Futures Trading Coach: Professor B (Brandon)
What if becoming a better trader wasn't about spending more time on the charts, taking more trades, or finding the next great indicator?
What if the real edge was learning to do less, but doing it exceptionally well? In this episode of Market Mamas, I sat down with Brandon Adkins, better known as Professor B, a futures trader, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Confluence Code. We explored what it takes to develop a sustainable trading strategy, why risk management matters more than most traders realize, and how patience, community, and resilience can transform a trading journey.
And behind Brandon's technical approach is a personal story of entrepreneurship, near-financial collapse, faith, and the determination to keep moving forward.
Treat Trading Like a Business, Not a Casino
Brandon began trading options in 2019 after learning from his father-in-law, a former stockbroker at JPMorgan. He eventually transitioned into futures trading, drawn in part by the opportunities available through proprietary trading firms. But his background as a serial entrepreneur shaped something even more important: how he approaches risk.
For Brandon, trading losses aren't necessarily failures. They're operating expenses. "Taking losses is just paying rent." ~ Brandon Adkins
Just as a business has overhead, a trader must account for the inevitable losses that come with executing a strategy. Brandon emphasizes position sizing, consistent risk parameters, and planning for consecutive losses, even when trading excellent setups. Because here's the reality: a high-quality trade can still lose. A sustainable trading business needs to be built to withstand that uncertainty. Risk management isn't simply about protecting one trade. It's about protecting your ability to keep trading tomorrow.
You're Getting Paid to Be Patient
One of my favorite moments in our conversation was Brandon's analogy about patience. Think about a traditional job. You show up, put in the work, and generally don't expect a paycheck until the end of the pay period. Yet in trading, we often sit down at our screens expecting to make money immediately.
Brandon challenges that mindset. "You have to think of it as being paid to be patient." Instead of viewing time spent waiting as wasted time, consider it part of the work required to execute a disciplined trading strategy. The reward comes from waiting for your highest-quality opportunities rather than forcing trades simply because you're sitting at your computer.
It's a powerful psychological shift. And one that becomes even more meaningful when we consider why so many of us began trading in the first place: freedom. Brandon is a strong advocate for reducing unnecessary screen time. His approach focuses on identifying high-probability areas of interest, setting alerts, and allowing the market to come to him. After all, what's the point of pursuing financial freedom if we replace an eight-hour job with twelve hours chained to our charts?
The Confluence Code: Building a Strategy Around High-Probability Areas
This is where Brandon's trading philosophy becomes particularly interesting. After years of experimenting with different strategies, indicators, and technical concepts, he began recognizing something consistent. Certain price levels repeatedly attracted his attention. Volume profile levels, VWAP, previous session levels, and other technical reference points would sometimes cluster tightly together. Rather than relying on any single indicator, Brandon began studying what happened when multiple meaningful levels converged.
That observation eventually became the foundation of Confluence Code, the trading methodology he developed alongside fellow trader Frazier. Their approach emphasizes identifying areas where several high-value technical factors align, then waiting for a defined entry setup rather than chasing price. Volume profile plays a particularly important role in their analysis, helping identify areas of market participation and interest.
Over time, they refined the strategy through testing and developed a custom indicator designed to simplify chart preparation and highlight these areas of confluence. But Brandon makes an important distinction: the indicator is a tool, not the strategy itself. The underlying principles remain focused on identifying meaningful levels, executing defined setups, placing stops at logical invalidation points, and managing risk consistently.
And that's something I really appreciate about their approach. The goal isn't to make trading more complicated. It's to develop a repeatable process that makes decision-making clearer.
“You have to think of it as being paid to be patient.”
~ Brandon, Confluence Code
Building a Trading Community That Values Transparency
Beyond the technical strategy, I was particularly interested in the culture Brandon and his team are building. At Confluence Code, Brandon, Frazier, and Rachael share their screens during live New York morning trading sessions, showing their entries, exits, and position management in real time. That includes losing trades.
