Business

Gen Z Entrepreneur Surpasses the Traditional Education System to Build His Own Empire

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2021

“Believe in yourself. If you’ve got an idea behind you and enough belief in it, you’ll make it work.”

Such is the advice of 18-year-old Flynn Blackie, specialist in psychological marketing and the founder of MOD Digital Limited. Starting a business fresh out of high school isn’t exactly the kind of plan everybody shares: usually, people gun for an undergraduate degree before pursuing their dreams.

But Flynn had a different outlook on how his life should go. In fact, he left school at the tender age of sixteen before starting his own business.

An Early Start in the Business

Blackie knew for quite some time that he wanted to eventually start a business of his own.

“I was always looking at side hustles and ways to make extra money. I always felt like I was going to be successful,” Blackie explained.

But at first, like most – if not all – of us, he mapped his life out in such a way as to adhere to the traditional education system. He’d planned to get into a university, snag a degree, and then have a high-paying job.

However, it was his initial dabbling in entrepreneurship that changed his point of view. He started off simple: buying and selling chewing gum. What he did was purchase wholesale chewing gum before selling these to the other kids in school. Soon, his small business evolved to include selling rare sneakers for a profit.

All of this was second nature to him. He began to get the hang of how attracting customers and appealing to a certain niche works.

“I kind of saw my potential as an entrepreneur, leading and getting clients and selling – all of these factors that you need to build up your entrepreneurship skills,” he said. “These qualities were recognized within me when I took a step back to look [at myself]. It became very clear that one day, I wouldn’t just work for a company – I would own it. And it turns out, my first employer was myself.”

Taking That Leap of Faith

Of course, Blackie’s idea of ditching the path of traditional education wasn’t met with unanimous support at first.

“I had to make my own decision before I went to [my parents] and tried to convince them,” Blackie said. “It became pretty apparent that if I were to not leave right now, I’d just be leaving one year later anyway. I knew that, no matter what, this is what I wanted to do.”

It wasn’t about taking the easy way out for Blackie. He made the decision to abandon the traditional education system because he knew where his heart lay: in entrepreneurship. He understood early on that no matter what, he wanted to venture into this realm, and his dream would only be put on hold for as long as he stayed in school. There wasn’t exactly a need to pursue a typical education in Blackie’s eyes.

That was the logic he presented to his parents. His father understood rather immediately. However, it was his mother who took some convincing. After all, this wasn’t a typically ‘safe’ path to tread. Every entrepreneur knows all too well how risky the business is. And for someone at such a young age, Blackie had tons to lose.

However, Blackie made it clear to his mother that he simply had to start his own business. “There were going to be bad grades, or my clients were going to have a terrible experience; it was one of the two,” he said.

In 2019, Flynn Blackie decided to drop out of school.

Thus began his endeavor into the unknown. Equipped with a dream and plenty of in-depth research, Blackie took that risk.

Starting Out with One’s Priorities in Mind

When talking about his initial interest in selling gum and sneakers, Blackie compared these experiences to his current niche. “Nothing really captured me like web design. It felt fun, and it felt pretty easy to make and it came really naturally.”

It was the thrill of receiving payment for the first website he built that made him realize this was the model he wanted to base a solid portion of his business upon. Blackie and his team at MOD Digital started out selling web design services. They also branched out to dabble in social media-related projects and several other ventures. However, the team realized that all these extra services didn’t actually bring MOD Digital the results they were gunning for. They soon learned that they wanted to deliver a more results-based service.

So, they went back to basics. Currently, MOD Digital has gone from a humble start-up to a six-figure agency that has garnered over sixty clients.

When Generation Z Delves into the Realm of Entrepreneurship

Blackie credits a portion of MOD Digital’s success to a youthful mindset. “Being my age can play as a good factor,” he noted in an interview.

Any young person, particularly someone who has grown up in this current technological day and age, knows all too well the power of screentime. As an ardent lover of video games and someone who’s grown up in a tech-savvy environment, Blackie’s mind has become accustomed to the lingo of algorithms.

