The Origin
I was born in Battambang, Cambodia, and landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1983. Growing up on welfare, I felt a deep sense of shame. That shame became my fuel. I vowed then that I would break the cycle and build a life of substance.
The First Life (The Warrior)
In 1996, I joined the military. I served nearly five years on Active Duty in the Marine Corps, where I learned that standards and perseverance are the foundation of character. I continued my service in the Marine Corps Reserve and eventually the Army Reserve as a Drill Sergeant, training soldiers until I retired in 2016. The military taught me that pain is temporary, but discipline is forever.
The Second Life (The Builder)
I became a millionaire at 27 years old. But my path was not a straight line—I lost everything, rebuilt it, and faced the cycle of ruin and recovery again. I operated in the high-stakes arenas of Residential and Commercial Finance. Over 20 years, I structured over $1 Billion in capital and directed operations for more than 100 development projects. I learned that while markets can strip you of your net worth, they cannot strip you of your skills.
The Third Life (The Student)
Today, I have retired from the chase. I no longer chase money; I chase peace, health, and connection with my family and friends. I am a full-time Engineering Student and a student of the human mind. I research Neuroscience from a biological standpoint—investigating how to upgrade the hardware of the brain just as we upgrade software. When I am not coding or working out, I am traveling and cataloging my 'stoic wisdom' to pass down to the younger generation.
Core Philosophy
The Discipline
The Iron Standard. The body leads the mind. I do not train for vanity; I train for mental survival. At 48, I maintain the physical standard of a Drill Sergeant because you cannot have a strong mind in a weak vessel.
The Legacy
The Wisdom. I am documenting the unvarnished truth of my life—my rise, my fall, and the lessons found in the ashes. These are field notes for my children to navigate their own storms.
The Internal Code
Refactoring the Brain. I view anxiety and trauma not as permanent failures, but as bugs in the system. I use Neuroscience and logic to debug them with patience.
The Execution
Mission First. Wisdom is useless without action. I apply military precision to my daily objectives. I do not negotiate with myself; I execute the plan regardless of how I feel.