QUESTION – Thank you for taking the time to participate in the Q & A session. Would you like to share with everyone who you are, your background (current and previous career, education, etc).
Answer:
I’m Martin Papp.
I grew up in the Colorado mountains, spending much of my childhood and teens outdoors. I studied Political Science at St. Lawrence University, graduating in 2009. I then moved to China to learn Chinese and immerse myself in at the time the fastest growing economy in the world.
There is no doubt that when I moved to China 12 years ago, living in a big city was fun, but I didn’t want to lose my connection with nature. In 2015 I founded PAPP’S TEA with the idea that tea and other herbs bring enormous value to our identity, and the relationship we have with them should not be lost in our fast-paced urban lives.
After receiving venture capital funding from BitsxBites in Shanghai, we grew to become a multimillion-dollar tea and kombucha business. Currently PAPP’S TEA provides tea to over 400+ locations throughout China including cafes, restaurants, hotels, and ecommerce store on Taobao.
When my son was born, my wife and I decided to relocate to United States. Since 2020, I have become a fulltime stock trader and crypto trader as well as continue to monitor tea operations in China. I joined a great group of traders at TrueTrader.net and learned to become a self-sufficient trader.
I launched myself into NFTs six months ago, seeing it much as an extension of my trading career and venture capital intentions for the future. I co-founded Alpha Traders Country Club, a community specifically for stock traders, crypto investors, and NFT enthusiasts. Mint day is coming soon. LFG!
QUESTION – For our readers who may not know, you are heading up a very unique vision like NFT and Trading project called “Alpha Traders Country Club”. I will not do justice trying to explain it, so please go into detail for our readers.
Answer:
ATCC is an exclusive club of sloths expertly trained in the art of trading and finance. A group so elite and elusive their country club can only be joined by owning an NFT from the highly coveted ATCC collection.
ATCC is a community of traders and investors that support each other, learn from each other, and help each other become better traders.
Membership is granted via the mechanism of a profile picture NFT collection of trading desk sloths expertly trained in the art of trading and finance. One must be a holder of a Alpha Trader NFT in order to be part of the elusive country club nestled off the tropical coast of Costa Rica.
Think of our club as a cross between WALL STREET BETS and BORED APE YACHT CLUB.
We talk about all things trading, inviting industry professionals to speak on our livestream events and also host in real life events where people can mingle and make real world connections.
QUESTION – How long have you been trading (stocks, crypto, NFT’s). And are you more of a day trader, swing trader or longer term investor? What have been your biggest challenges to date?
Answer:
I personally have been trading stocks fulltime since 2020. My preferred method of trading is swing trading. I also have long term holdings in stocks and crypto.
I started investing in NFTs at the end of 2021.
Biggest challenge of trading has been learning how to focus less on the monetary gains and more of capital preservation.
QUESTION– What personal or professional failure/setback have you experienced in trading AND your life that has set you up for later success?
Answer:
I think my perseverance and my Dunning-Kruger exuberance has helped me never feel I fail. Everything has always led to the next. Sure there are many things I did not do perfectly or even well, but I did them, and that stupidity (some call courage) has led me to be successful in a lot of things I do.
In terms of failed businesses, yes, I have had two startups fail prior to successfully launching my tea company in 2015.
In 2007 I co-founded a coffee company called Buywell Coffee. We operated a few years before eventually closing.
In 2011 I co-founded a real estate investment company in China for investment in Mongolia. Project did not take off and stopped in end of 2011.
QUESTION : This is becoming a favorite question for many – plus readers get some good gift ideas from it. What purchase of less than $100 have you made in the past year that you simply could not live without now?
Answer:
Hands down this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015FH0XKE?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_EBNH52E2PYKGBG3TRERW
I got three of them now and have gifted all my family at least one! Best $20 dollars I’ve spent in a long time.
QUESTION – If you could choose three dinner guests dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Answer:
Elon Musk – b/c he is the goat of entrepreneurship
Lionel Messi – b/c he is the goat of soccer, the sport I love. (play three times a week)
Robin Williams – b/c he made me laugh my whole life growing up and I would want to tell him that.
QUESTION – What are your goals for the future. Say in 5 to 10 years as the metaverse becomes more of an everyday reality for us?
Answer:
I think the entire economy will be revolutionized through tokenization of goods and services. The assetification of all items will become prominent in mainstream businesses.
I’m not fully sold in the Virtual Reality thing taking off, but I am very bullish on Augmented Reality.
QUESTION – What advice would you give to your younger self and to someone just coming out of school (college or high school)
Answer:
The environment you surround yourself in is everything. You become what the environment lets you become. If you are NOT happy about where your life is or is heading. MOVE! Get yourself somewhere that will change you into a different person.
Immediately graduating from college I had a hard time finding a job. It was 2009 and job market was not great. I found a job a car sales rep in my hometown. Did that for three months and was miserable. I read the book OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell and really helped changed my perspective. I quickly realized I needed to leave the United States for the sake of my career trajectory. Moving to China in 2009 was one of the best and most life changing decisions in my life, all based on the principle that environment dictates your success way more than most people are willing to admit. Do you think Elon Musk could achieve what he has achieved staying South Africa? Not impossible, but highly unlikely. Elon finding success in Silicon Valley is not a coincidence.
QUESTION – If you could have a big billboard with your favorite saying or message on it, what would it be? And where can our readers find you on social media? Thank you for taking the time with this interview, is there anything else you like to share with our audience?
Answer:
“There is no such thing as paranoia, even your worst fears will come true if you chase them long enough.” – Hunter S. Thompson
“Don’t be so humble, you’re not so great.” – My high school teacher, Professor X
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-papp/
Personal Twitter: @genalphatrading
Alpha Traders Country Club Twitter: @alphatradersNFT
http://www.alphatraderscountryclub.com
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