I read The Sovereign Individual three times. First time at 25, thought it was interesting but extreme. Second time at 26, started seeing the patterns. Third time at 27, realized I'm literally living everything they predicted.
This book came out in 1997. Before Bitcoin. Before remote work. Before AI could write code. They predicted the exact world I'm building in right now.
Here's what's crazy: I run three companies from Toronto with 5 people total. My team is in India. My customers are everywhere. My entities are in Canada, US, and soon UAE. I use AI instead of hiring co-founders. I structure across countries like I'm choosing between AWS and GCP.
This isn't futurism anymore. This is Tuesday.
Let me walk you through what they predicted and what it actually looks like when you're building.
Chapter 1: The Transition of the Ages
What the book says: We're moving from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. Technology makes individuals more powerful. You don't need big institutions anymore.
What this looks like in practice:
Last year I had 14 employees. Now I have 5. Revenue went up.
Here's what 'replaced' those 9 people:
- Cursor writes code faster than my junior developers did
- Claude handles research and documentation
- SimpleDirect Desk (our own product) routes customer support
- Team members in India do specialized work at 1/5 the cost
I don't have a co-founder anymore. Used to have 5. Now zero. AI + contractors + clear systems replaced all the co-founder functions.
My friend runs a VC-backed company with 50 engineers. They shipped 2 major features last quarter. We shipped 7. We're 5 people, they're 50. The difference? They're building like it's 2010. We're building like it's 2025.
The pattern I see everywhere:
Small technical teams shipping fast vs. big traditional companies moving slow.
The industrial model was: more people = more output.
The information model is: better leverage = more output.
I don't need an office. I don't need to be in San Francisco. I don't need venture capital. I need technical skills, AI tools, and clear thinking.
What this means if you're starting out:
Don't copy the old playbook. Office lease, 10 employees, VC pitch deck—that's solving last century's problem.
The new playbook: Technical skills. AI leverage. Small team. Global structure. Learn to code, learn AI tools, start with consulting to fund product development. This is how you build now.
Chapter 2: Knowledge Beats Everything Else
What the book says: Every major tech shift changes who has power. Gunpowder broke feudalism. Printing broke the Church. Internet breaks government monopolies. The new winners are people who leverage knowledge, not land or factories.
Real example from my life:
I spent $300K on quant trading. Built algorithms, hired engineers, ran backtests. Lost money. Couldn't beat the S&P 500.
Then I found Bogleheads on Reddit. Simple index fund strategy. Set it and forget it. Made 5.5% in 2.5 months with zero work.
The $300K lesson: Complexity doesn't win. Knowledge does.
I know founders with worse technical skills than me who make more money because they understand business models better. I know developers who code circles around me but work for $80K because they don't understand leverage.
The frameworks compound:
The Sunday Night Test isn't just blog content. It's infrastructure. Every time I use it for a decision, it gets sharper. Every time someone else uses it, they reference back to me. That's knowledge compounding.
Same with the Independence Checklist, the Complexity Audit, all my frameworks. They're assets that grow in value.
Compare that to physical assets: I can buy one car. My knowledge can be used infinite times, shared with infinite people, applied to infinite situations.
What this looks like for SimpleDirect:
Our competitive advantage isn't our code. Five other companies have similar tech. Our advantage is:
- We understand contractor financing better (domain knowledge)
- We simplified what others made complex (systems thinking)
- We documented everything (knowledge infrastructure)
When a competitor copies our features, they can't copy our knowledge base.
If you're starting out:
Stop chasing complex tools and tactics. Start building knowledge infrastructure:
Write down every expensive lesson. Build frameworks from your mistakes. Document your thinking. Share what you learn.
This compounds harder than any physical asset you could buy.
Chapter 3: Countries Are Just Service Providers Now
What the book says: Nation-states made sense for factories and armies. Now that work is digital, governments lose control. People choose countries like they choose products.
This is literally what I do:
I live in Toronto. Not because I love Toronto (sure it's a good city). Because:
- Rent is cheap
- I can get FedDev grants ($50K)
- Startup ecosystem for early credibility
- Same US time zones (EST)
I incorporate in Delaware. Why Delaware?
