Startup Savvy: Young Entrepreneur George Kohler Of Alpha Capital Group Shares His Secrets For Rapid Growth and Success
Start before you feel ready.
Waiting for the perfect moment is just procrastination in disguise. When I launched Alpha, I didn’t have all the answers I just knew there was a gap in the market and I was obsessed with solving it. Clarity came through action, not planning.
The entrepreneurial landscape is more vibrant and challenging than ever, with young entrepreneurs at the forefront, driving innovation and redefining the boundaries of success in the business world. These dynamic individuals are not only creating new products and services but also building sustainable business models that thrive in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Their journeys are filled with lessons of resilience, strategic innovation, and the relentless pursuit of growth. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing George Kohler.
George Kohler is Managing Director and co-founder of Alpha Capital Group. George’s first foray into investing was at age 18, when he discovered he had a knack for the financial markets and his early experiences trading sparked a passion that he pursued at University, studying banking, finance, and investments while honing his skills in various investment and sales roles.
In 2021, George founded Alpha Capital Group, a one-stop shop for traders that combines robust evaluations, cutting-edge technology, and comprehensive support to empower traders worldwide with the tools they need to succeed.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about cultural sensitivity, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My journey started when I was 18. I stumbled into trading and quickly realised I had a knack for reading markets and making sharp decisions under pressure. That spark turned into a passion, which I developed further at university while studying banking, finance, and investments. I worked in a few investment and sales roles, but everything changed when I came across proprietary trading. The idea of using a firm’s capital to scale returns made total sense, but none of the firms I tried felt complete. Some had solid evaluations, others had great tech, but none brought everything together. That’s when the vision for Alpha Capital Group was born: to build a firm that gave traders everything they needed in one place.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
There isn’t one dramatic story I’d call “the most interesting,” but what I can share is something I hope inspires any young entrepreneur reading this.
I started Alpha Capital in my early 20s. I had a young family, was working out of a small home office, and just had a simple goal: build something meaningful. No outside funding, no fancy setup just grit, belief, and consistency.
Fast forward to today, we’ve grown into a multi-division company employing hundreds of people around the world. But even more powerful? We’re on track to have paid out nearly $100 million to traders globally. That’s $100 million worth of lives impacted all from an idea that started in a spare room.
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Curiosity. I’ve always questioned how things work, from financial systems to human behavior. That curiosity led me to trading and, eventually, to building Alpha.
Discipline. Trading teaches you that consistency wins. That discipline carried over into how I run the business.
Vision. I could see what was missing in the prop trading space. That clarity of vision has been my North Star since day one.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about young entrepreneurs secrets to rapid growth and success. To start, how would you define success?
Success, to me, is about freedom. Not just financial freedom but the freedom to choose how you spend your time, who you work with, and what kind of impact you make. In the early days, I thought success was just hitting revenue milestones or getting recognition. But over time, I’ve realised it’s about building something meaningful that gives others the chance to level up too. If what I’ve created helps someone take control of their future, that’s real success.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly contributed to your startup’s growth, and why do you think it was so effective?
One of the biggest strategies we used was building the company around the trader experience, not just the product. A lot of firms focus on systems, rules, or flashy features but we asked a different question: “What does the trader actually need to succeed?” From that lens, we built a platform that feels like a partner, not just a service. Everything from the evaluations to the support, the interface, and the community is designed to help traders feel confident, clear, and supported.
On top of that, we doubled down on creating as much free value as possible. Educational content, resources, mindset support, anything that could help someone win, whether they were with us yet or not. That built trust fast. People could see we actually cared about their growth. And when people feel understood and empowered, they naturally become advocates. That organic momentum was a huge accelerator for us.
Can you share a critical pivot point in your startup’s journey and how you navigated the decision-making process?
One major pivot came when we realised we were trying to be too many things to too many people. In the early days, we had a wide range of offers and were casting a broad net, trying to appeal to every type of trader. But it started to dilute our message and our impact. We weren’t attracting the kind of committed, growth-oriented traders we truly wanted to support.