Rather than focusing exclusively on impressive profit screenshots, they emphasize what actual trading looks like, including the uncomfortable moments. Their community, affectionately called the Village, also places a strong emphasis on trading psychology, risk management, and accountability. Brandon even described a custom trading journal with leaderboards that recognize consistency in logging trades rather than simply ranking traders by profit and loss.
I love that distinction. Because the habits we reward are often the habits we repeat. And a community that celebrates disciplined execution, honest conversations, and continuous improvement can provide something incredibly valuable to developing traders.
Explore Confluence Code
If Brandon's approach to futures trading, confluence-based setups, and transparent mentorship resonates with you, I encourage you to explore what he and his team have built. I've spent time getting to know their community, and I appreciate their emphasis on structured trading, realistic risk management, and long-term development.
Explore Confluence Code through Market Mamas →
Affiliate disclosure: This is a Market Mamas affiliate partnership. If you purchase through my link, Market Mamas may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Learning From Losses Without Carrying Them Into Tomorrow
Of course, even with a well-defined strategy, traders are human. We experience FOMO, frustration, overconfidence, and those occasional moments when we abandon our own rules. Brandon shared an approach to handling those mistakes that I think many traders need to hear. He believes it's okay to feel disappointed after a difficult trading day. But he doesn't believe that disappointment should become a permanent emotional burden.
"Can't bring it into tomorrow. You just cannot bring it into tomorrow."
Instead, he focuses on reviewing losses, identifying what could have been done differently, and developing a plan to move forward. There's also an important distinction between a losing trade that followed your strategy and a losing trade that never should have been taken. One is a normal business expense. The other is an opportunity to improve your behavior.
Learning to separate the two is a critical part of developing emotional resilience as a trader.
The Personal Story Behind Professor B
Perhaps the most meaningful part of our conversation came when Brandon shared his experience outside the trading charts. Before reaching his current position, he left a successful executive career to pursue entrepreneurship. He described exhausting credit cards and credit lines, approaching bankruptcy more than once, and having difficult conversations with his wife about the possibility of losing everything.
His journey wasn't easy, and he was candid about how painful those years were. But he kept finding ways forward. Faith also played a significant role in his story. Brandon credits his relationship with God as a source of strength during some of his darkest moments. We discussed how faith, purpose, and resilience can look different for everyone, but having something meaningful to hold onto can be powerful when the road gets difficult.
His story is a reminder that success rarely follows a perfectly straight line. At the same time, resilience doesn't mean ignoring financial realities or taking unlimited risks. Sometimes moving forward requires changing the plan, reducing exposure, or giving yourself the space to rebuild. What matters is learning from the journey rather than allowing difficult experiences to define your potential.
The Real Edge Is in the Execution
One observation from Brandon really stuck with me. Many developing traders eventually reach a point where they already know what they should be doing. They understand their setups. They know their risk parameters. They recognize when they should walk away.
And yet, in the heat of the moment, they don't always follow through. That's where trading psychology becomes so important. Technical knowledge can identify an opportunity, but emotional regulation and discipline determine whether we execute it appropriately.
Ultimately, my conversation with Brandon reinforced something I believe deeply: You don't need to trade everything. You need to learn how to trade your edge consistently.
Find the strategy that makes sense to you. Protect your capital. Surround yourself with people who encourage your growth. And remember that building a sustainable trading career is a process, not a race. As we wrapped up our conversation, we landed on a fitting thought for traders pursuing their next level of growth: Cheers to higher highs.
You can also explore Brandon's trading community, educational resources, and Confluence Code offerings through the Market Mamas partner page.
Market Mamas is dedicated to helping traders build the mindset, discipline, and resilience needed to trade well and enjoy their best lives.
Trading futures involves substantial risk. No strategy, indicator, or educational community guarantees profitability. Always trade within your financial means and risk tolerance.
🔗 Connect with Guest, Professor B (Brandon):
👉 Discord: https://discord.com/invite/meWGWF2Kw
👉 Website: https://whop.com/theconfluencecode/
If you find value in these conversations, please do like and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you caught this episode on. And if you are considering being a guest on my podcast as well, reach out and let’s talk!! https://www.market-mamas.com/contact Take care! 💛📈