Qamar (Q) ZamanHost and Founder, Coffee With Q Show by Storytellers · trading structure, no structure, no trade

Coffee With Q Podcast: John Kaplan’s Journey Into SPX Zero DTE Options With the Q Algo

23 Aug 2025 · 1 min

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In this episode of the Coffee with Q podcast, host Qamar Zaman interviews trader John Kaplan about his evolution from a sales and marketing professional to an active options trader focused on SPX zero‑day‑to‑expiration (0 DTE) contracts. Kaplan recounts his early, inconsistent trading attempts—ranging from quick scalps to spreads and earnings plays—that failed to deliver lasting profitability. His approach transformed after meeting Zaman and testing the Q‑Algo, a confluence‑based system designed to curb emotional decisions and provide multiple confirmation signals before entering a trade. Within his first week using the algo, Kaplan recorded five consecutive winning trades, starting with just one contract, and highlights core lessons: wait for confirmation, respect pullbacks, cut losses quickly, trade the opening session, and avoid overtrading. The conversation concludes that the Q‑Algo offers discipline, consistency, and scalability, making it valuable for both novice and experienced traders navigating the fast‑moving SPX 0 DTE market.

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Coffee with Q: John Kaplan's Journey into SPX 0 DTE Options with the Q Algo. In a recent Coffee with Q podcast, host Qamar Zaman spoke with John Kaplan about his path from sales and marketing to active options trading, and how the Q Algo reshaped his approach to SPX 0 DTE options. Kaplan's early trading was marked by cycles of excitement and disappointment, experimenting with strategies from scalps to spreads to earnings plays, but none provided lasting consistency. His search changed after meeting Zaman and testing the Q-Algo, a confluence-based system designed to reduce emotional trading and improve precision in SPX scalping. Within his first week, Kaplan logged 5 straight winning trades, starting small with just 1 contract. He emphasized lessons such as waiting for confirmation, respecting pullbacks, cutting losses quickly, trading the opening session, and avoiding overtrading. Unlike lagging indicators, the Q-Algo gave him confidence by showing multiple confirmations before entry. Plan concluded that the algo is valuable for both beginners and experienced traders, offering discipline, consistency, and scalability. His story highlights how the Q Algo can help traders manage risk, start small, and trade smarter in fast-moving zero DTE markets.