Network School First Impressions

I’m on day two of network school. It’s 6 a.m. and I’m walking along the corridors of this property in Forest City, a small island in Malaysia right next to Singapore. In two hours, I’ll join my second gym session here at the NS, which has a nice gym, a good co-working space, healthy food, and a solid cast of NS facilitators.

I’m here with a few colleagues from bld.ai who, like me, didn’t know until recently about Balaji’s book. None of us arrived primed; instead, we came without preconceived notions, offering perhaps a unique perspective on the experience.

Initially, I visited NS because my friend Grace was attending the V1 session in the fall. I’d only heard of Balaji from X. Our conversations revolved mostly around her startup rather than NS itself. My initial observation was that NS didn’t seem family-oriented, but Grace corrected me, explaining that NS encourages family participation. Soon after, I returned with my own 3 children and participated in a hackathon.

Allow me a small digression here to set the context

1. Exploration in education is important for me

Before moving to Singapore and getting my kids in local school, I homeschooled them for years, traveling extensively through dozens of US States, living for months in Colombia, Egypt, Philippines, and New Zealand. For example, during our time in New Zealand, my kids learned directly from nature and biodiversity (kiwi birds, tuataras, and possums to name a few) firsthand.

My educational philosophy aligns with non-traditional methods like Montessori, emphasizing learning through exploration rather than rigid curricula or study-the-test approaches. Over the years, I’ve organized numerous hackathons and taught entrepreneurship at the University of the Philippines (Diliman) as an adjunct professor. I’ve consistently believed entrepreneurship education is vital yet challenging to teach through conventional systems. For instance, entrepreneurship thrived in Silicon Valley historically not because it was formally taught in schools but because the environment allowed experimentation and tolerated failure.

Entrepreneurship education is rare in government-run (and “international”) schools, not because governments don’t appreciate entrepreneurship, but because fostering entrepreneurship at scale is inherently challenging. Traits like grit, persistence, and contrarian thinking are difficult to instill through traditional educational models. Historically, countries like America have succeeded in entrepreneurship not by directly teaching it but by not preventing it.

2. Startup Kids Club in Singapore

My first engagement with NS aligned naturally with my beliefs about this kind of exploratory education. Later, I participated with my kids in startup-oriented events in Singapore through Startup Kids Club, already envisioning similar projects before learning about NS.

Singapore, where we currently reside, appeals to me despite its authoritarian reputation. Practically speaking, my children enjoy greater freedom here, freely riding their bikes around without fear of danger. The city-state’s high-trust society offers practical freedom not easily found elsewhere. My friends in Elko, Nevada, value gun ownership for protection, a necessity there but unnecessary in Singapore, highlighting a nuanced contrast between theoretical freedoms and practical freedoms.

Despite its educational reputation, Singapore tends to foster a fixed mindset through rigid systems like the PSLE exams. For example, I’ve noticed how my kids’ peers become overly stressed, often memorizing information rather than genuinely understanding concepts, which contrasts with my preference for a growth-oriented approach emphasizing adaptability and resilience.

3. NS as a co-working/co-living

I needed a place for people who want-to-get-things done and started considering NS seriously when two of my colleagues had their employment pass denied by Singapore, despite being skilled in building generative AI tools.

I learned that Malaysia is significantly more welcoming to immigration compared to Singapore. Forest City is conveniently close, making it a practical gathering spot for our global team. It’s similar in travel time to San Jose from San Francisco. Primarily, I see NS as an excellent co-working/co-living environment, though coincidentally, it aligns perfectly with my personal lifestyle values: exercise, sleep, nutrition, and logistical simplicity.

4. Diet and exercise at NS

Before this experience, I knew little about Brian Johnson aside from him being a multiple millionaire deeply invested in measuring his body metrics. My own habits developed independently and I enjoy intermittent fasting partly because it simplifies logistics, such as not needing to brush my teeth multiple times per day and enhancing the pleasure of an evening meal due to hunger!

Similarly, maintaining daily exercise routines and prioritizing sleep became deliberate choices during my management consulting days. Despite the demanding culture of working 70-90 hour weeks, I consciously chose health and balance, influenced by one of my mentors (hi Will!), who coined “gym o’clock,” highlighting daily exercise at 6 p.m. This routine, coupled with sufficient sleep, contributed to my professional success, eventually earning me a junior partner position earlier than many of my peers.

5. Value for the money

My initial impressions of NS have been strongly positive. The monthly fee of $1,500 provides premium yet practical accommodations: comfortable rooms with excellent views, functional amenities, and a well-equipped gym. Small practicalities like booking rooms through Luma and coordinating via Discord significantly streamline my daily routines. The food suits my dietary preferences perfectly (lean proteins, vegetables, nuts, berries, and readily accessible water) making the environment exceptionally conducive to maintaining my health-oriented lifestyle.

6. Family life at NS

Although I didn’t bring my kids this time, future visits with family would be appealing, provided there’s enough participation from other families. I envision an innovative educational approach using a knowledge graph, where children learn at personalized paces through continuous mini-tests facilitated by generative AI. Teachers would serve as facilitators rather than traditional instructors, fostering a genuinely individualized learning experience.

7. Long term vision

Balaji’s concept of creating a “network state” is compelling, reminiscent of how cryptocurrency operates parallel to fiat currencies, yet applied to governance and community-building. Unlike global hotel chains like Hilton, a network state emphasizes shared cultural bonds, collaborative entrepreneurial ventures, and deeper interpersonal connections.

8. Speakers

The high caliber of speakers at NS is impressive, though likely challenging to sustain. Balaji leverages his extensive personal network to attract globally recognized figures. Today, for example, we’ll hear from the first investor in ByteDance, the company behind TikTok—an extraordinary opportunity considering the small audience size.

9. My peers first impressions

Colleagues have varied experiences. Tim from the USA shares my satisfaction with the gym, accommodations, and food. Fei from Singapore finds the environment healing, equating it to a boot camp due to early gym sessions and although she finds the food bland compared to her typical diet. Our Egyptian colleagues observing Ramadan encountered practical challenges around meal timings, food availability, and gym schedules incompatible with fasting hours, but are enjoying it otherwise.

10. This is not one size fits all

These challenges, however, seem readily solvable through adjustments tailored to specific group needs. Nonetheless, attempts to cater to every individual simultaneously risk diluting the overall quality. A clearer focus on family integration remains a primary improvement area for my future involvement.

Ultimately, I’m not seeking a new political state; I identify as proudly American, Canadian, and Quebecois, comfortable holding seemingly contradictory political beliefs, from efficient governance to progressive social policies like universal basic income. My early experiences at network school have been overwhelmingly positive, and I look forward to exploring its evolving potential further, contributing insights, and witnessing the growth of this innovative community model.