Integrity has power far beyond Judeo-Christian principles. When I think about integrity my first examples are relating to friendships, but it shows up in all acts, big and small. But it’s also crucial in business because it lowers the opportunity cost of capital. Contracts, which are legally-enforceable agreements, drive business. The cost of contracts are […]
Category: Reflections
Lessons From Six Years of Journalism
These are lessons I’ve learned from over six years of journalism work for anyone considering entering the field. Overview The goal of a newspaper is to make money. Without money, it can’t hire reporters, check the government, or file FOIA requests for investigative stories. Journalists often get paid poorly because print media is dying, newspapers […]
The Future of Work
The nature of work has changed drastically since my parents were my age. The norm used to be to work for one company until you retire, and then receive a pension and live out the rest of your years with a deep loyalty to that company. I remember my grandpa cursing at John Deere tractors […]
Learn Finances When You’re Young
When I was in college my friends were in a variety of financial situations. Some were on full scholarships and working almost full time to pay rent and eat. Others financed the entire amount and were pushing off the mounting debt for “future them.” And some were spending their parent’s money, knowing their family was […]
Just Do It
One challenge I’ve struggled with in the past is “pulling the trigger.” When I would write emails, I re-read them multiple times before sending. When I would set goals, I wouldn’t chase them right away — that was for “future me.” Of course, a certain level of certainty is needed to ensure accuracy, but for […]
What I learned from a Summer of Auditing the Government
I spent the 2018 summer interning for Openthebooks.com, the world’s largest private repository of government spending in the world. And it was eye-opening. I’ve never witnessed such utter waste and corruption in spending other people’s money, even at fraternity trips to Vegas or businesses “expensing” trips and meals. At the end of every fiscal year, […]
Why I Postponed Law School
After years of planning to jump straight into law school postgraduation, I changed my mind. First of all, I can’t enter into a situation that loads me with more than $100,000 in debt and at the end, leaves me with no guarantee of passing the BAR or finding a job. While I received scholarships, I […]
Illinois $15 Minimum Wage
Illinois Governor J.B Pritzker signed today a $15 minimum wage bill to go into effect by 2025. While this could work for Chicago and its suburbs, it will crush Central and Southern Illinois — the majority of Illinois — which is mainly farmland. While Central Illinois is known for the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois […]
Why I’m Obsessed with Innovation
Few things irritate me more than the response “Because that’s how we’ve always done it.” You might as well say “I’m not creative enough to imagine better processes.” One major part of “corporate” work that needs innovation, as anyone who’s spent up to half their day in them knows, are meetings. Don’t get me wrong; […]
2018 Year in Review
2018 was a big year for me. I graduated college, left Michigan, and set values that will change the course of my life. As I left the people who I regarded as my closest friends for the last four years, I knew it was time for drastic changes. I decided to work out regularly. I’ve […]