Or, as my wife calls it: “What the fuck are you doing now?”
My wife, family, and friends keep asking me the same question:
“How and why do you keep adding so many things to your plate?”
My plate?
What plate?
I thought we were at a fucking buffet!
Apparently, somewhere along the way, someone decided there was a limit to how much you could put on your plate.
I must have missed that meeting.
And if my plate ever gets too full, I have a rather ingenious solution.
GET A BIGGER PLATE!
Problem solved.
My wife, however, thinks I have too many businesses, too many projects, too many ideas, and possibly an undiagnosed psychological condition that causes me to wake up every morning wondering:
“What else can I fix before breakfast?”
Personally, I call it having fun.
Here's the thing.
I wake up happy every single morning. I love life. I love people. Well, most people. Some of you are seriously testing that statement.
I love laughing. I love making people laugh. And I absolutely love making people smile.
So I started thinking.
What if we built companies whose primary purpose was making people's lives better?
What if we solved problems everyone complains about but nobody seems interested in fixing?
And what if we could possibly make a shitload of money doing it?
POOF! DIRECTIVE 17 WAS BORN.
Our investment thesis?
MAKE PEOPLE SMILE.
Apparently, most investment firms have investment committees, risk committees, compensation committees, and committees to determine whether they need another committee.
We ask four questions.
Does it solve a problem?
Does it make life better?
Will it make people smile?
Can we make money doing it?
Four yeses?
LET'S FUCKING GO!
And that's when I discovered something extraordinary.
THERE ARE PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE!
Every day, someone tells me about something that sucks.
And every day, I wonder why nobody is doing anything about it.
Somewhere along the way, humanity apparently decided that complaining about problems was easier than fixing them.
“Well, that's just the way it is.”
Really?
Who the hell decided that?
Was there a vote?
Because I would have voted NO.
LET'S START WITH ATLANTA.
PROBLEM #1: WHY IS BUYING TRULY CLEAN FOOD SO DAMN DIFFICULT?
I'm not talking about something labeled “all natural.”
Natural what?
Natural bullshit?
I want extraordinary food from extraordinary farmers, chefs, and artisans. Food where you don't need a chemistry degree to understand the ingredients.
And why can't buying that food be an unforgettable experience?
MEET CAVIAR & CORNDOGS.
Possibly the most ridiculous name ever conceived for an extraordinary gourmet destination.
And I love it!
Imagine a spectacular, curated food marketplace and dining experience unlike anything on this side of the Atlantic.
Exceptional food. Extraordinary wines. Curations from outer space.
Free coffee every morning.
Free caviar, corndogs and champagne every night.
PROBLEM #2: WHY IS IT SO DAMN HARD FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE?
Remember when people actually talked to each other?
In person?
Without swiping left or right?
Without checking someone's LinkedIn profile to determine whether they were worth speaking to?
Today, we have more ways to connect than ever before.
And somehow, people are lonelier than ever.
MEET TWELVE92.
An invitation-only private community built around one revolutionary idea:
HELP PEOPLE BECOME PEOPLE AGAIN.
Young professionals. Creatives. Introverts. Entrepreneurs. Retirees. Interesting people of every generation.
Extraordinary private dining experiences. Michelin chefs. World-famous sommeliers. Art. Music. Friendships. Experiences.
And a place where your money won't get you in.
Your personality might.
Your kindness certainly helps.
And if you're an asshole, I don't care how many zeros are in your bank account.
The world already has enough assholes.
We don't need to build them a clubhouse.
PROBLEM #3: WHY DO WE HAVE TO TRAVEL HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD TO ESCAPE THE MADNESS?
Everyone talks about getting back to nature.
Then they book a $1,500-a-night hotel room with a photograph of a tree hanging above the bed.
Congratulations.
You've experienced nature.
MEET THE FARM AT TWELVE92.
A beautiful working organic farm, luxury spa, and retreat within metropolitan Atlanta.
Fresh food. Gardens. Wellness. Extraordinary hospitality.
A place where people can escape, recharge, reconnect, and actually relax.
An added benefit of Twelve92 membership.
I'm personally unfamiliar with the concept of relaxing, but I'm told it's wonderful.
PROBLEM #4: WHY DOES GETTING INTO SOMEONE'S CAR SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE AN EPISODE OF DATELINE?
Why shouldn't you have confidence that your driver has passed rigorous background checks?
That the vehicle is properly insured?
That your driver can communicate clearly with you?
That your family will be safe?
And that someone actually cares whether you arrive safely?
MEET D17 MOBILITY.
Premium, safety-first transportation.
Professionally vetted drivers. Exceptional service. Real accountability.
GPS’s that actually work. Understanding of left and right.
Hand holding programs for children, teens and the elderly.
Because the ride shouldn't be considered over until you're safe.
