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  <h2 class="vjs-social-description">Dr. Anthony Fauci announced on Monday he plans to step down in December from his role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as his role of chief medical adviser to
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ForbesLeadershipEducation



SHAPING EDUCATION FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS

Rod Berger
Contributor
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
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Nov 3, 2022,07:47am EDT|
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Bryan Legend looks to reset the horizon line for entrepreneurs through his
rags-to-riches story.

getty

The value vs. cost of a college degree for the younger generations continues to
be a hot topic of discussion across the higher education and business sectors.
While surveys cited in Harvard Business Review and Inside Higher Ed suggest
overall satisfaction with college learning among students, nearly two thirds of
those surveyed agreed that higher education was not worth the cost at present
levels.




Add to the mix the intrigue of entrepreneurs past and present, such as Steve
Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and others finding success without college
diplomas, and the sentiment that college is a necessary precursor to business
success is changing. Many of the younger generations are weighing the costs,
causing a growing number to consider skipping college in pursuit of their
entrepreneurial dreams.



To gain more knowledge on the entrepreneurial mindset of those who have skipped
the traditional educational path for business aspirations, I had the opportunity
to interview Bryan Legend, entrepreneur and CEO of Safuu. Legend chose to
educate himself through numerous business ventures and recently made a name for
himself in the cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (Defi) industries. His
success has led to being named Money Central's 2021 Tech Leader of the Year.



PROMOTED



Like a growing number of other successful entrepreneurs, Legend doesn't have a
college degree in his pocket. But, to him, education can come in various forms.
"It's about time we begin approaching the necessity of educational
qualifications on a case-by-case basis," he says. "If I go to see a doctor, I
sure hope he has a college degree, but many career paths available to young
people today do not require the strain or the notorious financial debt that
comes with acquiring a college degree."




Legend has embarked on a journey to inspire many more young and passionate
entrepreneurs to pursue and attain their dreams. Below is a condensed account of
our conversation concentrating on the role a less traditional education has had
in shaping his success.

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Rod Berger: Bryan, can you share a little about the backstory that led to where
you are on your present journey?

Bryan Legend: My story is a typical rags-to-riches scenario. I am Australian and
grew up with little. I dropped out of high school three years before graduation
and entered the job market quite early. While others might have viewed my lack
of a high school diploma or college certificate (degree) as a disadvantage, it
hasn't held me back at all.



It gave me a hunger that most others could not match. I decided to push myself
as much as possible and see how far I could go. My first few jobs were in sales,
and I discovered something new about myself doing those jobs. It turned out that
I had a special gift of negotiation, and that gift has been primarily
responsible for my business success.

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PLAY Forbes Leadership 01:12 Video Settings Full Screen About Connatix V228932
Why Younger Employees Will Switch Jobs For AnEmployer Who Invests In Them

I have started several successful startups over my career. I founded TWILX, a
digital advertising firm, and became one of the pioneers in the Search Engine
Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing (SMM), and Search Engine Marketing
(SEM) space.

I eventually harnessed my love for technology and innovation and my strong
desire to make a lot of money and got into cryptocurrency in the early stages.
That journey led me to Safuu, which so far has been my most successful venture.

Berger: The cryptocurrency and decentralized finance space has seen an explosion
in interest in recent years, not to mention a fair share of speculation. Share a
little about why you decided to throw your hat in the ring.

Legend: Well, cryptocurrency is a fascinating phenomenon of how technology has
outpaced the traditional banking system and how it is at the forefront of
challenging the fiat-based government. The relevance of this technology was what
beckoned me more than anything else. As an entrepreneur, I always wanted to be
at the center of the action, and cryptocurrency appeared to be where the action
was happening.

A credible criticism of the crypto space is the unsustainability of many
blockchain projects that have been flagged. Safuu is my solution for that
singular problem.

Safuu is short for Sustainable Asset Fund for Universal Users. It is a DeFi
protocol that utilizes blockchain technology by automatically distributing set
interest payments using cryptocurrency. We designed it with innovative concepts
that ensure sustainability and long-term profitability for the platform.

