Zelda
@zeldapoem
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Founder @nautilusquest, a FREE residency in San Francisco for young polymaths. @1517fund believed in me first
Joined September 2018
Announcing Nautilus: A three-month gap program where you get paid –no strings attached– to dive into your craziest, most ambitious project. Yes, you read that right. Come live with us in San Francisco and build the next Renaissance. How it works:
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Today I did something. Wrote this note to a woman I was sitting next to in a café, bc she was in a meeting and I had to leave without having had the opportunity to chat with her. See her answer below:
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My boyfriend's fashion (which I carefully curate) just got endorsed by the absolute GOAT of menswear @dieworkwear. Feeling validated! Here are more of the fits I’ve styled for him:
people hating on this outfit are wrong and that's ok. not everything is meant for everyone. but there's a small subset of men who will get into menswear through raw denim and suits and then ten years later proxy archival rick and yohji from japan. this is why the hobby is fun.
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My boyfriend went from dressing like a nerd to becoming fashionable (thanks to me). Now he gets stopped by ppl in the street who compliment his style much more often than me. The student has surpassed the master.
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Young man, young woman,. You gotta share your work online. Stop lurking. Build yourself a website. Share your side projects with the public. Make a portfolio. Nowadays, if you aim to be a builder/ creator, it's a low signal that we can't find you online.
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Update: and so we met! 🫶 and she introduced me to her friend, as well!
Today I did something. Wrote this note to a woman I was sitting next to in a café, bc she was in a meeting and I had to leave without having had the opportunity to chat with her. See her answer below:
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@dieworkwear More of his fits here:
My boyfriend's fashion (which I carefully curate) just got endorsed by the absolute GOAT of menswear @dieworkwear. Feeling validated! Here are more of the fits I’ve styled for him:
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Asked @balajis for advice on what a high school dropout dedicated to improving education, should spend her life building
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Tech bros & coders reached out to ask me for fashion advice. Here’s what I taught my programmer boyfriend (@zack_overflow) to get him dripped:.
My boyfriend went from dressing like a nerd to becoming fashionable (thanks to me). Now he gets stopped by ppl in the street who compliment his style much more often than me. The student has surpassed the master.
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Entrepreneurs need to teach artists how to love money and sell. Artists need to teach entrepreneurs how to develop taste and make beautiful things. The fact that these two despise each other is a net negative for humanity.
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Friends reunion! Met those two wonderful men over Twitter a year ago. Now reunited in Bengaluru
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Nobody understands the amount of backstage, dirty work that needs to happen in order to build something from scratch. People see the end result and think, “I want to do that too,” without realizing it’s 99% pain and 1% fun.
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James Dyson (founder of Dyson, ~$7b in revenue in 2023) on the importance of failure. "I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right."
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My mom didn't get to finish high school, so when I dropped out, she was disappointed. Two weeks ago, I flew her to Oxford, the "holy grail" of universities, to attend my talk. Sometimes you'll disappoint your parents. Do it anyway. Work hard to make it worth it!
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My life got so much easier when I decided to commit to my craft like I was married to it. My generation was sold infinite choice as freedom, but without the discipline, it's a trap.
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Apathy is a plague of our time. Resist. You were made to feel awe, experience joy, and create beauty. Don’t let numbness become your default.
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12 young proteges, 3 months, and 1 house in San Francisco:. Introducing the first cohort of Nautilus. (. and applications for the 2nd cohort are now open!)
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there I am, dancing on the stage at the fact that reality is so malleable!!! hehe
Today I gave my first university talk in years. Walked in nervous and uneasy. But then I stepped on stage, and something shifted: I started cracking jokes, sharing hot takes, vibing. The way you perceive yourself may be out-of-date with who you've become. Self-actualize.
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I wasn’t invited to a Thanksgiving dinner so I organized one. You can just do things 🦃
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Dropped out of high school, have been traveling the world and building/ studying what I like since then,. At 18yo I was by myself traveling Bali on a motorcycle while writing my book "Hack your Education",. My best friends include a Mexican traffic light musician and some.