- US clients trust it
- Clear legal precedents
- Easy to operate
- Access to US banking
I'm setting up ADGM (Abu Dhabi). Why?
- 0% corporate tax
- Access to sovereign wealth funds
- Strong infrastructure
- Good for MENA expansion
I hire developers in India. Why?
- 1/5 the cost of Toronto
- Same quality for backend work
- Timezone overlap
- Growing tech ecosystem
I'm not "loyal" to any of these places. I'm optimizing each variable independently.
Real numbers:
Toronto developer: $80-120K/year Indian developer: $15-25K/year Same output. 5× cost difference.
Canadian tax on profits: 26.5% federal + provincial UAE tax: 0% On $500K profit, that's $132K difference.
Why this matters:
Every successful founder I know either left their birth country or is planning to. Not because they hate it. Because the math doesn't work.
When I can serve Canadian customers from Dubai, with better infrastructure, at lower cost, why wouldn't I?
The mental shift:
Stop thinking: "I'm from Canada" Start thinking: "Which jurisdiction serves each business function best?"
Citizenship is an accident of birth. Business structure is a choice.
Chapter 4: Exit Over Voice
What the book says: Democracy worked when most people paid taxes and production was physical. Now fewer people pay for more benefits. The productive class just leaves.
What I see:
Every successful founder I know is either already abroad or planning to leave. Not because they're anti-government. Because the economics don't work.
Canada's top tax rate in Ontario: 53% UAE's tax rate: 0% Singapore: 22%
I can serve Canadian customers from anywhere. My servers are in the cloud. My team is distributed. So why would I pay 53% when I have options?
The conversation I have monthly:
Friend: "But you should pay your fair share"
Me: "I do. I pay exactly what the law requires. I also structure legally to minimize that number."
Friend: "That's not fair to people who can't leave"
Me: "So I should stay and overpay because others don't have options?"
This always ends with them calling me selfish. Fine. I'm building wealth for 30+ years. They're arguing about fairness.
The real issue:
I'm not against contributing to society. I'm against being forced into inefficient systems I didn't choose.
If Canada wants me to stay, offer better value: lower taxes, better infrastructure, fewer regulations. That's how you compete for talent.
Right now Dubai offers: 0% tax, better infrastructure, access to sovereign wealth funds, growing tech ecosystem.
The productive class doesn't vote with ballots anymore. We vote with capital and movement.
What I tell founders:
Don't waste time trying to fix broken systems. Build parallel ones. Structure globally. Optimize legally. Move if you need to.
Exit > voice.
Chapter 5: Inequality Is a Feature, Not a Bug
What the book says: The digital age amplifies inequality. Intelligence and leverage scale infinitely. The average person gets left behind.
This used to bother me. Now I just accept it.
I can build SimpleDirect Chat, Desk, and Post with 5 people. A traditional company needs 50+ engineers for the same output.
That's 10× productivity per person. Which means I can pay my 5 people way more than average, and still have better margins than the 50-person team.
Result? The gap between us and them keeps growing.
Real example:
My friend works at a mid-size SaaS company.
- 200 employees
- Shipped 12 features last year
- Lots of meetings, processes, politics
SimpleDirect:
- 5 people
- Shipped 30+ features last year
- Direct communication, AI tools, clear priorities
We're not 2× more productive. We're 20× more productive per person.
Why this happens:
AI tools don't help everyone equally. They amplify existing capabilities.
A good developer with Cursor becomes 5× faster. An average developer with Cursor becomes maybe 1.5× faster. The gap widens.
Someone who thinks clearly and uses AI well can replace entire departments. Someone who doesn't think clearly just creates more mediocre output faster.
The uncomfortable truth:
The middle is disappearing. You're either:
- Building massive leverage (AI, code, systems, capital)
- Competing with AI and global labor markets
There's no safe middle ground anymore.
What I tell people:
Stop complaining about inequality. Start building leverage.
Learn AI. Learn to code. Build systems. Own IP. Create value that scales.
Or accept that you'll get left behind. Those are the options.
Chapter 6: Money Becomes Software
What the book says: Digital money makes it harder for governments to tax and inflate. Private currencies will emerge. States lose control of money.
They wrote this in 1997. Bitcoin launched in 2009.