And getting home shouldn't require prayer, divine intervention, or texting your family your last known coordinates.
AND THEN THE PLATE GOT BIGGER.
Because apparently solving a few problems in Atlanta wasn't enough.
We started looking at problems affecting people everywhere.
MYTHOGENIC.
Imagine creating entire worlds, stories, and experiences using extraordinary technology.
Not just watching entertainment.
Living inside it.
For those of us who still have the imagination of an eight-year-old, this is Disneyland on steroids.
PIVT.
Moving to a new city? Starting a new job? Going through a divorce? Trying to make friends?
Why does every major life transition have to feel like starting life all over again?
PIVT helps people find connections, communities, and belonging.
Because starting over shouldn't mean starting alone.
LUX NOVA ENTERTAINMENT.
Extraordinary live and immersive experiences that make people walk out saying:
“Holy shit. That was amazing!”
Remember when entertainment was actually entertaining?
FIREFLY.LOVE.
More human connection. More meaningful relationships. More love.
Because the world could use a lot more love.
And considerably fewer people arguing with strangers on the internet.
AND THEN SOMEONE BROUGHT OUT THE TECHNOLOGY PLATE.
This one is particularly interesting.
Because we're increasingly trusting artificial intelligence with our money, businesses, healthcare, infrastructure, governments, and national security.
One small problem.
WE CAN'T ALWAYS TRUST IT!
What could possibly go wrong?
MEET HOLONIC.
Independent validation infrastructure for enterprise software and artificial intelligence.
In simple terms?
We're building technology that independently checks whether other technology is doing what it's supposed to do.
Think of it as an extraordinarily sophisticated bullshit detector.
Except it doesn't just detect bullshit.
It's designed to validate results, enforce rules, and help prevent expensive mistakes before they become catastrophes.
For the technical crowd, we can discuss deterministic precision, semantic intelligence, independent governance, and continuous validation.
For everyone else:
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE MACHINES AREN'T FULL OF SHIT.
Seems like a pretty worthwhile endeavor.
MYTHOGENIC. AGAIN.
Yes, again.
Because apparently one company can solve more than one problem. Military simulations, world models that can actually go further than anyone can even fathom.
Who knew?
D17 HOS.
Another effort to make complex technology and systems work better for actual human beings.
If we can eventually eliminate the experience of calling customer service, pressing 1 for English, pressing 4 for technical support, and then explaining the same problem to six different people, we may deserve a Nobel Prize.
SO WHEN DOES ALL THIS STOP?
I have absolutely no fucking idea.
And that's what makes it so much fun!
My wife asks when I'm going to slow down.
My family asks how many more companies we're going to create.
My friends ask whether I ever sleep.
And my team?
They've learned that when I walk into a meeting and say, “I have an idea,” they should probably cancel their afternoon plans.
But here's what makes this special.
I'm surrounded by extraordinary people who see problems as opportunities.
People who believe impossible often means nobody has tried hard enough.
People who understand that making money and making people's lives better are not mutually exclusive.
In fact, we believe they belong together.
Because what the hell is the point of making a fortune if you're miserable doing it?
SUCCESS SHOULD BE MEASURED IN MORE THAN MONEY.
Lives improved.
Friendships created.
Experiences shared.
Problems solved.
And smiles.
Lots and lots of smiles.
SO HERE'S MY INVITATION.
Bring us your ideas.
Seriously.
See something that's broken?
Tell us.
Have an idea everyone says is impossible?
I definitely want to hear it.
Think you've found a way to make people's lives better?
Let's talk.
And if someone tells you your idea is ridiculous, impossible, or that you don't have the balls to pull it off...
You may have just found your first competitor.
AND FINALLY, TO MY WIFE, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS.
I promise you this.
The day we solve all of humanity's problems...
The day nobody feels lonely...
The day everyone has access to clean food, safe transportation, extraordinary experiences, and technology they can actually trust...
The day everyone wakes up happy, spends their days laughing, and goes to bed smiling...
I WILL STOP ADDING THINGS TO MY PLATE.
Until then?
I'm buying bigger plates.
Possibly a bigger table.
Maybe an entirely new dining room.
And if necessary, I'll buy the fucking restaurant.
Because here's something I've learned:
Some people see a problem and complain.
Some people see a problem and wait for somebody else to fix it.
And some of us see a problem and start building the solution before we've even finished breakfast.
That's Directive 17.
And we're just getting started.
HATERS GONNA HATE.
BUILDERS GONNA BUILD.
And apparently...
MY WIFE IS GONNA NEED A BIGGER HOUSE TO STORE ALL THESE FUCKING PLATES.
Now go have fun.
Make somebody smile.
And for God's sake, if your plate is full...
STOP COMPLAINING AND GET A BIGGER FUCKING PLATE!
The Future Should Make Life Better.
DIRECTIVE 17
Much more to come.
Directive 17