“The second factor [that makes MOD Digital unique] would be that we’ve niched into a specific service. We have our core service, no matter which client we’re working with. We’re more specific about our system.”

MOD Digital puts the value of its service before anything else. In focusing on how they can best help their clients, they put forth a more personal brand, one that markets authentically and attracts loyal clients. Blackie also acknowledged the pivotal role psychology plays in their marketing process. MOD Digital uses subliminal forms of psychological triggers.

Pushing Past Doubt and Breaking Barriers

Despite Blackie’s current success, he’s no stranger to backlash. Some people assumed that being young equates to inexperience.

“There have been sales pitches where they took the meeting, but as soon as you get on [the call], they stop taking you seriously. You can hear it from their tone or the way they pay attention. You feel insulted, being on the call,” Blackie recalled.

Even communicating with a bank was tough. It was difficult to find someone who would open an account for a mere 16-year-old. However, Blackie persisted.

Today, MOD Digital continues to grow. Even with its current celebrated success, Flynn Blackie has no intentions of getting comfortable. To young entrepreneurs looking to build their own businesses, Blackie actually cautions against taking the risk he took unless one is at a level where they can afford to do so.

“The fundamental thing is to make sure you’re actually in a position where you can leave [school]. Work tirelessly to get to that point. And when you’re there, that’s when it’s time to go. You can’t leave because you ‘want’ to do something, leave because you are doing it, and doing it well.”

Flynn Blackie has certainly walked the path less traveled. His story marks as a calling to other young entrepreneurs: be smart, but don’t be afraid to take calculated risks.

Business

Remote Professionals Getting More Value for Their Work Thanks to Borderless Banking

Published

1 week ago

July 10, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Not too long ago, the idea of working remotely from an island in Thailand or a co-working space in Berlin sounded like the kind of fantasy only tech moguls or backpacking freelancers could afford.

Fast forward to today, and it’s as good as a global reality. Millions of professionals have cut the cord from traditional office life in exchange for flexibility, freedom, and a work-life balance that fits their personal rhythm and not their employer’s timezone.

However, as remote work has reshaped how people earn a living, it’s also pointed out the existing limits to most of the world’s financial systems. Traditional banking simply wasn’t built for a workforce that’s always on the move, operating in multiple currencies, and getting paid across borders.

Thankfully, that’s where borderless banking like Black Banx have proven vital, and has quietly transformed the way money is managed for people vacationing and working overseas alike.

The Rise of the Remote Work Economy

Remote work isn’t just a pandemic-era trend that faded with Zoom fatigue—it’s become a defining feature of the modern workforce. A recent survey revealed that over 39% of Gen Z and Millennials planned to live and work abroad for extended periods this year, many staying six months or more in a single location. That’s beyond a short trip, and can be considered as good as a sabbatical with a substantial lifestyle shift.

According to recent estimates, the digital nomad economy now also contributes as much as US$787 billion annually to the global economy. And this isn’t just entry-level gig work. A third of digital nomads earn between US$100,000 and US$250,000, while another third take in US$50,000 to US$100,000 annually.

It is indeed evident that the manner in which many make a living has changed. Unfortunately, most financial systems haven’t kept up.

Where Traditional Banks Are Still Falling Short

For those who have ever tried to open a bank account abroad or receive payment from a foreign client, they already know the drill: the paperwork is endless, delays are frustrating, and the fees? So much to do, even for the smallest amounts of money.

Just to name few of the hurdles remote workers still face with conventional banking:

Account setup restrictions: Need proof of residence, tax IDs, or a local job offer—things many digital nomads simply don’t have.
Slow international transfers: Payments can take days to process, which is a nightmare when rent’s due.
High foreign exchange fees: Currency conversions often come with steep, hidden costs.
Limited multi-currency support: Most banks still force users to operate in a single currency, making financial planning chaotic at best.

And perhaps most tellingly, many banks have digitized their operations but haven’t personalized their services. According to Accenture’s 2025 Banking Trends Report, while digital transformation has improved efficiency, it often sacrifices the customer experience. That’s not great news for people who live outside the lines.

