The Trade Busters 145 - The Falling Knife Project: $25K to $750K in 24 Months
Oct 9, 2025
In this conversation, Jim, the creator of the Falling Knife Project, shares his ambitious journey of turning $25K into $750K in just 24 months through options trading. He reveals his trading evolution, from gambling-like plays to systematic long-volatility strategies. Jim discusses the psychology of scaling, using Monte Carlo modeling to navigate drawdowns, and his approach to de-risking as profits grow. He emphasizes the importance of diversifying strategies and shares insights into building conviction without curve fitting.
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Trading Journey From $100 To Systematic Options
- Jim started trading after a $100 childhood stock gift and later reignited interest via podcasts during the 2020 pandemic.
- He moved from ad-hoc earnings bets to systematic options strategies through learning and community involvement.
Aggressive Goal Framed As High-Reward Personal Bet
- Jim set a goal to grow $25K to $750K in 24 months tied to a FIRE-like outcome and disproportionate reward-to-risk.
- He treats the initial capital as expendable tail-risk capital worth attempting aggressive scaling.
Scale Using Fixed Profit Milestones
- Use step-based scaling to de-risk as an account grows by only adding size at fixed profit milestones.
- Design milestones so added absolute size becomes a smaller percent of the larger account.