This content is for informational and maybe satire purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. You should not rely on this information to make investment decisions or really any decision at all. Always consult a licensed financial advisor or other qualified, maybe mental health, professional before making any financial decisions or emotional decisions… Or don’t because YOLO.
Foreword
One word I’ve been reflecting on lately is position. Literally, it refers to the location of something. However, in a more abstract sense, it represents one’s proximity relative to a specific point on a trajectory. In essence, positioning is about strategically placing yourself to ensure you’re in the right place at the right time.
My purpose in writing this is to clearly articulate my goals and the strategy that will guide my learning, investments, and personal and career development in the year ahead and beyond. However, to move forward effectively, we must first reconcile with the past.
That said, I’ve learned a great deal over the past year — and even more during 2023, a year I never truly unpacked until now.
In 2023, I came to a stark realization: outside of innovation hubs like California, Florida, and New York, life tends to suck — not mildly, but profoundly. It’s often downright depressing. The work culture in many states, not just Texas, is dominated by a “work harder, not smarter” mentality, underscored by long hours that serve no one — not the employee, not the company, and certainly not the broader economy.
In states like California, New York, and Florida, companies have long understood that more work does not equal more output. I used to shit on California until I looked at the Happiness ranking which puts it in the top 15 states. Productivity follows a curve of diminishing returns, and pushing employees beyond their limits not only hampers output but also destroys retention rates. However, in the states adopting the aforementioned work mentality, this understanding is glaringly absent, either through ignorance or deliberate choice, exploitation has become a cornerstone of its culture.
What began as the brutal institution of chattel slavery, followed by exploitative sharecropping, has now evolved into a new, insidious form of modern slavery affecting large swaths of the United States — one that doesn’t discriminate by race but instead seduces everyone with empty promises of opportunity. The game is simple: “Put your head down and grind, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll make a little more next year.” The guy, an attorney, who gave me this advice is also the same guy who introduced me to a hedge fund, who inspired what I will lay out in my Education segment. All the while, your life, your time, and your sanity slip through your fingers.
While leading states, California, New York, Florida, and their companies are increasingly adopting a nordic framework for work-life balance, the others double down on its archaic ways. Instead of valuing individuals for their unique contributions and assigning compensation accordingly, those companies compare workers to the median, ensuring that the goalposts for upward mobility are always moving.
It’s no surprise that companies founded in Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, and Louisiana are hemorrhaging talent to California, Florida, and New York-based firms that have expanded into those states. This migration is ultimately good for them, though, as it may force the state’s culture of exploitation and discrimination to crumble under its own weight. The mantra of “Don’t Tread on Me” has long been a thinly veiled code for “Don’t Be Anything I Don’t Want to See in My Society.” But this worldview is increasingly irrelevant in a modern economy where creativity, diversity, and humanity drive success.
Your location doesn’t matter, your income doesn’t matter — what matters is your resolve and belief in yourself.
In 2024, I came to a profound realization: your location doesn’t matter, your income doesn’t matter — what matters is your resolve and belief in yourself, because resolve and self-belief are all it takes to invest in the future and reap the rewards.
Last year, specifically from October to the end of December, my investment picks delivered a time-weighted return of 243% Historical. Let’s not overstate it — I made some money, but not enough to escape location I’ve found myself in. What it proved, however, is this: the future is what we decide. Every day, we vote with our money — whether through our spending or investments. And in trading, just like voting, timing matters. There is a right time and a wrong time to make your move. While I’m still refining my ability to consistently identify the “right time,” I am confident in the positions I’ll be holding this year.
This article isn’t just meant to inform others — it’s also an opportunity for me to articulate my investment philosophy. My choices aren’t purely driven by profit. Instead, I invest in companies that improve the human condition, because profits always follow innovation that matters.
Take NVIDIA, for example. The company’s groundbreaking work in graphics processing units (GPUs) didn’t just create better hardware — it bolstered an industry that gave people a sense of purpose, connection, and hope during some of the most isolating times in recent memory: the rise of video games. What began as a focus on entertainment expanded into a more profound mission through AI innovation, all while remaining committed to fostering a better, more connected world. NVIDIA’s example underscores my belief that investing in companies dedicated to positive societal impact always pays off in the long run.