Auto-staking and auto-compounding are integrated through rebasing so that the
circulating token supply increases or decreases automatically according to a
token's price fluctuations. This sustainable rebasing mechanism not only
delivers the highest annual percentage yield (APY) in the present market but
also considers ways to remain profitable even as it scales up. This built-in
mechanism is mainly responsible for why our users trust us so much.

Berger: Considering the complexities and risks involved, cryptocurrency is
certainly not an industry for the timid. Many readers might wonder how someone
who forfeited a high school diploma and college degree ended up at the very top
of such a complex industry.

Legend: It's not like many cryptocurrency-based certificates are available in
most colleges [laughs]. The world is one big school. The internet is loaded with
information and determination has a lot more bearing on success than degrees.

The best thing gained from school is literacy. After that, it is really up to
the individual. Obviously, there are people who need to get degrees, but for
entrepreneurs like myself, it's often more to do with street smarts,
determination, and a healthy dose of self-belief.

Berger: How has your relationship to success changed over your career? Did you
start aggressively to prove the establishment wrong, and if so, has your point
of view changed over the years?

Legend: Most people are sold on hope and belief and nothing more. They think
they will wake up one day and notice everything has changed, including the
environment around them. It's as if they imagine a big bag of cash just sitting
by their bed, waiting for them because they hoped and believed.

This way of thinking is naive and far from the truth, but unfortunately, many
people are in this frame of mind today. I also had the same mindset before
waking up and understanding that things will only change through action. Belief
and hope are powerful, but only when action is applied can our dreams have a
stable tripod to stand on. I always say, "Belief in your belief will create the
fact." I live by it daily, but I endeavor to add actions to make those same
beliefs come to reality.

Berger: You're the classic rags to riches story many are intrigued by and driven
to emulate. You also happened to drop out of school to carve your own path to
success. What was the impetus behind such a strong decision to buck the
traditional education model?

Legend: After dropping out of high school at a young age, I soon realized that
working for "the man" wasn't something I was interested in pursuing. Deep down,
I felt destined for more. Through years of self-development, I discovered my
talent in the business arena within the sales and marketing sector. I have since
used those learnings and my skillset in the world of cryptocurrency, where I
found my true passion for overachievement.

I knew that persistence would be the key to making it all happen to meet my goal
of being truly successful. It's not how many times you get knocked down but how
many times you get back up again and keep fighting with persistence. It is about
proving to myself and the world that success comes from within.

Berger: What would be your contribution to the dropout debate? What advice would
you give to people considering dropping out of school and pursuing an
independent path as you did?

Legend: It should be approached on a case-by-case basis. The world has gone
digital, and the number of opportunities available to today's youth is
unbelievable.

Many of these opportunities will be less juicy or lucrative in a few years. As a
result, there will undoubtedly be those who decide to jump in earlier and maybe
forfeit some formal education.

Holding firm to the idea that a formal education and degrees are the standard
for success needs to be re-examined. Still, demonizing getting degrees should
undoubtedly be avoided because success means different things to different
people.

My primary concern is for those youth who cannot afford to go to school. I want
them to realize that they have innate smarts and that if they are determined,
they can succeed even more than I have.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Learning comes in many forms and inside the trenches is often where
business-minded individuals make the most headway. Journeys such as Legend's act
as a reference for those young individuals looking for inspiration as they carve
their pathways as entrepreneurs. With a current net worth of over $26 million,
Legend's financial gains represent how doggedness and determination can lead to
overcoming obstacles that lead to success.

For youth trying to determine the cost benefits of traditional vs. less
traditional education, Legend's story highlights the importance of hard work, no
matter the choice. As he describes, it takes belief, hope and action working
together to produce positive results—something every young entrepreneur can
focus on fine-tuning.

Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.


Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. 
Rod Berger
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I am a TEDx speaker, an education and health care industry strategist having
covered thought leadership and entrepreneurship for Forbes, Entrepreneur
Magazine,

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SHARE: FAUCI STEPPING DOWN IN DECEMBER


DR. ANTHONY FAUCI ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY HE PLANS TO STEP DOWN IN DECEMBER FROM HIS
ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES,
AS WELL AS HIS ROLE OF CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISER TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

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