How evaluation firms make money, how to read drawdown and consistency rules, the arithmetic of target versus drawdown, a game plan that survives a bad start, what the funded phase is really like, and a due-diligence checklist for choosing a firm. No hype, no promised payouts.
Module 1: How the prop firm business works
Evaluation fees are the product, pass rates are low by design, most funded accounts are simulated, and regulators started paying attention in 2024.
Module 2: Reading the rules
Profit targets, daily loss limits, the three kinds of drawdown with worked examples, consistency rules, scaling plans, prohibited strategies, and how to build a one-page rules sheet.
Module 3: The math of passing
Target versus drawdown ratio, the expectancy you need, how many trades that takes, probability of ruin under a daily limit, and why per-trade risk should be a fraction of the daily limit.
Module 4: A challenge game plan
One setup, one product, one session; the coast rule after hitting target; when to stop for the day and week; the last-day gamble; and what to do after a bad start.
Module 5: Funded phase reality
Payout rules and first payout timing, building a buffer and scaling into more contracts, the copy-trade and multi-account temptations, and what actually gets funded accounts closed.
Module 6: Choosing a firm and staying honest
A due-diligence checklist and reputation signals, payout-proof skepticism and the fine print, budgeting for resets, and an honest look at when prop firms are not for you.
Educational content, not financial advice.