Born in Montreal and raised in Vancouver, BC, I grew up in a tight-knit immigrant family where every dollar counted, instilling a lifelong value of hard work and financial discipline. I worked on Vancouver’s docks while earning my Computer Science degree, a testament to my resilience. After corporate layoffs, I ventured into the gig economy, discovering Bitcoin in 2013. This sparked my journey as an advocate for financial sovereignty, a principle I continue to explore and teach.
My career spans diverse roles, including Past President of the Surrey Chapter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association and Vice-President of the British Columbia Frequency Modulation Communications Association. I hold an amateur radio license (VE7LEE/VE7LE), using VE7LEE for analog contacts and VE7LE for digital, with a lifetime membership in the OM International Sideband Society (#16047). My tech and security expertise stems from years in the industry, complemented by my role as an emergency backup communicator.
I’ve faced significant identity theft challenges, starting with a 2021 Epik data breach that exposed my personal details on the dark web, alongside leaks from Lead Hunter and MyFitnessPal. This has forced me to change credit card numbers every two to three years and undergo annual fingerprinting to maintain my security clearance. To protect myself, I use VPNs and password managers in public, and at home, a firewall router without Wi-Fi and a dVPN, highlighting the weak legal protections for private-sector workers in Canada.
I’m passionate about sustainable economics, particularly the Doughnut Economics model, which balances human needs with planetary boundaries. I view money as a tool for building freedom, not an end goal, and invest time in exponential growth areas. My work includes guides on fraud protection and financial independence, offering frameworks rather than rigid advice—echoing the proverb, “Tell me and I forget; involve me and I understand.” I also explore time-compounding habits and challenge conventional financial assumptions.