One Prop Trader a Day – Braulio Rivera Godoy: I See Failure as Data

One Prop Trader a Day – Episode 119

What do you do when the firm that funded you disappears? Braulio Rivera Godoy, 28 and from Ecuador, was first funded in 2022 with MyForexFunds, stepped away from trading when it shut down, and later came back to get funded with Funding Pips and Alpha Futures. In this interview, he explains the 4,000 dollars of his own capital he lost in a single week, why he meditates before every session, and how gamma zones and a strict 1 percent risk rule shape the way he trades.

My name is Braulio, I’m 28 years old and I’m from Ecuador. I primarily trade futures and forex, focusing on indices like NASDAQ and S&P 500, as well as major currency pairs. Trading has become a central part of my life, not just as a source of income, but as a discipline that has taught me patience, resilience, and self-awareness.

I first became a funded trader back in 2022 with MyForexFunds. That was my first taste of success in the prop trading world, and it felt incredible. Unfortunately, when MyForexFunds shut down, I took a break from trading for a while. It was discouraging to lose that opportunity, and I stepped away for some time to reset mentally. Later, I returned to trading with a fresh mindset, and I got funded again with Funding Pips at the end of 2024. Most recently, I passed a challenge with Alpha Futures in June of this year. Each time I’ve gotten funded, it has reinforced my belief that persistence pays off.

The first thing I bought with my trading profits wasn’t anything flashy, it was a new laptop. Nothing extravagant, just a reliable one that wouldn’t freeze during volatile sessions. It may sound small, but for me, it was symbolic. It meant I was investing back into my craft and treating trading as a serious business. That laptop still sits on my desk today as a reminder of where it all started.

I honestly lost count of how many times I failed. I blew through dozens of challenge accounts. It felt like an endless cycle of passing the first phase, then failing the second, or getting funded and losing the account shortly after. What kept me coming back was stubbornness, pure and simple. I knew I had the analytical skills, I just needed to fix my psychology and risk management. Every failure taught me something new, and I refused to let those lessons go to waste. I also realized that trading isn’t about being right all the time, it’s about being consistent over time.

The most expensive lesson I’ve paid for was 4,000 dollars, which is what I lost with my own personal capital in a single week. I was overtrading, ignoring my stop-losses, and convincing myself that “this one trade” would turn it all around. Spoiler: it didn’t. That loss hurt, not just financially but emotionally.

Now I treat my trading rules like they’re written in stone. No exceptions.

Trading absolutely took a mental and emotional toll. There were days when I felt like I was on top of the world, and others when I questioned everything. The emotional rollercoaster is real, and it can drain you if you don’t manage it. When MyForexFunds shut down, I felt lost and took a break from trading altogether. That time away was actually valuable, it helped me reset my mindset. Nowadays, I have a strict routine: I meditate before each session, I take breaks regularly, and I never trade if I’m feeling stressed or sleep-deprived. I also keep a trading journal where I write down not just my trades, but also my emotional state. It helps me spot patterns and stay accountable.

I’ve traded with MyForexFunds (my first funded experience), Funding Pips, and most recently Alpha Futures. For me, the most important factors are transparent rules, reasonable drawdown limits, and a supportive community. I also pay close attention to payout reliability, because there’s nothing worse than passing a challenge only to face delays or excuses when it’s time to withdraw. Customer support quality is another big one. I want to know someone has my back if something goes wrong.

My style today is a hybrid between swing trading and intraday momentum. I focus primarily on NASDAQ and S&P 500 futures, using the 15-minute and 1-hour timeframes for entries, while keeping an eye on the daily trend for context. I use a combination of price action, support/resistance levels, and volume bubbles to identify areas of institutional interest. I also pay close attention to gamma zones. These are key levels where market makers are likely to hedge, which often creates zones of support or resistance. Understanding where dealers are positioned has been a game-changer for my entries and exits. Risk management is non-negotiable: I never risk more than 1% of my account per trade. Consistency is my ultimate goal.

My day starts around 7:00 AM with a quick review of overnight markets and any major news events. I mark key levels on my charts and wait for the London or New York session to kick off. I usually take 1 to 3 trades per day, no more. If I hit my daily profit target or max loss limit, I walk away. No exceptions. In the afternoon, I review my trades, update my journal, and plan for the next day. The rest of my time is spent learning, reading, or spending time with family.

My most recent loss was a short on NASDAQ that got stopped out during a sudden news spike. I saw resistance at a key level, entered with a tight stop, and then a Fed speech came out of nowhere and sent price shooting upward. I got stopped out within minutes. What would I do differently? I’d check the economic calendar more thoroughly and avoid trading during high-impact news events.

My biggest payout with a prop firm has been 1,500 dollars. It wasn’t a life-changing amount, but it was proof that the system works. With my own personal capital, my biggest milestone was making 2,500 dollars on a single trade. The real milestone, though, wasn’t the number, it was the consistency. I’ve had several profitable months in a row, and that stability means more to me than any single big win.

Some people around me understand what I do, and some don’t. My close family knows I trade, but they don’t fully grasp the intricacies. They see me working from home and sometimes ask if it’s “like gambling,” which used to frustrate me. Now I just explain it simply: “I’m managing risk and looking for probabilities, like an insurance company.” Most of my friends think it’s cool, but they don’t realize how much discipline it actually takes. That’s fine, I don’t need everyone to understand. I just need to stay focused on my own path.

I think the difference between me and someone who quit after their third failed challenge is mindset.

Every failed challenge gave me a clue about what I needed to fix. Whether it was my entries, my exits, or my emotional control, I treated each failure as a diagnostic tool. Also, I never made trading my only plan. I had other income sources, which took the financial pressure off and allowed me to trade with a clearer head. When MyForexFunds shut down, many people quit entirely. I took a break, regrouped, and came back stronger.

If you gave me a 1,000,000 dollar funded account today, honestly, I’d do nothing different for the first week. I’d size down, not up. I’d take my time to understand the firm’s rules, test the execution speed, and get a feel for how the account behaves. I’d probably take smaller positions than usual, just to build confidence and avoid any rookie mistakes. The last thing I’d want is to blow a million-dollar account because I got overexcited. Slow and steady wins the race, and that philosophy doesn’t change with more zeros.

My take on the firms

MyForexFunds was where it all started for me. They gave me my first funded account back in 2022, and I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity. The challenge structure was straightforward, and the community was supportive. Unfortunately, the firm shut down, which was a tough blow, but it taught me to never rely on a single source of income or opportunity.

Funding Pips has been a great experience overall. Their rules are clear, the scaling plan is attractive, and they’re transparent with their payout process. I passed my challenge with them at the end of 2024 and have found their platform reliable.

Alpha Futures is my most recent firm, and I passed with them in June 2026. I appreciate their straightforward approach, reasonable drawdown rules, and responsive customer support. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense firm with clear expectations, Alpha Futures is a solid choice.

Verified funded – the receipts