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Full-time trader Erik Smolinski uses after-action reviews (AARs) to refine his strategy.
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He shared his 19-slide AAR for the first half of 2026 with Business Insider.
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He believes all investors can benefit from regular reviews to check returns, fees, and portfolio fit.
Erik Smolinski, a full-time trader, has outperformed the S&P 500 by a wide margin. From Jan. 1 through July 6, 2026, he said his account returned 33.44%, compared with 10.79% for the index. Over the trailing 12 months, he said it gained 57.01%, versus 21.49% for the S&P 500.
His process is highly structured.
Smolinski maintains a detailed trading plan and trading log, then regularly evaluates both through…