I changed my mind on this. Before COVID I’d say uni is important for discipline and socializing but I feel it’s changed rapidly. If I was 18 today I’d skip uni altogether, go nomad and travel the world while building startups. Meet random people, get out of your comfort zone,.
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Walk into every room like God sent you to build what you're working on.
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Went for dinner!.
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My friend built a solarpunk bio-dome with a passionfruit tree growing through its heart!. @nhfoley sold his company to Uber, bought a ranch in California, and now builds sci-fi structures mixing technology with nature. Not your typical Silicon Valley exit story:
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I went from a depressed teenager to a successful entrepreneur & published author by the age of 18. How did I do it? I hacked my education. My story👇.
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A love letter to @DStrachman (and for anybody thinking of working with @1517Fund):. One of the reasons why I dropped out of high school is that I was frustrated that adults wouldn’t take me seriously. At 16 years old, I started working in startups, hoping that I’d be treated
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@Ki_fun_thoughts Yep, I think it's scary for lots of people. Which is a bummer because of how wholesome it is when a kind stranger comes to talk to you!.
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Our goal is to seed a new Renaissance by supporting builders via direct patronage, a model that was driving innovation during this era. At that time, art and science were intertwined, enabling unique breakthroughs to happen. We're bringing this culture back.
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You live and eat for free in our house in San Francisco with other participants. We'll give you an additional stipend for your equipment. We're going to help you step away from life’s noise to dive into what you're passionate about and connect to your childhood wonder.
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We are looking to select people across any field, from art, to science, community, and tech. You can apply with or without a project. All you need is a craft: something you are very passionate about and want to obsessively work on for 3 months.
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Some kids make a name with great emails. Others are too busy breaking ground in physics to write a catchy opener. If your job is to spot extraordinary people before the world does, you’d better learn to recognize them before they’ve mastered the art of the perfect outreach.
People keep commenting saying I haven’t responded to their previous cold DMs. Yes, I probably won’t if it’s a bad DM. I’ve said this before and to be even more direct - no one owes you anything. My DMs are wide open not for me to do the work for you when you ask something.
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Gave my website a whimsical upgrade: featuring me as The Little Prince ✨
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I’m building Nautilus for the misfits of this world: the obsessed creators, researchers, and problem-solvers. We’re looking for people 22yo and under, on a gap year, dropped out, or homeschooled. And yes, you can participate even if you're from outside the US!
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As a foundation, we’re supported by visionary patrons like @DStrachman, @1517fund, @tylercowen, @jposhaughnessy, @stephencole, @stratospark. They believe in creating a more inspiring world, one enriched by curiosity and beauty. Want to become one of our patrons? DM me!
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My boyfriend and I received a lot of hate after this tweet took off. First disturbing, we then saw the amount of impressions we’ve got thanks to it. X is the only platform where you’ll get paid when you get trolled! Thanks @elonmusk. Keep the hate coming 💸💸💸
My boyfriend's fashion (which I carefully curate) just got endorsed by the absolute GOAT of menswear @dieworkwear. Feeling validated! Here are more of the fits I’ve styled for him:
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Joined forces with @1517fund. On a mission to bring freedom to young people to build cool stuff and become awesome adults,. I’m focused on creating a program for gap year takers, if that’s you DM me!. Pics: Danielle and I camping two weeks ago
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If you just immigrated + are building something from scratch, you're playing the game of life on hardcore mode. I see you.
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My religion is the opposite of whatever this is:
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Today I gave my first university talk in years. Walked in nervous and uneasy. But then I stepped on stage, and something shifted: I started cracking jokes, sharing hot takes, vibing. The way you perceive yourself may be out-of-date with who you've become. Self-actualize.
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If I have a tough decision to make, or I am out of ideas, the answer is always always to go walk and sit in the park.
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1/ Fall in love with fashion. Many programmers think fashion is superficial. But dressing well makes the world more beautiful! You also get to express your creativity and it will boost your confidence. It's worth the effort.
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Could making friends be as simple as talking to a stranger you vibe with in a café or organizing dinners in your city with people you met online?. I arrived in Istanbul a month ago and knew nobody. Yesterday, hosted a dinner for hackers & creatives and met 5 incredible people!
