Inside: the video that changed my life.
+ How Blockchain Could Eliminate Banks
Hello everyone,
Welcome back to my newsletter.
Updates on My Side:
OLITEF Project - The Financial Education initiative we co-developed at WE Heart Impact reached 9,003 Brazilian schools in its first year. Over 1 million students within the public education system participated, beginning their journey into financial literacy. This milestone reflects the commitment to fostering financial knowledge among Brazilian youth.
Ironman Florida - I recently competed in Ironman Florida, finishing 14th out of over 200 competitors in the M40-44 age group. Although I delivered a strong performance in both the swim and bike segments, I fell short of achieving my personal best time. My mixed feelings about this race stem from ongoing challenges in sustaining a solid run after 180 km on the bike. Nevertheless, I am highly motivated to keep pushing my limits, with plans to participate in three Ironman races in 2025.
WE Heart Impact 2025 - Reflecting on an incredible 2024, we’re proud that 80% of our projects focused on the educational sector, providing invaluable insights and growth for our team. This concentrated experience has enabled us to deepen our knowledge and gain a much stronger context within the space since we first began in Q1. Our understanding further evolved when we decided to produce a comprehensive report on the education sector. Through this process, we crafted our own research questions, engaging directly with clients and stakeholders. This journey has not only expanded our vision but also reshaped many of our original assumptions about the market, its players, and its future.
Looking Forward to 2025 - In 2025, WE is fully committed to focusing on a single sector.
Context: Although we’ve seen opportunities across multiple markets, each new market requires starting our learning process anew. While WE have an exploratory framework in place, the onboarding period for each market has highlighted that beginning from scratch slows our overall momentum. When I initially pitched WE Heart to six friends in consulting at firms like McKinsey and BCG, each one advised, “Focus on one vertical. Streamlining the market or business model will accelerate your validation curve.” While I understood the advice, I initially believed WE could thrive as an agnostic player through robust frameworks. However, our experience this year has underscored the value of a more targeted approach.
Core Assumption: By operating within a single sector, WE will accelerate our learning curve, enabling faster and more profound impact. Like Warren Buffett, we value the power of compound knowledge: every project should strengthen our expertise and enable us to act with greater confidence and depth. WE believe that focusing on one market will enhance our insights, lead to stronger theses, and expedite the validation of our assumptions through concentrated client partnerships and sector-based work.
Next Steps: By the end of November, we will select the specific market in which to focus, and we’re excited to begin this new chapter.
The ultimate goal for my triathlon 2025 season is to qualify for KONA 2026.
I would like to share an insight:
I (Think) I Know How Blockchain and Smart Contracts Could Disrupt the Banking System
I was at the Earth Gathering in Madrid, an incredible event organized by Maex, Philip, Max, and Rebecca at Maex’s place. There, I met someone who completely shifted my perspective on how blockchain and smart contracts might reshape the way we think about financial transactions.
It was the final day of the gathering, and the energy was surreal. We were a diverse group of people, coming together to celebrate life, explore fresh ideas, and discuss ways to make a positive impact for future generations. We had workshops on leadership and communication led by some of the most skilled professionals, explored our inner selves, and connected deeply through breathwork exercises and delicious vegan meals.
It was epic. Gatherings like these, accessible to more people, would foster stronger connections within individuals and communities.
On Sunday, as I was preparing to leave, an entrepreneur asked if I had a few minutes to hear him out.
Why not?
Picture this: a relaxed, confident guy sitting in almost a meditative pose in a spacious, sunlit room, the light streaming in from a tall window behind him.
He started explaining how money flows uniquely in his homeland, Turkey.
Here's how I understood it:
Yes, they have cash transactions, and likely, they use credit and debit cards as well. But beyond that, there’s something distinctive.
Imagine a system where, instead of immediate payment, you register a debt with someone. Let's say A owes B, so A issues something akin to a promissory note. Now, B can hold this as a future claim, but instead of cashing it in, they use it to pay C, and C in turn passes it to D, and so forth. The debt circulates as payment without involving banks at each exchange.
Bear with me—I’ll soon explain how this compares to traditional banking, where financial institutions profit from each transaction, and how smart contracts could entirely reimagine this process.
For context, I’m from Brazil, now living in Spain, with time spent in the US and the UK. In these places, when A needs to pay B but lacks immediate funds, A typically seeks a bank loan and explores credit solutions. A bank might advance the money in return for a fee, adding interest. So if A borrows $100k, they might owe $103k in 30 days. Each party relies on the bank to front funds in exchange for premiums, turning every financial need into a profitable venture for the bank.
Let me illustrate this:
A pays 3% for a 30-day line of credit to pay B.
B then pays 1.95% on their credit line to afford making the payment to C.
C might use their credit card receivable offer, accepting a 5% fee to get cash sooner.
D, struggling financially, faces an 8% interest rate from a scary dude down the street.
Notice how banks - or other credit agents - profit from each layer of these transactions.
Now, consider this model with blockchain and smart contracts.
Here’s my take:
Each transaction on blockchain creates a unique digital token—a one-of-a-kind asset—allowing A’s debt to B to generate a specific token. B could then use this token to pay C, who could pass it on to D, ultimately landing the payment at its endpoint without any party relying on banks for interim credit.
As each party in this chain exchanges the token, no one had to take on new bank debt or overpay for a short term credit rescue. The token essentially operates as a self-sustaining credit line. And since A’s original obligation is time-bound, D could receive their payment sooner without B and C needing separate loans to facilitate the chain.
The twist? A could still back this smart contract with a bank guarantee if necessary, meaning only the original transaction would rely on traditional banking. The rest could operate independently on blockchain, with each debt tracked seamlessly and securely.
I’m no blockchain expert, and I’m sure others have discussed similar ideas. I’m just sharing my interpretation of this concept as it was pitched to me. From where I stand, this technology already exists. It’s only a matter of time before we see more real-world applications—or maybe they’re already unfolding.
If there’s one takeaway from this experience, it’s this: surround yourself with people who challenge and expand your thinking. Be open to feeling out of your depth. It’s transformative.
P.S. the confident guy is Ataberk Casur, founder of Inverter
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This one is Rock Solid - Mamba Mentality.
If you want to set yourself free and money is an issue I suggest you watch this one and start following Professor Scott Galloway NOW! This video changed my life!
If you watch the first 16 seconds, it could be life-changing. The choice is yours!
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From McKinsey - again - “Millions of workers globally will need to change occupations as automation is increasingly deployed. In the MENA region, 45 percent of existing work activities can be automated today—close to the global average of 50 percent—and the skills gap is significant. But studies suggest that MENA countries are highly adaptable.”
Life is good.
With Love,
DMS
p.s. from Amsterdam.