I don't hold much crypto (mostly index funds), but I understand why it matters.
What this looks like in practice:
SimpleDirect's embedded lending infrastructure is built on this idea: money flows through software, not banks.
When I need to pay my India team:
- Traditional way: Wire transfer, 3-5 days, $40 fee, terrible exchange rate
- Modern way: Wise or crypto, same day, $5 fee, real exchange rate
When I need to move money between Canada, US, and UAE:
- Traditional way: Multiple banks, compliance paperwork, weeks of delays
- Modern way: Multi-currency accounts, instant transfers, transparent fees
The shift happening:
Money is becoming portable, programmable, and private.
My customers can pay SimpleDirect through:
- Credit cards (Stripe)
- ACH transfers
- Integrated lending (BNPL)
- International payments
All software. No bank branches. No physical cash.
Why this matters for sovereignty:
When money is software, I can structure payments however I want:
- Customer in US pays Stripe
- Stripe pays Delaware C-Corp
- Delaware C-Corp pays Canadian corp (management fees)
- Canadian corp pays me (salary/dividends)
- I invest through TFSA (tax-free growth)
All legal. All optimized. All because money is now software that I can route intelligently.
If you're building:
Learn how money actually moves. Understand:
- Stripe vs traditional merchant accounts
- ACH vs wire transfers vs crypto
- Multi-currency banking
- Payment routing and optimization
Your ability to move capital efficiently determines your ability to operate globally.
Chapter 7: Becoming Your Own Nation
What the book says: The "sovereign individual" earns digitally, lives globally, structures legally to minimize dependence on any single state. They're "nations of one."
This is what I'm building toward.
Current state (age 27):
- 3 businesses, all digital revenue
- Customers globally
- Team in Toronto and India
- Entities in Canada and US
- ADGM setup starting
Target state (next 24 months):
- ANC as holding company structure
- UAE residency (0% tax)
- Homes in 3-4 cities (Toronto, Dubai, maybe Singapore)
- Complete independence from single jurisdiction
- Privacy-optimized structure (trusts, foundations)
Why this matters:
Right now if Canada decides to raise taxes to 60%, I'm stuck. I can leave, but it takes time.
Once I have UAE residency + multiple properties + distributed entities, Canada can do whatever it wants. I just shift where I spend time and how I route revenue.
Same with the US, UAE, or any other country. No single government can force me into their system.
Real example:
My friend got locked in Canada during COVID. Single citizenship, one apartment, one employer. Couldn't leave.
Another friend had: Brazil passport, Portugal residency, apartment in Dubai, clients globally. When Brazil locked down, he flew to Portugal. When Portugal got strict, he went to Dubai. When Dubai tightened, he went to Mexico.
Optionality = freedom.
The practical steps:
I'm not there yet, but here's the path:
- Digital income (done - SaaS revenue)
- Multi-entity structure (done - Canada + US, adding UAE)
- Second residency (in progress - ADGM)
- Second property (planned - Dubai)
- Trusts/foundations (learning - CRA private foundation)
Each step makes me less dependent on any single government's decisions.
What sovereignty actually means:
Not anti-government. Multi-government.
I want options. If one jurisdiction becomes hostile, expensive, or inefficient, I move. Simple as that.
Chapter 8: Small Jurisdictions Win
What the book says: Big nations decline. Small, efficient jurisdictions rise. Cities compete for talent like startups compete for customers.
Look at where wealth is moving:
Singapore: 22% tax, amazing infrastructure, business-friendly UAE: 0% tax in free zones, growing tech ecosystem Estonia: E-residency, digital-first government Portugal: Tax breaks for new residents
These aren't the biggest countries. They're the smartest.
Why I'm setting up in ADGM:
ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) is literally a startup jurisdiction:
- 0% corporate tax
- 0% personal income tax
- English common law (separate from UAE mainland)
- Access to sovereign wealth funds
- Built to attract global businesses
It's not trying to be everything to everyone. It's optimized for one thing: attracting capital and talent.
