What happens when your lifelong dream gets taken away in an instant?
In this story, I share how I discovered—at the Air Force Academy—that I could never become the fighter pilot I had always wanted to be. Inspired by my grandfather, who flew F-101s in the Korean War, I had imagined following in his footsteps. But a routine preflight check revealed I was far too tall to safely eject from a fighter jet. No waiver, no exception. Just a firm “no.”
That moment forced me to rethink everything. Instead of flying jets, I had to pivot my entire career and life trajectory. Out of that disappointment, I found my first guiding North Star: to design a life where I could spend the most possible time with the people I love.
Key takeaways:
Sometimes dreams end for reasons completely outside of your control.
Life pivots can feel crushing but lead to deeper clarity.
Your “North Star” can emerge from moments of loss, shaping every decision forward.
True success is building a life filled with love, family, and meaning.
This is a story about identity, resilience, and finding purpose when your original plan gets taken away.
Life almost never goes according to plan—and that’s okay.
In this story, I share how my second North Star was born at the Air Force Academy, a place designed as a “leadership laboratory.” With acts of service as my primary love language, I learned the power of servant leadership—leading not for personal gain, but to serve others.
That lesson shaped a lifelong mission: to one day lead a global, impactful organization with the deliberate goal of making the world better. Whether that’s raising a family, building a tech company, or creating something entirely new—the point is alignment with purpose, not perfection in planning.
Key takeaways:
Life rarely unfolds as scripted—you must stay adaptable.
North Stars provide clarity for major decisions.
Servant leadership means putting service at the center of influence.
Having guiding principles makes it easier to say “no” until the right “hell yes” arrives.
Moving through life like water—flexible and flowing—creates resilience and fulfillment.
If you’ve struggled with uncertainty or felt pressure to follow a rigid plan, this will remind you that purpose—not perfection—is the compass that matters most.
Do crypto and insurance really align? At first glance, the answer is no—most crypto assets are simply too volatile to play the conservative role that insurers need. But there’s one exception: Bitcoin.
In this talk, I break down why Bitcoin functions as an insurance policy against monetary and fiscal irresponsibility by governments and central banks worldwide. As currencies are consistently debased through money-printing, ordinary people struggle more each year just to cover the basics—food, shelter, transportation. Bitcoin provides a hedge against that erosion of purchasing power.
Key takeaways:
Most crypto assets are too volatile to align with insurance models.
Bitcoin is different: it serves as insurance against inflation and currency debasement.
Central banks and governments consistently devalue money through poor monetary policy.
For everyday people, financial stability comes down to the basics—roof, food, work.
Bitcoin offers a safeguard for insurers (and individuals) against systemic financial risk.
At its core, Bitcoin isn’t just speculation—it’s protection.