Investments
“Buy the dip!” It’s a phrase you hear time and time again. While the idea of purchasing shares in a company whose stock has plummeted since its IPO can feel daunting, it’s worth considering the broader context. Although it may be tempting to chase a stock experiencing explosive gains, the reality is that such growth is often short-lived.
Public Safety
Wrap Technologies
Ticker: WRAP
I first discovered Wrap Technologies through a video by Demolition Ranch featuring Donut Operator, where they tested innovative non-lethal technologies aimed at improving public safety outcomes in the United States.
Their flagship innovation, the BolaWrap, operates by deploying a Kevlar tether equipped with small anchor hooks at both ends, which wraps around the target’s body to immobilize their movement. This technology adds a much-needed tool to the continuum of force, particularly as public sentiment around tasers has shifted due to the risks associated with their deployment. Tasers, while initially perceived as an exceptionally safe alternative akin to pepper spray, have been shown to cause severe complications, including heart attacks or even igniting fires in certain situations. These risks have highlighted the need for alternatives that prioritize safety without compromising effectiveness.
The BolaWrap effectively acts as a modern lasso, offering law enforcement and public safety professionals a non-lethal, non-violent option for managing situations involving non-compliant individuals. Unlike traditional methods that rely on physical confrontation or chemical deterrents, the BolaWrap emphasizes de-escalation and control without causing harm, making it a valuable tool for reducing injuries and fostering safer outcomes for both officers and civilians.
The growth trajectory of the BolaWrap from Wrap Technologies appears faster than Axon’s original Taser, largely due to the foundation Axon built for non-lethal technology adoption. While Axon’s Taser faced a slower rollout due to the need for public education, training, and regulatory approval, the BolaWrap benefits from a more receptive environment where demand for de-escalatory tools is at an all-time high. Its simple design and ease of integration into existing protocols further accelerate its adoption, allowing agencies to quickly train officers and deploy the technology effectively.
My price target: $4.5
Current Price: $2.04
AXON
Ticker: AXON
If you’re looking for a quick-rich stock, Axon Enterprise likely isn’t it — but what it is, is a company with extraordinary long-term potential. Often referred to as the “Apple of Public Safety,” Axon has built a unified ecosystem designed for cross-functionality and all-domain awareness, seamlessly integrating its technologies to revolutionize law enforcement and first responder operations.
From its connected body cameras, which provide real-time ground intelligence to dispatchers, to its AI-driven crime intelligence platform, Axon has transformed a field long plagued by outdated technology and inadequate training. The company has not only modernized the tools officers rely on but also created a framework for more efficient, data-driven decision-making in high-stakes environments.
One of Axon’s most exciting frontiers is its Axon Air program, which positions the company to lead in autonomous drone technology. This initiative could potentially enable fleets of autonomous drones to provide bird’s-eye intelligence during critical incidents — well before first responders arrive on the scene. Such technology would enhance situational awareness, save lives, and improve outcomes. In cities like Houston (HPD), New York (NYPD), Los Angeles (LAPD), and Miami (MDSO) that already rely on helicopter patrols, this innovation could revolutionize aerial surveillance.
Autonomous drones could reduce the risks associated with helicopter patrols, such as accidents, and eliminate their biggest limitation: they can’t be everywhere at once. By automating the aerial patrol segment, Axon Air could not only reduce operational costs but also enhance safety for both civilians and officers, cementing Axon’s role as a forward-thinking leader in public safety innovation. This is a company poised for sustained growth as it continues to address the challenges of modern policing with cutting-edge solutions.
My price target: $635
Current Price: $571.56
Tech and AI
Meta
Ticker: META
Mark Zuckerberg’s has made headlines recently in main stream media largely due to his appearances on the Joe Rogan podcast, becoming an MMA fighter, and his recent albeit expected donation to the Trump Presidential Fund.