My jurisdiction stack:
Toronto:
- Low cost of living
- Access to grants ($50K+ from FedDev)
- Strong startup ecosystem for credibility
Delaware:
- Corporate structure trusted by US clients
- Clear legal precedents
- Simple to operate
ADGM (planned):
- 0% tax
- Sovereign wealth fund access
- MENA market expansion
- Strong banking infrastructure
India (contractors):
- Developer talent at 1/5 cost
- Growing tech ecosystem
- Good timezone overlap
Each jurisdiction serves a specific purpose. I'm not loyal to any of them. I'm optimizing across all of them.
The future isn't global government. It's competing jurisdictions.
Dubai wants my business, so they offer 0% tax and great infrastructure. Toronto wants my business, so they offer grants and ecosystem access. Delaware wants my incorporation, so they offer legal clarity.
They're competing for me. I'm choosing the best deal.
If you're building:
Stop thinking "I need to stay in my home country."
Start thinking "Which jurisdictions serve my business best?"
Research:
- Estonia e-Residency (digital jurisdiction, easy to start)
- Singapore EntrePass (startup visa)
- UAE free zones (0% tax zones)
- Portugal NHR (tax program for new residents)
Small, efficient jurisdictions beat big, bureaucratic ones.
Chapter 9: Security Is Private Now
What the book says: Government monopoly on security erodes. Private protection replaces state protection.
This sounded crazy. But it's happening.
My most valuable assets aren't physical anymore:
- SimpleDirect's code (on GitHub)
- Customer data (encrypted databases)
- Business relationships (email, contracts)
- Intellectual property (frameworks, systems)
None of these are protected by police. They're protected by:
Technical security:
- 2FA on everything
- Encrypted backups
- Access controls
- Security audits
Legal security:
- Contracts across jurisdictions
- IP registrations
- Terms of service
- Insurance
Jurisdictional security:
- Multiple entity structure
- Distributed assets
- No single point of failure
Reputation security:
- Public track record
- Network relationships
- Social proof
Real example:
If someone breaks into my apartment and steals my laptop: police matter.
If someone hacks SimpleDirect and steals customer data: not a police matter. My responsibility. My security measures. My insurance.
The government's monopoly on security only applies to physical threats. Everything else is on me.
What this means:
Take digital security seriously:
- Use password managers
- Enable 2FA everywhere
- Encrypt sensitive data
- Back up everything
- Structure across jurisdictions
No one is coming to save you if your business gets hacked or your accounts get frozen.
Your defense is preparation, not government protection.
Chapter 10: Politics Is Entertainment
What the book says: Politics becomes entertainment for people without power. Real power shifts to those who can exit the system.
This is exactly what I see.
Most political debates are WWE for people who like to argue. Meanwhile, people with actual power are:
- Moving capital
- Building systems
- Structuring globally
- Exiting quietly
I used to care about elections and policies.
Now I realize: by the time policy affects me, I'll be in a different jurisdiction.
Canada raises taxes? I move revenue through different entities or relocate. US changes immigration policy? I have UAE residency as backup. Any country becomes hostile? I have options.
The people arguing loudest about politics have the least optionality.
They're stuck in one place, dependent on one system, hoping politicians will fix things.
The people quietly building have multiple options. They don't need to convince anyone. They just leave.
Real example:
Friend A: Spends hours arguing about politics on Twitter Result: Same job, same country, same problems
Friend B: Spent those hours setting up Singapore entity Result: 22% tax rate instead of 53%, more freedom
Where energy goes:
Bad: Arguing about policy Good: Building exit infrastructure
Bad: Hoping politicians will fix things Good: Creating parallel systems
Bad: Getting angry about news Good: Getting optionality
What I tell founders:
Every hour spent on political Twitter is an hour not spent on sovereignty infrastructure.
Stop arguing. Start building.
Chapter 11: Freedom Is Technical
What the book says: Freedom doesn't come from laws. It comes from choice and mobility.
This is the most important chapter.
My freedom isn't determined by Canadian laws or American politics. It's determined by my infrastructure:
Can I work from anywhere? Yes. SaaS products, AI tools, distributed team.
Can I store money privately? Yes. Multi-jurisdiction banking, corporate structures, various accounts.
Can I move freely? Yes. Canadian passport, planning UAE residency, exploring other options.
Can I choose my jurisdiction? Yes. ADGM setup, understanding of tax treaties, legal structures in place.
