Last week I had a debate with a teen that stuck with me. We were talking about school.Specifically: what schools choose to teach. His argument was simple: “Even with AI and calculators, learning math is still important.” And he’s not wrong. Math trains logic. It builds discipline. It teaches you how to focus on hard problems. But I pushed back with this question: If schools had to choose — would math still be more important than self-defense? Not martial arts movie-style self-defense. I mean...
28 days ago • 2 min read
We’re told we live in the freest world ever. Free to build, free to move, free to connect with anyone, anywhere. Sounds amazing, right? But is it really true? But as I get older I realized that as the world gets more connected, it’s also getting more centralized. And it slowly strips away our sovereignty—our power over our own lives. But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks: 📈 This Isn't...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
I just spent the last two weeks filing both U.S. and Canadian corporate taxes. And frankly, it was absurd. You pay money to earn money.Then you pay money to report that money.Then you send the government your money……only for them to take days just to process the payment (Looking at you, CRA) No clarity.No guarantee your money is even being used well. Somehow, in an era of AI, instant payments, and real-time everything, dealing with government systems still feels like an endurance sport. That...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
You’ve probably been taught that life is a ladder. Good grades → good college → good job → climb the corporate ladder → retire comfortably. Neat, predictable, safe. Well, I'm here to break the news to you: that model is dead. But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks: 📈 This Isn't For Everyone Read More → 🎨 Best tools for building your passion project Read More → 📘 The One Skill School...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
So I started a little secret experiment this past week... …to build a micro biz with $0. In exactly 3 days, from conception to launch, this is what I made on Gumroad selling a simple notion template. Yep. $0 investment, just a laptop, Notion, and a little help from AI. Can be easily done over a weekend. I’m no tech expert. But I do know how to spot digital products people actually need, and make something that saves them hours of work. That’s all it takes. Here’s exactly how I did it — step...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Growing up, we’re trained to ask first. Raise your hand before speaking.Ask to go to the bathroom.Wait for approval to go to recess.Get graded. Get ranked. Get accepted. Get approved. Over time, this doesn’t just teach order — it teaches obedience. It trains you to wait.To defer.To believe someone else needs to validate your ideas before they’re real. That conditioning works in school. It punishes you in the real world — especially if you want to be a changemaker or founder. But FIRST If you...
2 months ago • 2 min read
For decades, the story was simple. If you wanted to build something world-changing, you went to Silicon Valley.Not because it was magical — but because it had two things no one else did: Capital.Talent. Money to fund ideas that didn’t make sense yet.People crazy enough — and skilled enough — to try anyway. That combination powered Google, Facebook, Airbnb, Stripe.Silicon Valley wasn’t just a place.It was the default setting for ambition. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: That era is ending....
3 months ago • 3 min read
Let's talk about money. And startups. And why even unicorns aren’t always rainbows and cash. But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks: 📈 This Isn't For Everyone Read More → 🎨 Best tools for building your passion project Read More → 📘 The One Skill School Hopes You Never Learn Read More → Meet FanDuel FanDuel is a fantasy sports and online betting platform and it hit unicorn status in...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Everyone wants to build a community that people actually care about. Most fail. Why? Because they play it safe. They make nice programs.They write polite Instagram posts.They invite everyone to join. And no one gives a damn. Here’s the secret: magnetic communities aren’t built on niceness. They’re built on: Founder conviction – putting your personal stake on the line. A clear enemy – something worth rebelling against. But FIRST If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for...
3 months ago • 2 min read