The Tim Sykes Trading Challenge is my trading education program. It’s where I teach the strategy I’ve used for more than two decades: trading volatile penny stocks with small positions, cutting losses quickly, and treating every single trade like a lesson.
Let me be clear about what it’s not. It’s not a stock-picking service. I don’t hand you tickers and tell you to buy. I’ve said it a thousand times: do not follow alerts from me, do not follow alerts from anybody. The whole point of the Challenge is to make you a self-sufficient trader who doesn’t need me.
If you’ve been reading third-party reviews trying to figure out what this program actually is, here’s the answer from the source.
Table of Contents
What You Get Inside the Challenge
The Challenge is the deepest program I offer. Here’s what’s inside:
Live weekly webinars. I teach live every week, with prepared lessons and homework. Challenge moderators and top students teach their own sessions too. Can’t make it live? Every webinar is recorded and archived.
The full video archive. Over 7,000 video lessons and webinars, recorded by me and my Challenge moderators over the years. That includes more than 100 webinars from $26 million trader Jack Kellogg and 50 webinars from $13 million trader Tim Grittani, my most successful students ever.* This archive is the closest thing to compressed screen time that exists in this niche.
The Challenge chat room. I share my trades in real time, with commentary on my thinking, my entries, my exits, and yes, my mistakes. I’m proud to be a transparent trader in an industry full of fakes. You also trade alongside moderators and a community of students who take this seriously.
My complete video courses. Everything from PennyStocking and PennyStocking Part Deux through TIMfundamentals and Learn Level 2. These courses are the foundation of what I teach.
The community. Many of my top traders started in the Challenge and now give back by helping newer students. I think it’s the best place to learn and share your trading journey.
Who I Accept (and Who I Turn Away)
The Challenge is application-only. I don’t accept everyone, and I’m not looking for more students just to have more students.
The students who do best here study before they trade. My top students watched hundreds of hours of lessons before risking real money. They start small. They expect to be wrong a lot in year one. They care more about the process than any single trade.
Now, who should NOT apply? I’ll save you the time:
If you want hot picks handed to you, this is the wrong place. If you can’t afford to lose the money you’d trade with, do not trade at all. And if you think this is a shortcut to easy money, read the research at the bottom of this page. Most day traders lose money. My entire strategy exists because of that fact, not in spite of it.
How the Challenge Compares to My Other Programs
I get this question constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown.
Weekend Windfalls is my favorite stock market hack — buy on Friday and let the weekend work for you!
Jack Kellogg’s Retirement Trader Masterclass takes my advice to “trade like a retired trader” to a whole new level! In this course, Jack shows how he built a $10,000 IRA account up to $4.1 million in just over a year… enroll today for just $1!
The Trading Challenge is everything: the alerts, the full archive, the live weekly webinars, the chat room access, the courses, and the community. If you’re serious about learning to trade as a skill, this is the program built for that.
Is the Trading Challenge Worth It?
I’m biased, so let me answer a different way.
What you’re paying for is the compression of 25+ years of my screen time into a structured curriculum, plus live access to me and to traders currently working these exact setups. Whether that’s worth it depends entirely on the work you put in. Students who treat this like a Netflix subscription get Netflix results.
Some students have done exceptionally well. Tim Grittani started with $1,500 and turned it into millions.* Jack Kellogg joined straight out of high school, working as a valet, and became my youngest millionaire student.* I love these stories. But understand: these results are NOT typical. These traders put in obsessive study hours over years, and most traders lose money. Anyone who promises you otherwise is selling you a fantasy.
I don’t promise profits. There are never any guarantees in trading. What I promise is this: if you cap your risk, follow your plan, and put in the study time, you give yourself a real shot. That’s the deal.
What It Costs
The Challenge is priced as a premium program because of what’s in it, and pricing depends on the tier and format you choose. The application process exists so we can talk about whether the program fits you before any money changes hands.
If you think you’ve got what it takes, apply for the Challenge today!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Trading Challenge
Do you give stock picks?
No. I share my own trades transparently so you can study my process, but I teach you to build your own watchlist and your own style. Following anyone’s picks blindly is how accounts die.
How much money do I need to start trading?
Less than you think. Some of my top students started with a few thousand dollars. What matters more than account size is protecting what you have while you learn. Small accounts force discipline, and discipline is the skill.
Do I need a specific broker?
No. Every broker has weaknesses. The job is picking the least-worst one for your account size and strategy. Read my guide to the best brokers for day trading before you open anything.
Can I join from outside the US?
Students trade from all over the world. Broker access varies by country, so research what’s available where you live before you apply.
How much time does this take?
More than a hobby, less than you’d fear. My most dedicated students study a few hours a day, especially early on. If you can’t commit real study time, save your money and start with my free resources, like Penny Stocking 101 and my guide on how to invest in penny stocks.
What should I study before applying?
Start with the free stuff. Read my penny stocks to watch page to see how I frame setups, watch my YouTube lessons, and see if this style of trading actually fits you.
How to Apply
If you’ve read this whole page and you’re still here, good. That’s the first test.
I want students with passion and work ethic, who want to learn a skill, not chase a lottery ticket. If that’s you, apply for my Trading Challenge today and tell me why you belong here.
*Past performance does not indicate future results
