Look at this guy. Age 22. $15K in debt. Depressed. Now, he makes...
MATT GRAY@matt_gray_
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May 20, 2025
~5 min read
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Look at this guy.
Age 22. $15K in debt. Depressed.
Now, he makes $8.7M a year while traveling the world and living his “dream life”.
Here’s exactly how he did it (my story):
Age 22. $15K in debt. Depressed.
Now, he makes $8.7M a year while traveling the world and living his “dream life”.
Here’s exactly how he did it (my story):
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Picture this: I'm 18, kicked out of my house, and sharing a shitty apartment with a suicidal friend.
To top it off, I had $0 to my name and $15K in debt.
Safe to say that my life was a spiraling mess of debt and hopelessness.
To top it off, I had $0 to my name and $15K in debt.
Safe to say that my life was a spiraling mess of debt and hopelessness.
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I remember coming home from a long day, and our vacuum cleaner exploded. Dust everywhere.
That’s when my friend and I both snapped.
I stormed out. He thought about killing himself (and quite frankly, so did I).
That was my rock bottom.
That’s when my friend and I both snapped.
I stormed out. He thought about killing himself (and quite frankly, so did I).
That was my rock bottom.
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By some miracle, I managed to get into Ivey Business School in Canada.
I dreamed of going there. To learn business. To be an entrepreneur.
And I got in.
But it wasn’t what I expected…
I dreamed of going there. To learn business. To be an entrepreneur.
And I got in.
But it wasn’t what I expected…
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Business school was the opposite of entrepreneurship.
It was a factory churning out corporate clones, not the entrepreneurial land of opportunity I dreamed of.
The result? I ended up at Kraft Foods.
A textbook definition of a “'shitty job.”
Great.
It was a factory churning out corporate clones, not the entrepreneurial land of opportunity I dreamed of.
The result? I ended up at Kraft Foods.
A textbook definition of a “'shitty job.”
Great.
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Before I gave in to the 9-5 grind, I asked for a 4-month delay to go traveling.
I took a $30,000 line of credit. Booked a ticket to Asia. And off I went.
F*ck it, you only live once.
I took a $30,000 line of credit. Booked a ticket to Asia. And off I went.
F*ck it, you only live once.
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That experience gave me a taste of freedom.
I could finally do what I wanted, when I wanted, with who I wanted.
Not long after, I was back in Toronto working a dreary job. It hit me hard.
But I had tasted the freedom. And luckily, after 2 weeks of Kraft Foods, I had a plan.
I could finally do what I wanted, when I wanted, with who I wanted.
Not long after, I was back in Toronto working a dreary job. It hit me hard.
But I had tasted the freedom. And luckily, after 2 weeks of Kraft Foods, I had a plan.
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I quickly realized that no one knew what I was doing.
So I cut my work hours from 40 hours per week to just 2 hours on a Tuesday.
And I spent every extra minute learning to code.
I listened to Tony Robbins and brainstormed biz ideas.
I couldn't let the Matrix control me.
So I cut my work hours from 40 hours per week to just 2 hours on a Tuesday.
And I spent every extra minute learning to code.
I listened to Tony Robbins and brainstormed biz ideas.
I couldn't let the Matrix control me.
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Then came Bitmaker: an idea my friends and I came up with in my Toronto apartment.
We were going to build a coding school to get people jobs at big tech companies.
But we had nothing.
No curriculum. No teacher. No clue what the f*ck we were doing.
We were going to build a coding school to get people jobs at big tech companies.
But we had nothing.
No curriculum. No teacher. No clue what the f*ck we were doing.
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A few people we talked to were interested in it. And that was all the proof I needed to take massive action.
I stayed up for 2 nights straight, emailing people to join the program and companies to be our hiring partners.
We hustled hard and sold 30 spots at $5K each.
I stayed up for 2 nights straight, emailing people to join the program and companies to be our hiring partners.
We hustled hard and sold 30 spots at $5K each.
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Bitmaker didn't just succeed. It exploded.
We hit $200K a month in revenue, placing 90% of our students in top tech firms.
Business was booming…
Until the government raided us 7 months after we started the business.
We hit $200K a month in revenue, placing 90% of our students in top tech firms.
Business was booming…
Until the government raided us 7 months after we started the business.
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Bitmaker faced a crisis. Government agents stormed in after reading a positive article about me online.
They accused us of running an unregistered private career college.
And they threatened us with jail time and a colossal $1M fine.
They accused us of running an unregistered private career college.
And they threatened us with jail time and a colossal $1M fine.
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I was desperate. I stayed up all night and emailed over 3,000 people for help.
