- Salim Elhira founded a crypto company with his friend Tan Jela.
- Last year, the business generated $13 million in revenue, with Elhira now at hundreds of millions of dollars in billions of dollars in the country.
- He and Tan spend most of their days together and travel with their family.
This similar essay is based on conversation Salim Elhiraco-founder of Decentralized Master. Edited for length and clarity.
When I was in my early 20s, I quit my job and rented a van. I lived in Australia for that job and traveled the country from the south to the north for three months. It was the ultimate freedom. I could just park the van and sleep anywhere. I realized I wanted a life where I could go anytime, anywhere.
Before I lived Vanlife, I was on track for a traditional financial career. I grew up in France and later in Morocco. I studied mathematics and engineering in France and started working in predictive finance after graduating. For six years, I worked in corporate jobs all over the world before I got that job in Australia.
It came with good wages and a nice lifestyle, but the work made me miserable. I realized that the corporate world with that strict framework is not for me.
I continued my trip and discovered e-commerce
After traveling around Australia, I went to Bali. There, I found a man working on his laptop on the beach. He explained to me that he had an e-commerce company and could make around $1,000 a month from anywhere. That was amazing to me. Because for that amount, you can live anywhere in Southeast Asia.
During that time I was running out of money. I returned to my parents' house in Moroccan and asked to borrow 2,000 euros (about $2,100) to set up an e-commerce company. Within a few weeks I sold a $10,000 phone case that looked like a Game Boy.
Two friends co-founded the decentralized master of the company. Courtesy of Salim Elhira
I met a business partner and our company grew quickly
The money was good, but e-commerce wasn't fulfilling for me. I was very interested in cryptocurrency and asked my network if anyone knew crypto experts. That's how I met Tan.
Tan also ran his own successful business at the time. We were both in our mid-20s and spent time exchanging information about our business and crypto. Like a typical young man, we party together. We had a personal and professional atmosphere and wanted to start a business by the end of the year.
Our company, the Decentralized Master, has come to life in 2022. We teach investors (most of them have rather traditional portfolios) about crypto investment. It took off quickly and earned more than $13 million in revenue last year. I am now hundreds of millions of people.
Tan and I are the opposite, and that's our strength.
Tan and I have come incredibly close over the past few years. We spend almost all our time together. I think he's watching him more than his mom is doing at this point. Our family is getting closer too, and I call his mom my second mother. Last year we took both families on a holiday to Japan.
Life is sometimes mystical and it felt like that to meet Tan. We are against it, so our business is very successful. Whatever I lack is he has plenty and vice versa. Our employees call us Yin and Yang. I'm creative, but sunburn is a microcosm of structure. He has the mysterious ability to order from mixed chaos.
Tan and I plan to work together in the long term
At this young age, achieving financial success like us can be difficult to maintain a connection with reality. Sometimes you forget that you are living a truly special life.
Tan and I live in the same apartment building in Dubai, with units of the same layout, only a few floors apart. We hadn't planned it – it just happened.
There are about 10 people who will help us optimize our lives. This includes executive assistants, chefs, personal trainers and stretch coaches. We try to make sure every aspect of our day is optimized in every aspect.
We are planning to have fun too. At the beginning of the year, we list the places we want to go and the experiences we want to have. We travel together frequently, whether we meet the others in the code meet the US or Mykonos for the sun. We make sure there is time in our schedule so far. Because we don't want to ignore any aspect of our lives. This year, I will also be attending a more spiritual retreat.
Tan and I are business partners and want to be of good for life. We are intended to live at a sustainable pace for the next 40-60 years.