However, what truly piqued my interest in Mark Zuckerberg — aside from him finally learning how to properly dress, as evidenced in his Bloomberg News interview — was his vision for the future of enterprise AI deployment. This vision was exemplified by his bold decision to make Meta’s LLaMA open source, a move that underscored his commitment to democratizing AI innovation. This announcement came at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the launch of FreedomGPT, which, while aiming to decentralize AI, fell short in terms of sophistication and practical utility compared to Meta’s offering.
Zuckerberg’s foresight in embracing open-source principles demonstrates a deeper understanding of how to balance corporate interests with the development of an emerging foundational technology. By opening Meta’s AI models to the wider community, he is not only fostering innovation but also ensuring Meta’s tools become deeply embedded in the ecosystem, creating a durable competitive advantage.
In combination with its strategic partnership with Ray-Ban, Meta is positioning itself to revisit the concept of augmented reality wearables — potentially achieving what Google Glass could not. Unlike its predecessor, Meta’s approach seems grounded in both technological readiness and consumer appeal. The integration of sleek design, practical functionality, and Meta’s advanced AI capabilities lays the groundwork for a product that could redefine wearable tech. This strategy reflects a company that has learned from past market missteps and is now poised to deliver something both innovative and commercially viable.
My price target: $835
Current Price: $615
BlackBerry
Ticker: BB
The only difference between a risky investment and a smart one lies in your level of confidence and the factors influencing that confidence. Ultimately, what determines whether an investment was “good” is the outcome of the decision, rendering the distinction between “risky” and “smart” irrelevant in hindsight. With that said, I want to emphasize that my confidence in Blackberry’s potential is driven purely by my intuition and the insights gleaned from my screener, rather than any specific external source.
Blackberry, once a prominent status symbol in the business world, is now a fraction of its former size and has completely shifted away from consumer phones. Its new focus, cybersecurity, positions it to potentially capitalize on explosive growth in 2025. As the global digital landscape continues to expand, the demand for robust cybersecurity solutions grows exponentially. Blackberry’s pivot into this sector aligns it with key trends in data protection, IoT security, and enterprise-level risk management.
With a legacy of innovation and a renewed strategic focus, Blackberry has the potential to emerge as a formidable player in the cybersecurity space. If the company can effectively leverage its existing expertise and market reputation while addressing the evolving needs of businesses worldwide, 2025 could mark a significant resurgence for Blackberry.
In the worst-case scenario, Blackberry could regain relevance purely out of necessity, driven by desperation. It is increasingly likely that the United States will face a large-scale, destabilizing cyberattack in the near future — one far more expansive than the Chinese-backed SS7 (Signaling System 7) attack. The SS7 attack exploited vulnerabilities in a decades-old telecommunications protocol that many experts in the tech community, myself included, have long recognized, Since 2015, as a critical weakness.
This growing threat stems from the fact that much of the nation’s critical infrastructure relies on outdated and inadequately protected systems. A prime example is traffic camera networks, which often lack encryption. This vulnerability allows malicious actors, including state-sponsored entities, to easily access these systems to track license plates, monitor locations, or facilitate other nefarious activities. The lack of modernized safeguards in these systems poses undeniable national security risks.
Moreover, this example only scratches the surface of the potential dangers. If one considers life-supporting infrastructure — such as energy grids, water treatment facilities, and healthcare systems — the scale of the threat becomes exponentially more alarming. These systems are increasingly interconnected and reliant on legacy technology, making them attractive targets for sophisticated cyberattacks. Blackberry’s expertise in cybersecurity could position the company as a key player in safeguarding these critical assets if such threats materialize, further emphasizing the necessity of its solutions.
