My Beginnings
My formative years unfolded in the vibrant city of San Francisco. I was born to a father and mother who went across the world together to embark on the journey in the land of the free. In the early days, my father grappled with the challenge of employment but eventually secured a role within the municipal fabric of San Francisco as a probation officer. Meanwhile, my mother devoted herself to the bustling household, nurturing me and my two siblings.
This period led to a phase of stability, propelling us into the comforts of middle-class life amidst a city celebrated for its diversity and beauty. From an economic perspective, San Francisco changed from being a global financial center to one of the tech capitals of the world. I’m fortunate to be from a city on the forefront of innovation.
After high school, I went across the Bay to UC Berkeley. Uncertain of my path, I opted for pragmatism, earning a BS degree in mechanical engineering. My professional journey began in the South Bay with Pacific Bell (AT&T), where I took on the role of an outside plant engineer and manager, overseeing the telecommunications infrastructure of the quaint city of Mountain View.
Within two years, I had made significant strides at Pacific Bell. I aspired to exert a greater influence and shoulder more responsibility. Yet, I swiftly came to understand that our professional trajectories were frequently dictated by the hierarchical structures above us.
This realization prompted me to acknowledge that making a substantial impact required broadening my skill set and deepening my understanding of business and management. This period coincided with the height of the dotcom bubble, a time when the startup scene was intensely vibrant. I made several calculated attempts to immerse myself in this environment, including submitting my resume at Google HQ, though these efforts did not come to fruition as the bubble eventually burst.
The collapse of the dotcom era was a profound learning experience for me. It led to the loss of a significant portion of my savings, including funds entrusted by my mother and sister, prompting a deep reflection on the transient nature of value and the importance of understanding how to accurately value companies. This spurred a keen interest in the fundamentals of investing, cash flow, and valuation, which I eagerly explored throughout my MBA program at UC Irvine. My inclination towards business, finance, economics, and investment seemed natural, though it was likely my insatiable curiosity that facilitated my learning process.
After completing my MBA, I furthered my education in investments, obtaining my CFA charter. The insights gained from the dotcom era, combined with my exploration of Austrian Economics, complemented my formal education and encouraged a more critical examination of the economy.
Believing that my greatest contribution could be in the realm of financial advisory, I aspired to guide others through the complexities of finance and investment, seeking independence and control over my professional destiny as a consultant.
However, despite my aspirations, my reluctance towards sales impeded the growth of my consultancy, steering me towards a focus on investment research and analysis for well-established firms. My skepticism towards the foundational aspects of the economy, along with a cautious approach to traditional assets, often tempered my enthusiasm for the advisory field.