Borderless Banking for Professionals Across the Globe

The concept of borderless banking goes far beyond wiring money internationally. Fundamentally, it’s also about being able to eliminate the friction between people and their money, no matter where they are in the world, and maintaining an ecosystem where geography, bureaucracy, and currency don’t stand in the way of financial freedom.

A working example of this is Black Banx, a Toronto-based fintech founded by German billionaire Michael Gastauer. Since launching globally in 2015, it has grown to serve over 78 million clients in 180+ countries as of Q1 2025, proof that people take to digital banking solutions when it is accessible, affordable, and is useful in just about any locale.

In the first three months of this year, Black Banx had also earned US$4.3 billion in revenue and US$1.6 billion in pre-tax profit, more than double from the same quarter the previous year and showing it has consistently delivered tangible value to global customers—remote professionals included

How Borderless Banking Maximizes Value for Remote Workers

1. Instant Account Access—No Strings Attached

The times of hunting down local branches or collecting endless documents just to open an account are finished. With borderless banks, users can open an account in minutes using just a photo ID—no proof of address or income required. That’s a lifesaver for anyone living outside their passport country or hopping from one location to another.

2. Multi-Currency Mastery

Managing money in multiple currencies used to mean juggling several accounts—or worse, losing money on conversions. Borderless platforms like Black Banx support 28 FIAT currencies and allow real-time currency conversions at competitive rates. That means remote workers can:

Invoice clients in one currency
Spend or save in another
Hedge against local currency fluctuations
Avoid excessive conversion fees altogether

3. Seamless, Real-Time Global Payments

Getting paid late, or paying others late, isn’t just inconvenient; it can damage relationships and disrupt your cash flow. With real-time payment support, remote workers can receive funds instantly, no matter where their clients are. This is particularly valuable for freelancers and entrepreneurs juggling multiple contracts across time zones.

Plus, bulk payment features and API integration streamline processes for those running teams or businesses.

4. Built-In Crypto Options

It isn’t surprising that many digital nomads are already deep into crypto. Whether it’s for investment, faster transactions, or avoiding traditional finance red tape, crypto is becoming essential.

Since 2016, Black Banx has allowed users to send, receive, and convert crypto (like BTC and ETH) within their accounts. That integration saves users from having to manage separate crypto wallets, and adds another layer of flexibility to their financial toolkit.

5. Secure Transactions

Remote workers often log in to work from cafés, coworking spaces, and airports, to name a few. Of course, this flexibility of being able to work almost anywhere should never come at the cost of security. Borderless banks like Black Banx use end-to-end encryption, AI fraud detection, and two-factor authentication to keep accounts safe from risky elements.

Financial Freedom, Not Just Convenience

Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of borderless banking is the freedom it provides. Not just to access money, but to fully participate in the global economy. For millions of professionals in underbanked regions like Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, borderless banking has become a gateway to financial inclusion and a way to take on opportunities that typically wouldn’t be available to them if not remote.

By removing barriers to entry, platforms like Black Banx empower underserved individuals to both take control of their finances and increase their earning power by working with companies from higher paying markets. This democratization of finance isn’t just good for individuals, it’s good for the global economy as a whole.

As Black Banx CEO Michael Gastauer put it: “Our multi-currency solutions enable businesses to tap into global talent without worrying about payment complexities. We make cross-border transactions as seamless as local ones.”

The Road Ahead

By 2030, the number of digital nomads worldwide is expected to soar past 60 million, according to the Forbes Technology Council. That means tens of millions of workers will be navigating foreign currencies, time zones, and financial systems—all while expecting the same seamless experience they’d get at home.

Indeed, remote professionals aren’t just looking for places to work—they’re looking for systems that work for them. In a lifestyle built on flexibility, traditional banking is proving too rigid, too slow, and too expensive.

Borderless banking services like those offered by the likes of Black Banx, on the other hand, offer exactly what today’s global workforce needs: instant access, multi-currency support, real-time payments, crypto integration, and enterprise-level security—all in a streamlined experience.