My price target: $6–12
Current Price: $4
Snapchat
Ticker: SNAP
Snapchat, still the preferred platform for communication among younger generations, has struggled to turn a profit despite its strong user base. Its challenges lie not in the quality of its product but in a weak monetization strategy. While efforts like Snapchat+ have shown promise, particularly among creators and aspiring influencers, the company must expand its offerings with tools like advanced analytics, exclusive AR filters, and priority placement to make the subscription indispensable. Additionally, Snapchat could capitalize on its expertise in augmented reality by creating a marketplace for AR assets, allowing brands, businesses, and creators to purchase tailored filters and effects. The Spotlight feature, similar to TikTok’s short-form videos which is currently slated to be banned in the United States, presents another opportunity for monetization through dynamic ad placements, tipping, and integrated e-commerce for creators. Even hardware ventures, despite the failure of Spectacles, could be reimagined as AR-powered smart glasses for gaming, live-streaming, or professional applications by partnering with established industry leaders. Finally, Snapchat’s ad platform could leverage AI and predictive analytics to deliver highly personalized, non-intrusive ads and empower advertisers to optimize campaigns effectively. By refining these strategies and exploring scalable revenue streams, Snapchat can transform its innovative strengths into sustainable profitability.
My price target: $17–22
Current Price: $12.54
Energy
OKLO
Ticker: OKLO
Whether you believe in climate change or not, the oil industry is undeniably in decline. Economics, reliability, and shifting demand are the primary reasons behind this trend. It’s no secret that the world is running out of easily accessible and economically viable oil reserves. Compounding this issue is the exponential rise in energy consumption among developing nations — after all, they are in the process of growth and industrialization.
In the near term, domestic demand for electricity is also surging at an unprecedented rate. Factors such as extreme weather events, AI training, cryptocurrency mining, and a growing population are some of the biggest drivers of this increased demand.
While renewable energy sources like photovoltaics, wind, and hydroelectric power have made significant contributions in delaying the implementation of a more sustainable solution, they are not always reliable. Solar power depends on sunlight, wind power depends on wind, and hydroelectricity depends on water flow — you get the idea.
Ultimately, nuclear energy is, without a doubt, the most viable solution for meeting the world’s growing energy needs. However, large-scale nuclear reactors face a significant challenge: transmission. The U.S. power grid, reliant on outdated legacy technology and plagued by capacity issues, is woefully inadequate. In some places, like Houston, it is nothing short of a disgrace.
Addressing this issue would require substantial capital investment — something conservatives are reluctant to fund, and not without reason. Beyond the grid’s outdated technology, the cost of expanding capacity to meet the exponential power demands of data centers is staggering. On average, building new high-voltage transmission lines costs between $1 million and $3 million per mile, depending on factors like terrain, permitting, and construction complexity. Considering that data centers are typically located 50 to 100 miles from the nearest power plant, the cost of building dedicated lines can easily reach tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars for a single facility.
This economic reality makes the large-scale addition of transmission lines to support rising demand cost-prohibitive. Furthermore, building massive power plants in urban centers in 2025 is simply not a viable option due to zoning, safety concerns, and public resistance.
Oklo offers a compelling solution with its micro-reactor, Aurora. This compact and efficient advanced fission system is designed to provide consistent, carbon-free electricity for up to 20 years without the need for refueling. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors, which require extensive infrastructure and significant resources to operate, Oklo’s design is modular, self-contained, and adaptable to a variety of settings.
These features make Aurora an attractive option not only for powering remote areas but also for data centers, where its small size and scalability provide a solution that can grow alongside demand. By adopting this technology, energy supply for existing customers can increase incrementally without the immediate need for large-scale grid upgrades.
While upgrading transmission lines and decentralizing power production will inevitably become a national security priority, Oklo’s micro-reactor technology ensures that this process can be approached thoughtfully, without the need for an entirely rushed overhaul.
The most exciting opportunity presented by Oklo is its potential impact on the automotive market. By bringing power production closer to end-users and utilizing a lighter fuel source, the inherent cost of energy will decrease. This reduction in energy costs will further lower the overall cost of owning an electric vehicle (EV), making EVs more accessible to a broader audience. In turn, this shift will create additional opportunities for investors, particularly in adjacent industries such as EV infrastructure, battery production, and energy storage.
