A True Decade in the Game
David Capablanca, known online as @reverse_long on X and the voice behind the Friendly Bear Podcast, has been trading for over a decade. He takes a research-driven approach to small-cap short selling, combining both fundamental and technical analysis.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the chance to get to know David a bit. Just the other day, I joined one of his webinars, where I got to meet him face-to-face, share a little about my own trading journey, and hear his insights. It was overall a great experience and I enjoyed tuning in.
What stands out about David is his passion for educating and giving back. Through his podcast, Friendly Bear University, and his growing community, he’s providing traders with an inside look at what it takes to survive and ideally thrive in one of the toughest areas of the market, short selling small caps.
His Trading Edge
Unlike many retail traders, David places a strong emphasis on fundamental analysis. In his view (and I agree), there’s very little edge in relying solely on technicals. Every trade begins with digging through filings, analyzing prior gap stats, and understanding the broader context behind the move. From there, he layers in price action and market psychology to fine-tune entries and manage risk effectively.
The Daily Routine
David likes to start his mornings early. About two hours before the market opens, he’s already reviewing the top gainers from his apartment, filtering for setups that fit his criteria. Once his list is narrowed down, he makes a fresh cup of coffee with his Jura Italian machine and walks across the street to his office.
He spends the day there trading and creating content whether it’s recording podcast episodes, running webinars for Friendly Bear University, or building educational material for his community.
I can relate to that approach. Like David, I’ve found a lot of value in staying productive with other projects and work (I work for Finviz) instead of constantly hunting for the next trade. In my experience, the best setups often hit you right between the eyes when you’re not forcing it and it seems like David tends to agree.
Tools That Power His Desk
David’s stack is very similar amongst many other great traders in the space and it includes:
- AskEdgar for SEC filings and fundamental deep dives
- Flash Research for quick statistical analysis
- Cobra Trading is his broker
- Trade Ideas for advanced scanning
- Thinkorswim for charting and visuals
- Friendly Bear University as an education hub for traders
- Friendly Bear Discord and AskEdgar Discord for community and collaboration
- TraderSync and Google Docs for journaling and performance tracking
It’s everything he needs to stay plugged in with the market and with others!
Beyond the Screens
David’s life isn’t confined to charts. A balance more traders should strive for (it took me over six years to figure this out myself). He travels often, making it a priority to explore new places every few months, and yes, he still trades on the road. Beyond trading, he invests heavily in himself and the projects he’s passionate about: Friendly Bear University, the podcast, books, and even documentaries he’s developing.
Why We Featured Him
David is proof that trading success doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on research, discipline, and relentless curiosity. He’s carved out a niche in small cap short selling while creating resources that help others along the way.
A true builder in an industry that needs more transparency and structure.
Follow him on Instagram, X, and check out the Friendly Bear Podcast on YouTube.