The Sunday Night Test applied to freedom:
Every Sunday night, ask:
- Am I dependent on one employer? (No - own my businesses)
- Am I dependent on one country? (Mostly yes - working on this)
- Am I dependent on one currency? (No - multi-currency accounts)
- Am I dependent on one client? (No - diversified revenue)
The more "yes" answers, the less free you are.
My Independence Checklist:
- Digital income (location-independent) ✓
- Multi-jurisdiction structure (government-independent) → In progress
- Portable skills (employer-independent) ✓
- Global mobility (citizenship-independent) → Working on it
Real example:
During COVID, my employed friends were stuck. One country, one employer, no options.
My founder friends with multi-jurisdiction setups? They moved wherever was open. Worked from different countries. Kept operating.
The difference wasn't wealth. It was infrastructure.
What to build:
- Multiple passports or residencies
- Digital income streams
- International banking
- Global legal entities
- Portable skills and reputation
Liberty is a design problem. Stop waiting for government to give you freedom. Build it yourself.
Chapter 12: Code Is Law
What the book says: Use code to enforce contracts, secure assets, and scale power without needing governments.
This is why I'm technical.
SimpleDirect's entire business is code enforcing contracts:
- Customer wants financing
- Our code checks eligibility
- Routes to best lender
- Executes contract
- Handles payments
No judges. No physical enforcement. Just software rules.
When I think about scaling ANC:
Traditional way:
- Lawyers draft agreements
- Courts enforce contracts
- Banks process payments
- Governments verify identity
Software way:
- Smart contracts define terms
- Code enforces automatically
- APIs process payments
- Digital signatures verify identity
The deeper point:
Control your stack. Own your infrastructure.
SimpleDirect depends on:
- AWS (hosting)
- Stripe (payments)
- Twilio (communications)
- Various APIs
Each dependency is a risk. Each platform can shut us down.
So we:
- Have multi-cloud backup plans
- Can switch payment processors
- Own customer relationships (email list)
- Control our data (exports, backups)
- Build on composable infrastructure
Real example:
Friend's business got shut down when Stripe closed his account. No warning. No appeal. Gone.
Why? All his customer payments ran through one processor he didn't control.
Now he has backup processors set up, direct bank relationships, and crypto payment options. Won't happen again.
What this means:
- Learn to code (or hire people who can)
- Understand your dependencies
- Have platform alternatives
- Own customer relationships
- Control your data
- Build exit options into everything
Technical sovereignty enables every other form of sovereignty.
The more your business depends on platforms you don't control, the less free you are.
What This Actually Means
The book predicted a world where:
- Individuals operate like small nations
- Intelligence and leverage beat hours worked
- Geography is a choice
- AI replaces traditional jobs
- Small structures beat big institutions
Every prediction is happening.
Here's what I'm actually doing:
Building across jurisdictions
- Canada: Grants, low cost, ecosystem
- US: Revenue, corporate structure
- UAE: Tax optimization, expansion
- India: Developer talent
Not loyal to any. Optimizing all.
Using AI to replace headcount
- 14 employees → 5 people
- Revenue increased
- Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT doing work of 9 people
- Shipping faster than VC-backed competitors
Making money location-independent
- SaaS products (SimpleDirect)
- Consulting revenue
- Index fund investments
- All digital, all global
Building optionality
- Multiple entities
- International banking
- Second residency in progress
- Portable skills and reputation
The path I'm on:
Current (age 27):
- 3 digital businesses
- $250K personal cash
- Entities in Canada and US
- Team in Toronto and India
- Living cheap in Toronto
Target (next 24 months):
- ANC as holding company
- UAE residency (0% tax)
- Properties in 3-4 cities
- Complete multi-jurisdiction structure
- Financial independence from any single country
Why this works:
Not because I'm special. Because the tools exist now:
- AI replaces expensive talent
- Remote work enables global teams
- Digital payments move instantly
- Small jurisdictions compete for talent
- Code enforces contracts
The infrastructure for sovereignty exists. Most people just don't use it.
The Usual Arguments
"This is just tax avoidance"
No. It's tax optimization. Apple does it. Google does it. Amazon does it.