My price target: $65
Current Price: $25.15
Career and Educational Development
At the intersection of my interest in AI, innovation, and investments, you’ll find my plan for the future. I believe that Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best one.
One day, I had an intriguing conversation with a lawyer — let’s call him Jack. He told me about a company that seemed almost mythical in its ability to “predict the future” using an algorithm. This company, Renaissance Technologies, was founded by a man named Jim Simons, and it’s regarded as one of the most successful financial firms in history.
At the time, I was skeptical. After all, even Sir Isaac Newton, after losing a third of his wealth to bad investments, famously remarked, “I can calculate the motions of the planets, but I cannot calculate the madness of men.” Jack’s story was fascinating, but I quickly dismissed it as one of those tales that sound too good to be true.
That is, until the GameStop frenzy erupted once more. I jumped on the bandwagon and managed to secure a modest gain. The following day, a New York Post article reignited my fascination with Renaissance Technologies. The article revealed that the hedge fund had purchased “1 million shares of GameStop during the quarter ending in March,” positioning themselves just before the second surge that saw the stock’s value increase by 400%.
This revelation was staggering — Renaissance Technologies had seemingly predicted the surge using their sophisticated algorithms. They had invested in a stock that conventional wisdom would deem excessively risky or outright irrational. Yet, their data-driven, calculated approach paid off spectacularly as GameStop soared once again, fueled by Roaring Kitty’s return to the spotlight.
That moment left me in awe. One night, while heavily intoxicated, I found myself vowing, I want to make money like Renaissance Technologies. There was just one problem: I was 40 years too late and far too poor to afford the kind of technology that powers Renaissance Technologies. But in my drunken state, I was brimming with colorful ideas. One in particular stuck: What if I could figure out what Jim Simons is investing in and use AI — like ChatGPT — to analyze those investments?
Discovering Simons’ investments turned out to be surprisingly simple. Large firms like Renaissance Technologies are required to file a quarterly report called Form 13F-HR, which discloses their holdings. Armed with this data, I asked ChatGPT to analyze the stocks and suggest the one most likely to succeed.
Its recommendation? Brush Oral Care, a stock trading at just $0.0634 on May 14th. Out of curiosity, I decided to invest. By May 15th, the stock had risen by a modest $0.01 per share. Not bad, I thought. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock I felt on May 16th, when I opened my Robinhood app and saw the stock trading at $0.16. I reacted quickly, selling immediately and locking in a return of over 200%.
Admittedly, this was just a test. I hadn’t prepared for such success, but it worked — and it ignited my curiosity. Could I replicate this?
The next test delivered positive results, though less dramatic than a 200% return in a single day. Yet, I noticed a limitation. ChatGPT wasn’t fully processing the structured data in the 13F-HR filings. It seemed to analyze only the first 100 companies listed, neglecting the rest. This issue — likely stemming from the model’s context window limitation — forced me to temporarily set the approach aside.
However, by temporarily setting the strategy aside, I came to an important realization: I had been running too fast in the wrong direction. I hadn’t even outlined the challenges I needed to address to build a sustainable system capable of effectively analyzing 13F-HR filings. More importantly, I had to ask myself: Am I truly willing to risk what I have solely based on the moves of a hedge fund? A hedge fund that could lose a million dollars and easily write it off as a rounding error?
Even more critical was the recognition that while this strategy might work well for long-term investments, it wasn’t aligned with the kind of returns I was aiming to achieve, swing trading returns.
Perspective: It’s easy to feel satisfied — or even grateful — with a 20% annual return when you have $100,000 or $1,000,000 in invested capital. But the goalposts shift dramatically when you’re just starting out, and your primary objective is to build that initial $100,000 in capital.
This setback proved valuable, forcing me to refine my strategy. Instead of relying solely on one hedge fund’s filings, I realized that while ChatGPT had limitations in analyzing large datasets, I could still manually sift through the information. To address this, I built a stock screener. When a stock appeared on my radar, I would cross-check to see if Renaissance Technologies had recently acquired shares in the company.
