Description:
Aleksandar Svetski’s story is one of bold moves, brutal lessons, and a relentless drive to build. He made his first million by 23—then lost it all when government policy shifts crushed his solar energy business. From sales to renewable energy, from hospitality to tech startups, Svetski’s path has been anything but straight. Each rise and fall hardened his conviction in one thing: true builders create systems that outlast them.
That conviction led him to Bitcoin. As an entrepreneur and one of the most prolific Bitcoin writers of the late 2010s, Svetski helped reframe the narrative around Bitcoin—not as a speculative asset, but as a savings instrument and a tool for personal sovereignty. He went on to co-found the world’s first Bitcoin savings app, sparking an entire category of products that followed his lead.
Today, he’s just as focused on the why as the how. Through his books—The Uncommunist Manifesto and The Bushido of Bitcoin—and his latest venture, Sattlantis, Svetski blends philosophy with practicality, challenging entrepreneurs to think deeper about what they’re building and why. His message is clear: decentralization isn’t just a financial model—it’s a mindset.
Key Takeaways:
- Failure is the best teacher. Losing millions early forced Svetski to build with deeper intention.
- Bitcoin is philosophy in motion. It’s less about money and more about freedom, responsibility, and virtue.
- Government intervention can both create and destroy markets. Builders must adapt quickly and think independently.
- True builders think long-term. Each project—win or lose—teaches resilience and systems thinking.
- Writing clarifies purpose. His books reflect not just crypto ideology but timeless principles of discipline and ethics.
- Decentralization starts with individuals. Building a freer world begins with personal sovereignty and moral grounding.
Aleksandar Svetski
Aleksanda Svetski is the founder and CEO of Satlantis. He previously founded and exited one of Australia’s most successful fintech apps, and is also the Author of four books, one which is a global best-
seller: the UnCommunist Manifesto.
THE MEAT OF IT!
1. The Making of an Entrepreneur
- Dropping out of civil engineering and betting on the stock market
- Turning scholarship money into $50K — and losing it all
- How failure forged resilience and self-reliance
2. Early Ventures and Lessons in Building
- Founding his first sales company — success, betrayal, and recovery
- Building a solar energy business and becoming a millionaire at 23
- Losing it all again due to government policy changes
- What hospitality taught him about complexity and people
3. Entering Tech: From Payroll Apps to Recruitment Platforms
- Transitioning into startups and raising his first capital
- “Tinder for Jobs”: lessons from building a two-sided marketplace
- Competing with incumbents and learning the real cost of innovation
4. Discovering Bitcoin and the Philosophy Behind It
- Realizing Bitcoin wasn’t just a trading asset — it was a savings instrument
- Founding the world’s first Bitcoin savings app
- Building for sovereignty and the long game
- How misunderstanding money leads to misunderstanding freedom
5. Writing, Philosophy, and The Bushido of Bitcoin
- From prolific blogger to author of The Uncommunist Manifesto and The Bushido of Bitcoin
- Exploring virtue, discipline, and ethics in a decentralized future
- Why Bitcoin is as much about philosophy as it is about finance
6. The Builder’s Mindset: Craft, Chaos, and Character
- Lessons from a lifetime of wins and losses
- Why decentralization starts with personal integrity
- How thinking deeply makes better builders
- His latest venture, Sattlantis, and what’s next for the movement
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