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Brandon Thomas

Basic Info​

  • Location: Austin, Texas
  • Role/Occupation: Co-Founder & COO at Pellonium (cybersecurity), Managing Partner at Blockview Partners
  • Contact: Connected via WeChat (as of 2025-11-12)
  • Met: Through Chris's introduction, connected over shared interests in China relations and education innovation
  • Family: Has two daughters (one in high school, one in middle school) who are fluent in Chinese through immersion program

Professional Background​

  • Current Roles:

    • Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Pellonium (cybersecurity company focused on enterprise risk management)
    • Managing Partner at Blockview Partners (formerly Blockchain Intel) - consulting and investment advisory for cryptocurrency
    • Advisor and Partner at Grayline Group (2017-present) - data and cybersecurity services

  • Previous Positions:

    • The White House (1995-2000): National Advance Staff for Clinton administration, planned travel/events for President, First Lady, and Vice President
    • RadioShack (2005-2007): Manager of Merchandise Strategy & Productivity
    • PeopleAnswers (2003-2005): Director of Client Services (employee #1 at early SaaS startup)
    • Nico Networks (2007-2009): Founder of social media development firm (acquired by Washington Post Company)
    • Washington Post/WaPo Labs (2009-2012): Director of Product Management, oversaw Social Reader with 35M users
    • China-based private equity fund work (mid-2010s): US operations lead, hunting for US-China investment opportunities

  • Notable Achievements:

    • Co-wrote initial data strategy that created comprehensive voter file database used by every Democratic presidential campaign since
    • Co-authored book "Chain Reaction: How Blockchain Will Transform the Developing World" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021)
    • Built Washington Post Social Reader to 35 million users
    • 25+ years experience at intersection of technology, data, and government

Personal Background​

  • Education:
    • BA in Political Communication from George Washington University (1994-1998)
    • MBA in Information Management and Marketing from UT Austin's Red McCombs School of Business (2001-2003)
  • Family: Two daughters in Chinese immersion program, family visited Chongqing and Beijing in April 2024
  • Values: Strong believer in US-China economic cooperation and bridge-building
  • Interests: Cryptocurrency since 2014, cybersecurity, civic innovation

Key Projects & Interests​

  • Cybersecurity Enterprise Risk Management: Transforming how security is measured from protection to financial value
  • US-China Bridge Building: Deep network in China from private equity work, seeks opportunities for economic cooperation
  • Blockchain for Developing World: Focuses on how blockchain can create institutions of trust in developing countries
  • Education Innovation: Interested in schools and EdTech, daughters in Chinese immersion program

Interaction History​

2025-11-12: Initial Call with Gary Sheng​

  • Connected through Chris regarding international school opportunities
  • Discussed shared background in China relations and technology
  • Brandon shared extensive background in politics, tech startups, and China business
  • Offered to help connect Alan with US schools including Georgetown Day School, UT High School, and Magellan International School
  • Exchanged WeChat contacts for future collaboration
  • Plans to meet for coffee when Gary returns to Austin

2025-11-22: In-Person Meeting at Soup Shop - Deep Personal and Strategic Discussion​

  • Met at local soup shop near Brandon's daughter's school (visits weekly)
  • Gary shared his crystallizing vision for Applied AI consulting/engineering
  • Brandon offered profound validation: "You could go become the CEO of the largest company in the world... the president of the United States"
  • Discussed Brandon's people-first philosophy: "The only correlation to my joy... and my disdain... is the people with whom you were involved"
  • Brandon revealed his approach to decision-making through gut intuition and "feeding the gut" with quality information
  • Shared experiences with political figures including Billy Graham (in person), Obama, Clinton, George H.W. Bush
  • Gary opened up about spiritual journey, recent baptism, and desire to fund Billy Graham-style revival
  • Brandon offered connections including his wife (CPA at Hilton working on AI operational execution)
  • Gave Gary ride home, demonstrating personal kindness and connection beyond professional networking