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Brain upgraded thanks to a 4 hours conversation with @oubi_io in Paris,. met her on X thanks to our shared interest in education, @DavidDeutschOxf & @FitzClaridge work, and popperian epistemology!
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Recently met a few very successful dropouts, yet ashamed they had quit school. It blew my mind. The narrative that the only way to succeed is through a formal education runs deep and is hard to unlearn.
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Wanna hear advice on what you should do with your life from a spiritual master?. "Fall in love" Aziz, a disciple of Sufism, said, among other beautiful insights and wisdom in the last dropUp episode. Links to listen to it and watch the interview below 👇
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Organizing a small meetup for @1517fund builders & friends in Bengaluru mid-July. What's a great location to do that?. Also any tips regarding exploring the city or people I should meet are welcome!.
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Learn more on the vision in this article: And make sure to apply via our website: I'm excited to build the next Renaissance together!.
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I feel touched by those carrying love for a job well done. 🕊️ The beautiful woman I saw cleaning the tables in a mall with so much care. Gave her my book. 🕊️ The middle-aged bus driver who perfectly stopped at the bus stop right in front of me. Complimented and thanked. 🕊️ The.
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Met a lot of young builders recently who wanted to add me on LinkedIn and didn’t have Twitter. Who did that to them.
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Dropping out of high school is the best decision I have taken in my entire life.
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Rest too much and you'll get depressed. Rest not enough and you'll be burnout. Finding the right amount is an ever-evolving quest.
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2/ Develop taste. Fashion isn’t just clothes; it’s about aesthetics—like architecture, art, interior design. To develop it, ask yourself: do I like this building, dish, or song? Why?. Over time, refining your opinions will help you define your style.
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As a high school dropout I had to learn hardcore resilience and not being afraid to ask for things over and over again, because people taking bets on you is literally all you have for yourself. Important skill for a founder as well.
It’s crazy how much you can win with persistent follow up, the kind of follow up that others are embarrassed by.
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Delighted to welcome @daylightco as a new patron!. I'm building @NautilusQuest using my DC-1 and they will be provided to our proteges during the program.
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@dieworkwear Oh and this is a thread where I explain how programmers can become fashionable too:
Tech bros & coders reached out to ask me for fashion advice. Here’s what I taught my programmer boyfriend (@zack_overflow) to get him dripped:.
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San Francisco has the potential to be the Florence of the 21st Century. It has a history in arts (Palace of Fine Arts, 1960s counterculture), and it has tech. Time to combine them together
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We thought we met a good amount of builders in Bengaluru and then ran into brother @hardeep_gambhir at 3am at the airport. Talk about a high talent density city
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Been touring universities and wow: money has such a bad rep with students. So much so that I added a slide to my talk titled 'Fall in love with money.'. Wild how my generation sees wealth as a problem to solve instead of a tool to build with.
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Looking for a web designer for a cute little project. Mockups are made, we just need you to make it 10x more beautiful. Bonus if you can draw. Comment or DM with your portfolio.
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Awesome meetup with some of the dropouts, students and sci-fi builders of Bengaluru today!. Warmed my heart to see 4 under 18yo leave the event together like bros when they came in not knowing anyone
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🚨 Casa Nautilus Wanted!. @NautilusQuest is officially looking for a house in San Francisco to host our first cohort from June 1st. Learn more and help us find an incredible space:
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Being a founder teaches me radical resilience. I receive bad news/ challenges all the time, feel the emotion it provokes, and carry on fast. The only way is forward!.
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I want you to get better at cold DM outreach:. Busy people won't reply to a vague 'Hey, what's up?' in their DMs. Be direct about why you're reaching out or don't bother reaching out at all.
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If you are a teen looking to enter the startup ecosystem (outside of the traditional educational path), this advice also applies to you. At 16 when I dropped out, I landed my first job by being this “just figure it out” person. A year later, it got me hired on a dream job:.
If you want to get into Hard Tech, but you don't have "Hard Tech" skills, do this:. DM a bunch of hard tech founders, & tell them you will be their "just figure it out" person. Every hard tech co needs people who will take the weirdest/hardest problems and "just figure it out".
