Thoughts On Hong Kong
I went on a three week trip to China and Hong Kong this year. My wife and I try do one long trip a year, and since we’ve got several friends around China with contracts ending now was the right…
Mental Model Monday: Ultralearning
I have five months in Berlin before the end of the year. I am currently unemployed but I am comfortable financially. This situation will last until the end of the year, uncomfortably. I don’t like inactivity, and I don’t like…
Discover Yourself And Be Rich
Today I read that people come to Berlin to discover their passion and whether they can make a career out of it. I thought that had a nice blend of romanticism and capitalism to it. We all want to make…
Mobility And Infrastructure
After living in Africa for ten years, the last four in Cape Town, I have missed out on the great mobility boom across the world. Africa, generally speaking, has a ton of work to do in improving the roads and…
Mental Model Monday: Consistency
Probably the one great mental model for self improvement. One of the most difficult to fully grasp. I struggle with it, and only through experience have I gotten better. Last night I read a great talk by Peter Kaufman on…
Tailwinds
In Warren Buffet’s first letter to his shareholders he wrote that a good investor should realize “the importance of being in businesses where tailwinds prevail rather than headwinds.” The context here was the textile mills he owned which were excellently…
New City: Berlin
After ten years in Africa I have made the jump to Europe. It was a successful ten years, and I’m proud of what I accomplished. My wife and I were considering other options, and after she got a great job…
Facebook Launches Libra!
So Facebook finally came out with some details on their Crypto project. It’s been led by David Marcus, of Paypal fame, and has been surrounded by lots of speculation for over a year. What they’ve actually released is = not…
Moving To Berlin
After ten years in Africa I’m starting a new chapter in my life and relocating to Berlin with my wife. It’s been a fantastic ride in several African countries, where I’ve launched 5 digital products and built some amazing relationships.…
Blockchain Applications in Africa
McKinsey released a good piece on practical applications of blockchain in retail banking. Most all of them apply more to emerging markets than the rest of the world, so it’s a good idea to post here. The three applications are…
Mental Model Monday: Get Outdoors
Yesterday I received Maria Popova’s weekly newsletter “Brain Pickings” and I enjoyed it so much I read it to my wife before bed. You can read the newsletter here and I encourage you to subscribe. The reason I enjoyed last…
WeChat Pay in China
WeChat Pay was everywhere in China. We noticed its ubiquity after arriving in Hong Kong, where mom and pop stores, as well as big retailers, accepted WeChat Pay. However, the dominance of WeChat Pay became clear after we arrived on…