Earlier this year, I was invited to present at the February investor meeting of Baylor University's angel investor network.

My goal?

To de-mystify crypto.

To share why I believe in it, and the version of the future it can help create.

To share why I chose to go all in and start a crypto fund.

To share why you should care as well.

This is my best attempt at de-mystifying crypto, why it matters, and why I believe so strongly in it.

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Read my essay on why I started a crypto fund:

Essay

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Check out my latest monthly updates for the fund:

Monthly updates

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Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.comma.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thecommaproject/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:54) What innovation actually looks like

(04:17) The journey from luddite to starting a crypto fund

(05:19) Crypto's opportunity

(05:57) Crypto invites us to re-think how the world works

(06:39) Why am I here?

(07:10) Why does crypto matter?

(08:16) The evolution of the internet

(09:26) Web3

(11:45) What can crypto do that the internet can't?

(15:18) Crypto's future

(16:47) Why does crypto matter to early stage investors?

(18:03) From infrastructure -> applications

(18:47) Crypto re-shapes liquidity

(22:42) Where are we now?

(23:51) Where are we going?

(25:18) Q&A: quantum computing

(26:34) Q&A: AI x crypto

(29:54) Q&A: stablecoins & broader regulation

(34:13) Q&A: Bitcoin mining & security

(36:03) Q&A: blockchain technology's utility beyond currency

(38:26) Q&A: blockchain security

(43:01) Q&A: why hasn't crypto been adopted more broadly yet?

(47:03) Q&A: what do I invest in at Comma Partners?

(48:23) Q&A: how to think about value in crypto?

After months of searching, I finally found 'The Dream of Solomeo' by Brunello Cucinelli...for $500.

But I simply had to read it.

I loved it so much that as soon as I finished it, I booked a round-trip ticket to Italy to go see Solomeo - the home of the company, and the man who built it.

Here, I share what I loved, what I learned, and what stood out most.

Welcome back to the second edition of the Comma Book Club.

Come explore what it means to live a life of beauty, dignity, and humanistic capitalism in action.

Brunello's life is an incredible story of a philosopher-entrepreneur, and of bridging lofty ideals into a practical world.

A truly inspiring life - and a Life's Work.

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Read my essay for more on the impact Solomeo had on me:

Essay

Spotify

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Listen to the ⁠Founders Podcast⁠ episode that sparked my interest on Brunello Cucinelli:

Spotify

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Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.comma.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thecommaproject/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters:

(00:00) 'The Dream of Solomeo' by Brunello Cucinelli

(01:41) Brunello Cucinelli’s origin story: human dignity as a driving force

(03:42) Combining ethics and aesthetics

(04:04) Solomeo: a home, and a source of inspiration

(05:43) A guardian and a steward for the future

(07:44) Beauty is truth

(09:18) "Humanistic capitalism"

(10:02) Comma: modern philosophy to catalyze transformation

(11:46) World-building

(13:34) Building a school for the next generation

(15:52) Gracious technology and humanism for the future

(17:26) A new era is coming: the Transformation Economy

(18:04) Quality, craftsmanship, creativity, exclusivity, beauty

(20:32) Optimism for the future

(21:07) Beauty is an expression of our humanity

(22:07) Brunello's dream: joining the beauty of the past with the beauty of the future

What if we built worlds instead of just offices?

I went to Solomeo, the hamlet re-built by Brunello Cucinelli, where a true home has been built for his Life's Work.

I left inspired.

I think you will be, too.

"A world is a home for a Life's Work...A world is a collection of spaces for all parts of life."

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Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.comma.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thecommaproject/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/devbakes/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Chapters:

(00:00) Solomeo

(00:34) A home for a Life's Work

(03:21) In service