Strategic Value & Collaboration Areas​

  • China Network: Has dormant but activatable network in China from private equity work
  • US School Connections: Direct connections to Georgetown Day School, UT system, and Austin education ecosystem
  • Political/Government Networks: Extensive Washington DC connections from White House and DNC work
  • Technology Expertise: Deep experience in cybersecurity, blockchain, and enterprise software
  • Bridge Building Philosophy: Shares Gary's vision for US-China cooperation, especially in education

Connections & Network​

  • George (close friend): Native Chinese who worked at RadioShack, now in China consulting on US business practices
  • CIA friend from high school: Advisor who helps navigate US-China relations sensitivities
  • UT partner: Former military relations lead under prior UT president, can access anyone at UT
  • DC political network: From White House and DNC work
  • Austin entrepreneur ecosystem: Connected to various education and tech ventures
  • Wife: CPA working at Hilton Hotels on AI operational execution - offered as connection for Gary
  • College roommate "Talum": Weekly calls, deep into ayahuasca/spiritual journey, helps Brandon explore consciousness
  • Learning manager friend: Former TikTok learning management lead, potential recruit for Alan project
  • Chris (mutual with Gary): Friend interested in AI consulting, connection through St. Teresa's
  • Political figures met: Billy Graham, Barack Obama, Clinton family, George H.W. Bush

Notes & Observations​

  • Extremely well-connected across government, business, and education sectors
  • Has rare combination of US political insider knowledge and China business experience
  • Values-driven approach to business - seeks win-win scenarios rather than zero-sum
  • Direct communication style, comfortable with cultural translation
  • Cautious about compliance - has CIA friend as advisor to avoid issues
  • Experienced with both startup chaos and large organization dynamics
  • People-first philosophy: Success and failure both correlate entirely with quality of people involved
  • Gut intuition practitioner: Deliberately feeds intuition with quality information before decisions
  • Anti-overthinking: Learned that overthinking beyond first 15% is unproductive energy
  • Systems thinker: Sees interconnectedness and believes in creating effective human systems
  • Profound validator: Offers extraordinary encouragement and sees massive potential in others
  • Efficiency maximizer: Outsources low-value tasks (laundry) to focus on high-impact activities
  • Bridge between worlds: Comfortable discussing politics, spirituality, business, technology equally

Potential Collaboration Areas​

  • International School Partnership: Connect Alan's China school initiatives with US partners
  • Study Abroad Programs: Develop high school exchange programs between US and China
  • EdTech Investment: Leverage China connections for education technology ventures
  • US-China Youth Bridge Building: Create programs for American and Chinese youth to develop friendships
  • Cybersecurity for Schools: Apply Pellonium expertise to education sector security

Key Quotes & Insights​

  • On US-China relations: "There is so much we offer each other together than we do apart"
  • On education innovation: "China doesn't have that problem [of rigid bureaucracy]... There's more focused investment and more flexibility"
  • On technology in China: "China does better... even how technology is thought about as a national security challenge"
  • On his approach: "I'm very transparent. I don't hide things. I never could have been in the intelligence arena"

From November 22, 2025 Meeting:​

  • On Gary's potential: "You could go become the CEO of the largest company in the world. You could go become the president of the United States. Like you have an ability to follow wherever you're supposed to be in a way that's very atypically unique"
  • On people and happiness: "The only correlation to my joy in something and my disdain, pain in another is the people with whom you were involved"
  • On overthinking: "That energy is not productive... It's only the first 15 percent of what you might think about it"
  • On gut intuition: "My happiness comes when I trust... when I use my gut. My gut has to be functional. One is I have to listen to it, obviously. The other is I have to feed it"
  • On Applied AI: "At worst, you build a capability and an expertise and you will be on the forefront of what is real by focusing on something like that. So there's no way to lose"
  • On purpose: "The radiation. Radiant. Radiance of abilities. The systems... I'm a system thinker"
  • On political evolution: "Politics kind of replaced religion over the past... I don't know"
  • On abundance vs fear: "Our political system is built on fear... When do we start to become more aware of the idea of abundance?"
  • On spiritual connection: "There's a connectedness that we all share that we don't understand. Very few of us are even conscious of"
  • On following Gary: "Regardless of whether or not you keep in touch, I will follow and hear and see you"