Chamath. Paul Graham. And other influential people who could amplify our story.
Chamath. Paul Graham. And other influential people who could amplify our story.
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The media picked it up and the story went viral.
Within 1 week, the government backed down and Bitmaker was granted an exemption.
Phew.
Within 1 week, the government backed down and Bitmaker was granted an exemption.
Phew.
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Fast forward two years, Bitmaker was unstoppable.
We trained over 2,000 software engineers.
And then, the big moment: General Assembly acquired us for 8-figures.
Life-changing money, but not life-changing happiness.
We trained over 2,000 software engineers.
And then, the big moment: General Assembly acquired us for 8-figures.
Life-changing money, but not life-changing happiness.
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Post-acquisition, I was lost in a sea of wealth but drowning in depression and burnout.
I was breaking inside.
The final year at Bitmaker was by far my toughest.
I was breaking inside.
The final year at Bitmaker was by far my toughest.
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I needed a new mission. Something to reignite my passion.
So I emailed over 5,000 people searching for leads, advice, and opportunities.
I focused on action and creating momentum. I was certain that one email or one meeting could change everything.
I spoke to 240 people…
So I emailed over 5,000 people searching for leads, advice, and opportunities.
I focused on action and creating momentum. I was certain that one email or one meeting could change everything.
I spoke to 240 people…
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And that’s when I met Tucker Max.
I reached out with a genuine, personal message.
He saw my potential and asked, "What excites you?"
I was honest: I wanted to build, to grow, to innovate.
This led me to the Stoners Cookbook.
I reached out with a genuine, personal message.
He saw my potential and asked, "What excites you?"
I was honest: I wanted to build, to grow, to innovate.
This led me to the Stoners Cookbook.
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But success had a dark side. My relationship crumbled and I turned to alcohol.
I was wealthy, yet miserable (again).
I needed to change. For my health and for my future.
So I sought advice from Dr. Andrew Huberman.
He suggested blood work, which revealed ugly truths.
I was wealthy, yet miserable (again).
I needed to change. For my health and for my future.
So I sought advice from Dr. Andrew Huberman.
He suggested blood work, which revealed ugly truths.
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Alcohol was affecting my sleep, testosterone, mood, everything.
I decided to turn things around.
I stopped drinking, ate well, practiced yoga, lifted weights.
The more I cared for myself, the more opportunities emerged.
I was sharper, more focused, happier.
I decided to turn things around.
I stopped drinking, ate well, practiced yoga, lifted weights.
The more I cared for myself, the more opportunities emerged.
I was sharper, more focused, happier.
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Journaling became my therapy.
I explored my passions, my future, and my calling.
This led me to discover Ikigai, my reason for being.
It intersected what I loved, was good at, could be paid for, and what the world needed.
I found my purpose: helping other founders succeed.
I explored my passions, my future, and my calling.
This led me to discover Ikigai, my reason for being.
It intersected what I loved, was good at, could be paid for, and what the world needed.
I found my purpose: helping other founders succeed.
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That's how Founder OS was born.
A platform to teach entrepreneurs to build effective systems.
To work less, yet achieve more. I automated content using digital tools.
My social media grew exponentially.
I was reaching thousands, sharing my journey and my insights.
A platform to teach entrepreneurs to build effective systems.
To work less, yet achieve more. I automated content using digital tools.
My social media grew exponentially.
I was reaching thousands, sharing my journey and my insights.
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I realized business isn't just about survival, it's about thriving.
It's about creating a life you're proud of.
I became an advocate for balanced entrepreneurship.
I saw the toll of the relentless grinding and how miserable entrepreneurs were (especially myself).
It's about creating a life you're proud of.
I became an advocate for balanced entrepreneurship.
I saw the toll of the relentless grinding and how miserable entrepreneurs were (especially myself).
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I believed in creating a business that fuels dreams, not drains them.
We didn't chase investors or massive customer bases.
We aimed for a hundred loyal fans and a lean team of weapons.
We didn't chase investors or massive customer bases.
We aimed for a hundred loyal fans and a lean team of weapons.
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We focused on slow, steady, sustainable growth. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
This was the path to building an automated empire.
This was the path to building an automated empire.
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My journey taught me valuable lessons.
To look after yourself, build lean, automate and systematize.
Now, I help others find their path.
To build businesses that excite them, avoid burnout and find balance.
Let's build your dream. Your automated empire.
To look after yourself, build lean, automate and systematize.
Now, I help others find their path.
To build businesses that excite them, avoid burnout and find balance.
Let's build your dream. Your automated empire.
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