the analogy: like gaming, trading is a learnable skill where you must know what you’re looking for and respond consistently. Contrary to his initial assumptions, Robbie found trading less about complex maths and jargon and more about recognising repeatable patterns; in that sense, it’s accessible to people from any job or background. He also finds the process calming: after a hectic, hands-on workday, quietly observing candles can be meditative.Support at home has been crucial. His fiancée was initially cautious but encouraging—confident he’d be good at it (with a playful nod to an upcoming wedding bill). She protects his focus blocks when he’s at the computer, and he’s even introduced the podcast to her during car rides. Looking ahead, Robbie’s vision is simple and compelling: become a consistently successful trader, reduce stress about bills, free up time for family, and do more of what they love.The episode closes with a playful “snack challenge” at Lewis’s house. Robbie returns with two desserts (one a marbled, crispy Mars-bar-style traybake; the other a meringue-berry pudding). After spirited tasting—and careful nut avoidance—they award both an 8.5/10 and sign off, promising more conversations to come.

Lewis and Sophie tackle the big question: can trading genuinely build wealth? They break down why the STARTrading method is simple but not easy, the mindset and consistency required, and why they rebranded from “4X in 5” to Wealth Through Trading to reflect diversification across forex, indices, commodities, stocks, and crypto. Expect real talk on compounding (yes, aiming for double-digit monthly returns is discussed), defining wealth as freedom, and Lewis’s “grandparenting your money” idea—earning, investing, then living off investment income. Practical steps, honest stories (wins and £80k lessons), and a clear path to get started.

Property mogul and investing powerhouse Paul Smith joins Lewis and Sophie live from Twickenham for a fast-paced masterclass on building wealth the smart way. Paul shares how he bought his first house before 18, flipped multiple properties by 23, and then tripled £30k on a takeover bet—kick-starting a lifelong obsession with asset classes. We dig into why diversification matters, the pros and cons of property vs. stocks vs. gold, the power of leverage, and why many tech darlings won’t pass the “dividends and PE” sniff test. Paul explains Buffett’s maxim—“risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing”—and why that led him to become a STARTrading student to master short-term trading the right way.You’ll hear candid takes on private banks and fees, how to vet any educator (“do you do it yourself?”), four non-negotiable rules for starting out, and the underrated force multiplier of community. Plus: live-event vibes, monthly oil trade chat, and a hilarious “secret snack” segment that spirals into buffet ethics, moldy bread survival stories, and whether pocketing breakfast fruit is frugal or foul.You’ll learn: practical diversification logic, a simple framework to reduce risk through education, and how to surround yourself with people who actually do the thing—one trade at a time.