Background & Philosophy​

  • Believes strongly in economic cooperation as path to political harmony (following Hank Paulson's vision)
  • Sees technology disruptions as opportunities to position at the center of change
  • Values long-term thinking over short-term gains
  • Advocates for moral/ethical framework in technology development
  • Supports altruistic approach to business partnerships

Future Plans​

  • Seeking to reactivate China network for meaningful projects
  • Open to education innovation opportunities
  • Looking for ways to leverage connections for US-China bridge building
  • Interested in profitable EdTech models that can scale

Recent Developments​

  • Daughters progressing in Chinese fluency through immersion program
  • Family trip to China in April 2024 strengthened cultural connections
  • Continuing to track Alpha Schools and education innovation space
  • Active in Austin tech and education ecosystem

November 22, 2025 Meeting Insights​

Life Philosophy & Personal Growth Revelations:

  • Articulated never-before-expressed philosophy: "Everything I've done in my career... The things that were great... revolved around the people I was working with"
  • Shared evolution from overthinking ("That energy is not productive") to trusting gut intuition
  • Revealed spiritual exploration through roommate from college who's "gone down the ayahuasca track"
  • Emphasized importance of "feeding the gut" with quality information before making decisions

Applied AI Validation & Support:

  • Strongly endorsed Gary's Applied AI consulting vision: "There's no way to lose if you can figure out a way to survive and make money in that realm"
  • Noted Chris (mutual connection) was going to spin up similar AI consulting 6 months ago
  • Offered wife as connection/sounding board (CPA at Hilton working on AI operational execution)
  • Recognized the gap in human-AI interface understanding as opportunity

Assessment of Gary's Potential:

"You could go become the CEO of the largest company in the world. You could go become the president of the United States. Like you have an ability to follow wherever you're supposed to be in a way that's very atypically unique."

  • Committed to following Gary's journey: "Regardless of whether or not you keep in touch, I will follow and hear and see you"
  • Recognized Gary's "hyper intelligence" and unique ability to do "whatever you should do"

Political & Spiritual Experiences Shared:

  • Revealed firsthand experiences with major political figures:
    • Billy Graham (saw speak in person)
    • Barack Obama (campaign rallies)
    • Clinton administration (worked White House advance)
    • George H.W. Bush (spent time with post-presidency)
  • Drew parallels between religious revival and political movements
  • Noted how "politics kind of replaced religion" in American culture

Personal Disclosures & Vulnerability:

  • Gary shared recent baptism (1.5 months ago) and spiritual rebirth metaphor
  • Discussed struggle with addictive behaviors and installation of blocking apps
  • Opened up about parents' "fear energy" and scarcity mindset
  • Brandon shared wedding story revealing parent relationship complexities

Practical Life Approach:

  • Lives by efficiency principle: "I don't do laundry... I get no joy out of doing laundry"
  • Has house cleaner every two weeks, demonstrating focus on high-value activities
  • Daily routine includes weekly visits to soup shop near daughter's school
  • Drives electric vehicle, lives in "very white community," values diversity exposure for kids

Alan/China Project Evolution:

  • Still in information gathering phase: "I'm not making any commitments"
  • Reconnected with old friend who was learning manager at TikTok for potential collaboration
  • Planning in-country due diligence for China education venture
  • Using opportunity to reconnect with valuable people regardless of outcome

Key Philosophical Insights:

  • Systems thinking approach: "I'm a system thinker. I love systems"
  • Abundance vs. fear framework: "Our political system is built on fear... When do we start to become more aware of the idea of abundance?"
  • Skepticism as strength: "I've never been an acolyte or a devout follower really of anything without a heavy piece of skepticism"
  • Purpose as creating impact through connections: "The radiation. Radiant. Radiance of abilities"

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-11-22-gary-brandon-thomas-ai-consulting-life-philosophy2025-11-22Deep personal connection and strategic validation covering Applied AI vision and life philosophy
2025-11-12-gary-brandon-us-china-education-bridge-building2025-11-12Initial call exploring US-China education cooperation, bridge building opportunities