I'm doing it as a bootstrap founder. Legally. Following the rules.
Every company optimizes taxes. I'm just doing it smarter than most.
"You're abandoning your country"
I'm treating countries as service providers.
Canada provides: cheap rent, grants, ecosystem UAE provides: 0% tax, infrastructure, market access
When a better option exists, I use it. Same as switching from AWS to GCP.
"Not everyone can do this"
True. But everyone reading this can START.
- Learn to code (free)
- Build digital income (low cost)
- Structure smarter ($500-1000)
- Expand internationally (over time)
The barrier is knowledge, not money.
"This only works for tech"
Wrong. Works for anyone with digital output:
- Writers
- Designers
- Consultants
- Coaches
- Analysts
- Educators
If your work is information, you can be sovereign.
"What about community?"
I have community. Just not tied to one place.
Friends in Toronto, San Francisco, Dubai, Singapore, online.
Community isn't geography anymore. It's shared values and goals.
If I Started Over Today (Age 22, $0)
Year 1: Learn and earn
Month 1-6:
- Learn to code (free resources, 2 hours daily)
- Learn AI tools (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT)
- Do first freelance project (Upwork, Fiverr)
- Document everything
Month 7-12:
- Get first consulting client ($3-5K/month)
- Build simple SaaS on the side
- Start Twitter (share what you're learning)
- Save 50% of income
End of Year 1: $20-30K saved, basic technical skills, small audience
Year 2: Structure and build
- Incorporate (Canada or US, $500-1000 cost)
- Launch first SaaS product
- Hire first contractor from India
- Grow Twitter to 1,000 followers
- Start documenting frameworks
End of Year 2: $5-10K MRR from product, legitimate business structure
Year 3: Scale and expand
- Hit $10K MRR from products
- Set up second jurisdiction (depends on where you are)
- Build email list to 1,000+
- Research second residency options
- Learn about trusts and foundations
End of Year 3: $100K+ annual profit, multi-jurisdiction structure started
Year 4-5: Sovereignty
- Multiple income streams (products + consulting + investments)
- Second residency secured
- Full international structure
- Network of sovereign founders
- Independent of any single country
Total cost to start: $0-5K (Laptop, internet, maybe some courses)
Total time to sovereignty: 4-5 years
Alternative: 40 years as employee, dependent on one country
Your choice.
Why This Matters Now
I read this book at 25. Thought it was extreme.
At 27, building across three countries with AI teams, it's just normal operating reality.
Everything they predicted is happening:
- AI replacing jobs (I went from 14 people to 5)
- Remote work normal (my team is distributed)
- Crypto creating alternatives (stablecoins, DeFi)
- Small jurisdictions competing (UAE, Singapore, Estonia)
- Nations weaponizing policy (taxes, regulations)
- Productive class leaving (every founder I know)
The founders who win the next 20 years:
- Operate globally from day one
- Use AI for maximum leverage
- Structure across jurisdictions
- Build systems that compound
- Think in decades, not quarters
This isn't theory. This is how I'm building ANC, SimpleDirect, and my life.
The question isn't whether this world is coming.
It's here. Right now.
The question is: are you ready?
What to Do Next
If this resonates:
- Read the actual book (this summary misses depth)
- Start building sovereignly (even just second jurisdiction)
- Learn technical skills (code and AI aren't optional)
- Find other founders on this path
- Document your journey
The path isn't easy. It requires:
- Technical competence
- Legal understanding
- Financial discipline
- Long-term thinking
- Willingness to be different
But the alternative—depending on one employer, one country, one currency—is riskier.
The Industrial Age is over. The Information Age is here.
The question: employee of the old system, or sovereign founder in the new one?
About Me
I'm George Pu. I build ANC (venture studio), SimpleDirect (B2B2C SaaS), and ANC Startup School.
Based in Toronto with entities in Canada, US, and expanding to UAE.
Building toward complete sovereign wealth creation. AI-first teams. Geographically distributed. Zero VC.
Currently: 5 people, 3 companies, 3+ jurisdictions, compounding toward freedom.
Follow the journey: @TheGeorgePu on Twitter
This is not legal or tax advice. This is one founder's perspective on building internationally. Consult professionals before making structuring decisions.
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