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Creating an Investable Entity: From Advisor to Owner

A reflection on the critical transition from being a trusted advisor to becoming an empowered builder

The Current Inflection Point​

I find myself at a crucial juncture. Multiple powerful, wealthy individuals are not just open to my ideas—they're actively hinting that I should create something investable. The question isn't whether I have access to capital or credibility. The question is whether I have the courage to structure something where I maintain control while leveraging their resources.

Asif crystallized what I already knew but was avoiding: the key to determining whether people truly respect you in business is whether they give you the check to your company. Everything else is just borrowed credibility.

The Advisor Trap​

I've been observing patterns in others that I must avoid:

  • Andrew Yeung / Ami Yoshimura syndrome: Being perpetually liked but never in control, exhausting oneself as a spokesperson without building real power
  • The consultant ceiling: Getting paid well for advice but never converting relationships into ownership
  • The borrowed credibility trap: Having proximity to power and capital but no final say

As Asif pointed out about his former boss at the Newhouse family office—she made $5 million a year but had no real autonomy. She could never execute her own vision, always bottlenecked by the family's whims.

Models of Successful Conversion​

Ray Dalio's Path: Started by wanting to be in rooms with the smartest people. But he realized that without structuring a fund where they gave him their money with his control, he hadn't truly converted those relationships.

Nick Parasram's Move: Converted his relationship with Justin Kan from "Justin's guy" to co-founder with capital backing. He demanded published recognition and investment—and got it.

Ken Moelis Example: Individual advisor who charged $5 million per deal, accumulated a $100M+ war chest, then leveraged his brand to build an institution.

My Unique Position​

I have several advantages that most don't:

  1. Multi-denominational religious network: From LDS descendants of Joseph Smith to powerful non-denominational pastors to eventually the Vatican
  2. Access to unprecedented capital: The Jesus commercials family alone has "too much money they don't even know what to do with"
  3. Proven trust relationships: Multiple ultra-high-net-worth individuals who explicitly want to deploy capital with my guidance
  4. Vision for transformative projects: Charter cities, movement infrastructure, educational revolution

The Structure I Need​

Following the Zuckerberg model of "benevolent dictatorship," I need:

  • Majority control: Never give up decision-making power
  • Clear governance: Structured to allow hard decisions without committee paralysis
  • Investor clarity: They're buying into my vision and execution, not trying to control it
  • Legal fortress: John Montague can help structure this properly

Next Steps​

  1. Meet with John Montague immediately: Structure the entity properly from day one. Having a corporate lawyer who believes in me and has my back will be crucial for getting this right.

  2. Define the initial focus: While the long-term vision includes charter cities and movement infrastructure, what's the first monetizable project? Kansas City World Cup 2026? A specific educational venture? The trans-denominational city project?

  3. Convert key relationships: Stop giving free advice. Present the structure and investment opportunity to:

    • The medical genius potentially coming into $800M
    • The "master architect of Shenzhen" in Tulsa
    • The Jesus commercials family
    • Religious denomination leaders who want to be "part of the city"

  4. Consider crypto integration carefully: Could provide novel governance and equity distribution mechanisms, especially for charter city projects where citizens could hold stakes

  5. Set the precedent: The first deal sets the tone. Don't compromise on control just to get started.

The Fundamental Question​

Asif cut to the heart of it: "Am I a pussy or not?"

If I truly believe in the transformative potential of what I'm building—whether it's revolutionary education models, charter cities, or movement infrastructure—then I must structure it so I can execute without being bottlenecked by investors who dismiss ideas arbitrarily.

The Moment of Truth​

I've spent years building trust, relationships, and vision. I've proven I can identify opportunities, connect the right people, and see futures others can't. But Travis Oliphant was right when he told me to stop talking about Trump—I am the person that matters.

The difference between advisors who fade into obscurity and builders who change the world is simple: ownership and control.

When I gave Tauren Wells that 1972 Michael Jackson vinyl—representing the intersection of cultural icon and spiritual leader—I told him I see him as the X-factor between Michael Jackson and Billy Graham. Now I need to become that X-factor myself. Not by advising others on their ventures, but by creating the structure where the world's resources flow through my vision.

The time for being everyone's trusted advisor is ending. The time for being the architect of the future—with the legal and financial structure to match—has arrived.

The only question remaining: Will I have the courage to demand what I'm worth and structure it properly? The answer must be yes.