The turning point was when we made the decision to streamline everything, our messaging, our programs, even the tech behind the scenes. We narrowed our focus to serious traders who actually want to treat this like a profession, not just a quick win. That meant being clearer with expectations, being more selective, and redesigning parts of the business to reflect that standard.
It was a tough call, because it meant saying no to certain revenue streams. But in the long run, it made the brand stronger, the results better, and the community more aligned. And that clarity has been a massive driver of our growth since.
How do you balance the need for rapid growth with maintaining a sustainable and healthy company culture?
It starts with being intentional. Growth is exciting, but if you chase it without structure, you burn out your team or worse, you lose the essence of what made your company great in the first place.
At Alpha, we’ve kept our team lean and focused. Everyone has real ownership over what they do, and we avoid unnecessary layers of management. That creates speed without chaos. We also put a lot of energy into communication weekly check-ins, honest feedback, and making sure people feel heard and valued.
Culturally, we’re big on high standards but low ego. We celebrate wins, but we’re also honest when things need to be better. That balance of ambition and accountability has helped us scale without losing who we are.
In what ways has your personal definition of success evolved since the inception of your startup?
In the beginning, success was all about growing more users, more visibility, and more revenue. But as we scaled, I realised revenue alone doesn’t tell the full story. What really matters is profitability, not just financially, but operationally and mentally. Is the business sustainable? Are we running efficiently? Are we growing in a way that doesn’t burn out the team or dilute the mission?
Now, success means building something impactful, profitable, and long-lasting. It’s about helping traders truly elevate their lives, while also creating a business that has healthy margins, a strong culture, and the freedom to evolve. That shift in mindset has changed how we hire, how we make decisions, and even how we define growth.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Things You Need to Succeed as a Young Person in Business?”
- Start before you feel ready. Waiting for the perfect moment is just procrastination in disguise. When I launched Alpha, I didn’t have all the answers I just knew there was a gap in the market and I was obsessed with solving it. Clarity came through action, not planning.
- Solve a real problem you understand. I built Alpha because I was the customer. I knew the pain points of prop trading because I’d lived them. That gave me insight no strategy deck ever could. If you deeply understand the problem, your solution will always hit harder.
- Surround yourself with sharp, honest people. Your circle is everything. I’ve been fortunate to build a team that challenges me and holds the vision with me. The wrong people drain you. The right ones elevate you. Choose wisely and don’t be afraid to make hard calls.
- Think long-term, move fast. Play the long game, but don’t sit still. We make decisions quickly and keep momentum high, but every move is aligned with a bigger picture. Growth without direction just burns energy. Direction without action gets you nowhere.
- Focus on profitability, not just hype. A lot of young founders chase headlines or top-line numbers. But real business is built on margins, sustainability, and operational clarity. From day one, I cared more about whether the business made sense on paper, not just whether it looked exciting online.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring entrepreneur that you wish someone had given you at the start of your journey?
Don’t wait for external validation — just start. No one’s going to tap you on the shoulder and say, “You’re ready now.” The sooner you realise no one’s coming to save you, the faster you’ll take ownership of your path. Build what you wish existed, stay close to your customers, and trust that clarity comes from doing, not overthinking.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I’d start a movement focused on real-world financial confidence teaching young people how to manage money, assess risk, make decisions, and build independence. Not textbook finance, but actionable knowledge that helps them take control of their lives early. The kind of education that makes you feel empowered, not intimidated. If more people understood how money actually works, they’d be less reactive, more confident, and far more free. That ripple effect could change families, communities, even entire industries.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can follow what we’re building at www.alphacapitalgroup.uk or connect with us on Instagram @alphacapitalgroupuk That’s where we share insights, updates, and behind-the-scenes from the team. We keep things pretty focused there with loads of value.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Startup Savvy: Young Entrepreneur George Kohler Of Alpha Capital Group Shares His Secrets For Rapid… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.