Life Hack: RED - Retired, Extremely Dexterous

To start, tell us a little bit about yourself:

I am a results-driven technology leader with over 30 years of experience in driving connectivity and innovation across the Pacific Islands. My passion lies in leveraging emerging technologies to empower communities and bridging the digital divide. As the former CEO of Tonga Cable Limited, I led the deployment of affordable high-speed internet, and as CTO of PowerPlay, I helped develop a blockchain solution for renewable energy. My roles have included expanding satellite internet coverage as Regional, Corporate Development Director at Kacific Broadband Satellites Group and enhancing digital skills through USAID's Digital Connectivity Project. I am now officially retired from corporate life but I remain dedicated to the mission of "Leaving No One Behind" through broadband access. When I'm not building technology, you will find me blogging, mentoring individuals of all ages, advocating for progressive policies, and exploring partnerships that utilize technology responsibly to uplift communities.

Describe the life hack(s) you use on a regular basis:

How to protect myself from “Inflation” and diminishing value of my local Tongan currency (TOP) “Pa’anga”.

Which part of life has it/they helped you with?

Soverignity and Financial Independence.

Where did you first hear about it/them?

2008/2009 in Suva, Fiji after the release of Satoshi Nakamoto’s “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” Whitepaper.

Is there a time that stands out to you when not having this would have negatively affected your life?

I am a digital nomad and I choose to work on projects with offshore organisations and business contract holders. If I am paid in Fiat? I choose a strong currency like the USD or EUR or AUD depending on the context of the project and I hold offshore accounts to accommodate those transactions. I also have a local account with a local Bank that I only transfer funds to on a need to do basis for everyday transactions here where I choose as home in the Pacific Islands. If I am paid in crypto? I choose Bitcoin (BTC) or a Stablecoin like Tether (USDT).

Why do I do this? This is my life’s hack to battling Inflation and the dimishing value of my local currency. I hold funds overseas where their currency is stronger compared to my local currency and also in crypto. With crypto, I’ve learnt a valueable lesson on Trading, I don’t trade since it requires a specialized set of customised skills but if you are not careful you will end up leaning towards gambling. So I don’t trade, I just hold.

If I did not have this life’s hack, I would be a slave to Inflation and the dimishing value of my country’s local fiat currency.

Who are your favorite motivational speakers, online lecturers, and/or tinkerers?

I follow these rock stars in alphabetical order - Alex M. Pawlowski, Anton Golub, Donald Trump, Edward Snowden, Elon Musk, Gary Vaynerchuk, Harry Papacharissiou, Julian Assange, Leemon Baird, Nick Szabo, Nebojsa Todorovic, Patrick Collins, Sadhguru, Satoshi Nakamoto, Sergey Nazarov, used to follow Steve Jobs (RIP), Taha Hussain, Vitalik Buterin.

Which podcasts, books, and movies do you like and why?

I don’t know what happened but I am no longer a fan of reading fictional material, and due to information overload I stick to reading whitepapers and journals. I watch documentaries, as far as movies are concerned? that drive has also diminshed as well, but I am still a big fan of Star Wars and the Matrix series.