Life musings on being different versus seeking the similar. Innovative versus Conformist. Progress versus Conservation. — We grew up being told we were all special kids with unique traits and personalities…especially as a Millennial growing up in 90s-Americana. Unlike collectivist East Asian societies, Americans were brought up to display our individualism. To confidently step forward and display our unique personalities on stage.

Keep these in mind to make better life choices. — Mental model Noun A thought process about how something works in the real world. Mental models shape how we understand the world. Not only do they affect how we think and understand concepts, but they allow us to make connections and see opportunities lurking beneath surface-layer observations. We use mental…

Achieving REAL freedom is the reason why I obsessed over financial independence and “retired” early. — Definition of Freedom noun the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. How do you define freedom? Freedom takes on so many forms. Thinking. Speaking. Judgment. Freedom of your bodily autonomy. Freedom of emotions and expectations. We’re witnessing a growing chaos unveiling…

You’re not going to hear this from McKinsey or Harvard studies. These are lessons learned from an insider. — After working closely and directly with startup founders and CEOs over the years, I’ve noticed common trends that separated successful companies from the rest of the pack. …

Sharing best practices learned after scrutinizing 50+ fundraising decks in the Web3/Blockchain/Fintech startup space. — Since hitting financial independence in early 2021, part of my side hustle has been running my own investment firm and serving as an angel investor/advisor in the tech startup space. Over the past year, I’ve witnessed over 50 pitches from early-stage startup founders seeking Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A investments…

Americans suffer from the disease of short-termism. We need to repair the structure instead of implementing a quick forgiveness fix. — A few months away from midterm elections, with a lot at stake for the Democrats, the music now cues for student loan debt cancellation to drive up support for the voting booths. So far, Biden has canceled over $11 billion in student loan debt for those in unique situations (scam/defunct…

Environmental, Social, and Governance principles sound nice, but here’s why the entire sector is built on pillars of false virtue. — Every decade we get a buzzword that is oversold and overhyped to the masses. No, not Crypto or Blockchain (although it qualifies). Today, I’m talking about ESG = environmental, social, and (corporate) governance. Many investors are increasingly applying ESG non-financial factors to identify material risks and growth opportunities.

Feeling stuck in your job hunt? Here are 10 tips to get out of the rut. — My LinkedIn feed is filled with waves of people with the same message over and over. Walls of text describing their sudden termination or rescinded offer, followed by a message of perseverance and openness to other opportunities. Coinbase. Robinhood. Compass. BlockFi. Better.com. …

Revisiting financial independence and early retirement after 13 months. — Every day I see the same people at the gym: Mark, the retired firefighter. Abby, the retired nurse. Shelly, the retired Army veteran who moonlights as a jazz band vocalist. Over a dozen healthy octogenarians walking on the treadmill and lifting 5-lb dumbbells. “Hey Fast Eddy! So what do you…