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One of the highlights of my trip to Bangalore was a tea with the amazing @SamrajSanjana – feeling lucky to connect with education thinkers around the world.
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6/ Know the rules and know when to break them. @dieworkwear has fantastic educational content on classic menswear. Learn the rules first – it'll help you bend or break them confidently when crafting your fits.
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Nautilus: we are close to hitting 100 applications in less than a week! . If you haven't submitted your application, do it today! It's a super short form leading to the second step of the selection process. Can't wait to hear from you :).
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The amount of young people doing insanely cool things I see on twitter is surreal. I'm madly in love with my generation!.
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One of the great joys of my life:. Being at a point where, if you ask me 'Do you know someone who can help with x?'. The answer is usually yes. I think I’ve finally earned the title of superconnector 🥹.
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7/ Learn layering. The ultimate rule: layering makes any outfit look more refined and stylish. Stack garments thoughtfully for depth and sophistication. Search 'layering men fashion' on YouTube for examples.
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My only anti-progress opinion:. I don’t want high-speed free wifi on the plane. I love it as a forcing function for deep introspection.
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Headed to Vitalia feeling nervous. Something inside me whispered this wasn't just any trip – I’d be changed forever by this experience. I was right. This place isn't for your average tech bro: it's the playground for builders aiming to change the world. 1/8
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Them: is your name really Zelda Poem?. Me: what does real mean to you?. Them: well, I guess your legal name. Me: oh, so the legal system feels more real to you than the divine creative force that gave me this name? That’s tragic.
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@JarPogo Thank you for the sweet comment! I'm definitely meeting her tonight! Had something but canceled it, I got too many people involved by publishing it on Twitter haha, it's not about me anymore.
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Can someone invite me on their podcast so I can rant for hours about how much I love my partner and how he is the absolute best.
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@vidhster Made me want to think about friendship building more consciously! Any of your writings I should start with? ☕️.
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Children in today’s school system sleepwalk through their childhood. They wake up 23 years later, upon university graduation, when society suddenly asks them to behave as independent adults. Wouldn’t you feel in a crisis if that was you?.
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This is the irrational joy a French person feels when they finally have the right bowl to arrange their fruits and vegetables instead of putting them inside the fridge like a hooligan
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Paris hackers & painters meetup was awesome!. Next: Athens, Greece 🇬🇷 sign up in the next tweet
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Two things I think about all the time:. Living a significantly better life than my parents. Setting my future children to live a much better life than mine.
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Nautilus’ application for cohort 1 (starting June 1st) are closing in a few days!. I share all you need to know about Nautilus and the selection process in this video ✌️ Apply on Nautilus dot Quest.
Want to get paid to work on your project for 3 months in San Francisco? 🌉. @zeldapoem and I break down everything you need to know about applying to @NautilusQuest. Applications close Feb 3rd! Application + YouTube vid below 👇
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Most people aren't intellectually honest with themselves. They cling to bad explanations to avoid the discomfort of change. If you can face hard truths about your life once a week, you're already winning.
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Europe is in great need of scrappiness and "you can just do things" energy.
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If you choose to 'face reality' every single day:. * Hold the hard convos,.* Make the tough decisions,.* Confront the setbacks,. You'll progress faster than 99% of people.
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4/ Experiment and embrace mistakes. Finding your style means stepping out of your comfort zone. You’ll buy pieces that look great on the rack but that you never end up wearing – it’s normal. Taking risks is how you discover truly standout looks.
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When I was little, things weren't alright at home, and many times, I tried to seek help at school, which never went answered. This forged my character and my life's mission. My blood boils when I face an injustice, and I will always fight against it. I put my physical safety at.
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One of the keys to making awesome friends is to start seeing people with higher status or more coolness than you as equals. Remove the layer of fantasy that makes them perfect. It's a beautiful gift to see someone as they truly are.
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Rites of passage are a forgotten technology. In our modern world, the traditional markers that once signified the transition from teenage to adulthood have lost their meaning or disappeared completely. This is why people in their early 20s struggle to start their own story arc:.
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