At 10 years old, I wanted to be president of Mexico.
I wanted to end the drug war. Fix corruption. Give people hope.
Then I realized: politics is too slow.
The Math of Impact
Political Timeline:
- Age 25-35: Build coalition, win local elections
- Age 35-45: Serve in Congress, build national profile
- Age 45-55: Run for president (maybe win)
- Age 55-65: Implement reforms (if they don't get blocked)
Total: 40+ years to create systemic change. Maybe.
Business Timeline:
- Age 20-25: Start first company, learn fundamentals
- Age 25-30: Scale to 7-8 figures, build team
- Age 30-35: Launch NGO venture studio with profits
- Age 35+: Deploy capital to purpose-driven ventures at scale
Total: 15 years to create systemic change. Definitely.
The choice was obvious.
Why Business > Politics for Impact
1. Speed
Business moves at the speed of customers. Politics moves at the speed of bureaucracy.
SCAILE went from idea → €200k funding → 50+ companies in 2 years.
A government program takes 2 years just to get budget approval.
2. Scalability
Political impact is limited by geography. You can only govern one country.
Business impact is limited by distribution. You can operate globally.
Rocketlist helps startup careers in Germany today. Tomorrow: Europe. Next year: worldwide.
3. Accountability
Politicians answer to voters every 4 years. Businesses answer to customers every day.
If SCAILE doesn't deliver results, customers leave. That feedback loop makes us better.
If a politician doesn't deliver, they blame the opposition and run again.
The Endgame: NGO Venture Studio
I'm not building companies for the sake of building companies.
I'm building companies to earn the right to launch an NGO venture studio.
The Vision:
- Purpose-first ventures where mission overrides shareholder pressure
- Solve problems governments can't (too slow) and charities can't (too underfunded)
- Education access, clean energy, mental health infrastructure
Examples of What This Could Look Like:
1. Skills Academy
- Free coding bootcamps for underserved communities
- Revenue model: Companies pay for access to graduates
- Mission: 100,000 people in tech jobs by 2030
2. Climate SaaS
- Carbon tracking tools for SMEs
- Revenue model: Subscription software
- Mission: Help 10,000 businesses reach net zero
3. Mental Health Platform
- Affordable therapy for students
- Revenue model: University partnerships + insurance
- Mission: Therapy as accessible as healthcare
Why I Need to Master Company Building First
Harsh Truth: You can't fix systemic problems if you can't build sustainable businesses.
Failed NGOs are full of people with good intentions and bad execution.
I need to prove I can:
- Build products people actually want
- Create sustainable revenue models
- Scale teams and operations
- Manage capital efficiently
That's why SCAILE, Rocketlist, and OrangeCam exist. They're my training ground.
The Mexican Connection
Growing up between Mexico and Germany taught me one thing:
Opportunity shouldn't depend on where you're born.
A kid in Mexico City with talent and drive should have the same shot as a kid in Munich.
Business is the fastest way to make that happen.
What I'm Optimizing For
Not: Unicorn exits, fame, appearing on Forbes 30 Under 30
Yes: Mastering 0-1, building sustainable ventures, creating leverage for the NGO studio
By 30, I want to have:
- Built 5+ profitable companies
- Proven I can go 0-1 repeatedly
- Accumulated capital to deploy toward purpose-driven ventures
Then the real work begins.
For Anyone Choosing Between Paths
Choose politics if:
- You're okay with 20+ year timelines
- You thrive in coalition-building and compromise
- You believe systemic change requires government
Choose business if:
- You want to move fast and iterate
- You believe markets can solve problems better than bureaucracy
- You're willing to take financial risk for impact
Both paths matter. I chose business because speed is a moral imperative.
Every year we delay solving climate change, education access, or mental health is another year of suffering.
I don't have 40 years to wait.
Thoughts on impact, business, or building for purpose? DM me on Twitter.