From there, I leveraged multiple data sources and worked incrementally with ChatGPT to assess how much capital to allocate and estimate my potential returns. While this approach was tedious, it was an essential step. You can’t automate a process you don’t fully understand, and you can’t improve a process without first establishing a solid foundational flow.
Then I recalled, once again, the cautionary tale of Isaac Newton’s financial demise. Despite having all the knowledge and tools of his time, he still succumbed to the unpredictability of human behavior. It struck me that all the technical indicators are ultimately just reflections of collective human actions. What if, instead of relying solely on market indicators, I could analyze behaviors in the real world — before they influence the market — and capitalize on short-term surges, exiting as soon as the pullback begins?
By now, you’re probably thinking: Isn’t this exactly what hedge funds are already doing? To which I would respond: Yes, but the difference lies in the tools now available to individuals like us. We are on the cusp of a new era, where foundational models like LLAMA and cutting-edge technologies such as Project DIGITS make it possible to fine-tune AI models in scalable and accessible ways. Imagine a form factor akin to a Mac Mini enabling high-performance, custom AI solutions.
I would argue that there has never been a better time in history to pursue the creation of an AI model for market prediction than right now. Why? Because the “madness of men,” as Newton described it, has evolved into something far more structured and predictable. The algorithms employed by large firms have replaced much of the chaos, while the consumer traders, now representing a smaller portion of market activity, receive their news, converse, and make decisions on platforms that AI can fully analyze.
What was once the irrationality of human behavior has transformed into a system of consumer traders reacting to news and algorithms — both of which are predictable and analyzable. The tools we now have at our disposal offer unprecedented opportunities to harness this shift and develop smarter, more adaptive strategies for navigating the financial markets.
However, implementing this solution and developing it into a robust system is far easier said than done. It will require time, patience, and — most importantly — a clear understanding of the challenges ahead. One significant obstacle is the risk of overfitting, where an AI model becomes so finely tuned to its training data that it performs flawlessly in testing but fails catastrophically in real-world deployment.
Additionally, this endeavor will demand a strong foundation in mathematics — a skill I have yet to fully master, or even begin to develop in earnest. At this point, my mathematical proficiency is rudimentary, akin to counting on fingers.
However, I am confidence that it can be accomplished and will be accomplished at least to a specific degree of success.
Personal and Interpersonal Development
One of the hardest realizations I’ve ever had — the one that brought me to tears — was understanding that intelligence isn’t everything, and wealth doesn’t truly matter. When you’re on your deathbed, with labored breaths counting down the moments until your light fades, you won’t ask for your car, your purse, or that Ferrari you impulsively bought on vacation. No, in that final hour, what you’ll ask for is the presence of those you love.
What broke me was the reality of it all. After years of being bullied in elementary school — because of poverty, disability, and race — I was left feeling like I didn’t belong. So, I fixated on changing everything I could. I became intelligent and well-read. I built a website that generated ad revenue. And the moment I turned 14, I applied for a job at Publix. They didn’t hire me, but that didn’t stop me. Day in and day out, I worked on myself and my goals.
But in that relentless grind, I lost sight of why I was working so hard in the first place. I took for granted the people I loved and the ones who loved me. I was chasing belonging — and eventually, I did find it — but I was so blinded by ambition that I didn’t realize it. I lost those connections, one by one, until I made the decision to move to Texas.
It was my relentless drive to achieve my goals at any cost that brought me here. Ironically, that move was exactly what I needed to finally realize I’d been chasing the wrong goal all along: money. And for that, I’m thankful. Because now, my career and education plan is merely a vehicle to help me achieve what truly matters: finding love and belonging.
Just like investments, it’s hard to know if the path you’ve chosen will lead to the outcome you’re hoping for. Sometimes, the girl who catches your eye in a crowded room shines because of where you are, not who she is. The sparkle that grabs your attention might not be the saving grace you’re looking for — and it takes time and honesty to figure that out. In the end, the hardest part is knowing whether you’re looking in the right place, or if you’ve convinced yourself that where you’ve landed is where you belong.
