(and How I Almost Missed My Own Event)
Most people think commodity trading is a lonely game — you, your deals, your emails, your counterparties, and your stress.
But last week, something changed.
For the first time ever, we brought together a small tribe of niche commodity traders from around the world — Paraguay, Brazil, Europe, Asia — into one room in Dubai. Just 12 people. No tourists. No paper brokers. No LOI-warriors.
A room full of operators and builders.
And it was a blast.
A Room Full of Pirates (The Good Kind)
Out of the 12 participants:
- A couple were still in the early stages (no deal closed yet).
- But the rest? Their companies are doing anywhere from just under USD 1M to more than USD 50M in yearly revenue.
Small for the commodity world — but exactly the type of niche operators who make real things move in the real world.
The diversity was insane:
- One trades iron.
- Another one malt.
- Others move niche agri, ref containers, or industrial oddities, the big houses don’t even bother with.
Different industries, different flows — but the same mindset:
“I’m addicted to building real tradeflows.”
Being in that room felt like discovering a tribe of pirates who all escaped the corporate navy.
The Setup: Pure Value, No Fluff
I gave a few big-picture presentations, but the magic came from the group itself.
People stood up and broke down their real tradeflows:
- Margin structure
- Operational constraints
- Transport choices
- Risks
- Relationships
- And everything in between
And here’s the surprising part:
Everyone was completely open with their numbers.
Why?
Because niche tradeflows aren’t “stealable.”
Your edge is your relationships, your location, your personality, your weird obsession with a particular product, and the thousand tiny adaptations you make day after day. Someone can copy your idea, but they can’t copy you.
Seeing everyone openly share their margins and flows created a level of honesty that you will never see at big conferences.
The Night Before: Disaster Mode
What nobody knew until later is that…
The event almost didn’t happen.
I was packing my bags in Malaysia, getting ready for my 6 a.m. flight to Dubai, when I realized something horrifying:
My passport was missing.
Imagine this:
People are flying in from South America, Europe, Asia…
…for an event I organized…
…and I can’t even get out of the country.
Pure panic.
After hours of searching, calls with Grab (the Uber of Southeast Asia), and going to sleep feeling like garbage…
The next morning the Grab driver messaged me:
He had my passport.
He dropped it at the Grab center.
I sprinted there.
And when the staff handed it back to me?
Man… goosebumps.
Relief.
Then adrenaline.
I changed my flight, packed everything again, and made it just in time.
Event saved.
Inside the Event: Tradeflows, Margins & Reality
One of the highlights was Mitch — he already came on the YouTube channel, so I can mention him.
He broke down his refrigerated container trade. And the room was stunned.
Not because of the margin.
But because of the complexity he manages.
Ref containers, cold-chain constraints, logistics, origin challenges, port risk, timing issues — and yet he does it with consistency.
Seeing his flow opened everyone’s eyes:
“There is no such thing as an easy trade.”
Only trades you deeply understand.
And watching each attendee break down their flow…
You could literally see connections forming in real time.
Networking That Actually Leads to Deals
Between presentations, we had breakout sessions.
Not generic networking.
Actual conversations between real operators.
People comparing notes, showing photos, explaining their supply chains, introducing each other to buyers or shippers.
You could feel it:
Deals are going to be done because of these conversations.
That’s why these events matter.
Face-to-face beats forums, DMs, or Zoom calls every single time.
Gifts for the Hardcore
I also made special gifts for everyone — including a limited-edition t-shirt only real pirates understand.
(If you know the reference, you know. If not… you’re not ready yet.)
I brought a bunch, and yes, I still have some left.
How to Join the Next One
The only way into these private events is through the Shipping & Commodity Academy Operator Certificate.
Once inside:
- Stay subscribed to the newsletter (otherwise you’ll miss the NeoPhoenicia opening).
- When we open the community (twice a year), apply.
- If accepted, you’ll go through the onboarding sessions.
- Then you’ll get access to the private group — and eventually the physical events.
We intentionally keep the group small.
Quality > quantity.
No Cameras, No Recording
We didn’t record the presentations.
Some participants showed highly private tradeflows.
Some guests were external and want to remain anonymous.
Some deals simply cannot be put online.
Trust is the currency of small trading.
What’s Next?
This first event was so successful that we’re already planning:
- One in Europe
- One in Dubai
- Maybe one in Asia depending on demand
Probably two per year, maybe more.
Anton (our community manager) and I are sending feedback forms to all attendees so we can refine the format — group size, agenda, extra networking structures, etc.
But one thing is clear:
This is just the beginning.
Why It Worked
Simple:
The people in the room paid with time, money, effort, and intention.
They didn’t come to “see what happens.”
They came to build.
They flew across continents.
They took days off.
They want freedom, wealth, and adventure through trade.
When you put 12 operators with that mindset in one room?
Magic happens.
Final Thoughts
Organizing this event reminded me of something:
Commodity trading feels lonely…
…until you meet the others who are just as obsessed as you.
And when you do?
You don’t feel alone anymore.
You feel unstoppable.
If you want me to turn this into:
✅ A LinkedIn post
✅ An email to your list
✅ A YouTube video description
✅ A more Morning Brew–style article
Just tell me — I can repurpose this in any format.