A quick post on the why trade for a prop. To counter the "if ya a good trader why would you need to question".
First and most obvious SIZE. With props willing to let you go nuts with size you would need a huge personal account to match that. HUGE.
Almost impossible to get there if you don't start there
.
Second COST. Try moving size with retail brokerage. Forget it. You will be cut to bits. This alone could save an active trader $50,000 to $100,000 a year!
Third. IT support straight away.
Fourth. Having a risk manager helping and looking after you. Their interest is aligned with yours. Lot easier falling into a pit when your sitting in a room by yourself and no one looking out for you.
Fifth In spite of the "best job in the world" spiel it gets friggin boring sitting in your own house. Especially when you are youngish.
Sixth Better execution into the market.
Seven Experience in development of real traders not all the BS out on the web/books/ etc.
Eight With size and cheap brokerage and a experienced risk manager you can take a small expectancy and make a bucket load.
Ninth And this is the winner for me. You can take profits and still trade the same size. Think about it. If you are trading your own capital every time you take money out its like a loss. You are effecting your future earnings because you are reducing your size. Every time you pay your tax bill you reduce your size
. There is no way around it when you trade your own capital.
Probably some props could add to this. But the "if you can trade for yourself why" question is because most have a dream that has nothin' to do with the reality of living off trading.