Lifestyle

A Look Back at the Accomplishments of Thomas Despin

Published

6 years ago

April 12, 2020

‘Each and every accomplishment starts with a decision to try’ is a famous saying that emphasizes the importance of trying hard. Once you have established your purpose, it is important to analyze all business ideas with practicality and feasibility. Some of the most significant achievements have been made solely because someone didn’t stop trying to accomplish their purpose. Thomas Despin, the CEO of reconnect, has left a trail of accomplishments on his way to success. His accomplishments are a result of his perseverance, hard work and an understanding that making mistakes is essential to grow.

Thomas Despin is a french entrepreneur, born in 1991. He started his journey when he was just 18 years old. Whilst studying psychology he began ‘Redact-Or’, a copywriting freelance business that focused primarily on SEO optimized content. He managed to earn a huge profitable amount regardless of still being enrolled in university and volunteering simultaneously. Collectively he gained experience, a profit on his investments and passed all his university exams. The next step was the establishment of an event organizing company called ‘IdProd’. This company ran successfully for 3 years. It operated mainly in Bordeaux, France. The company targeted student associations and the nightlife. Their demand grew remarkably to 4 events a week. He learnt the skills of negation, marketing and bartending. This company proved to be really profitable in terms of both money and his reputation.

When Thomas Dispen was 23 years old, he embarked on his next adventure. He started cycling from France and travelled through 20 countries and covered an approximate of 12,000km. This journey helped him encounter over a 100 entrepreneurs. He learnt from their experiences and shared them with the world. He cycled for 14 months and completed his project. He made the journey feasible by spending only 7 euros a day and sleeping in his tent. After he accomplished his cycling goals, he was determined to begin his next chapter. He started ‘Big Deal Empire’ which was a drop shipping business that sold sportswear from China to France. This was so successful that just in a matter of 11 months, he earned $750,000. This helped him generate 25% profit and hence, at 25 he had established a 6-figure business. When he no longer felt the drive to go further with this project, he decided to create ‘Do You’ which was basically a motivational clothing brand that specifically targeted entrepreneurs. He created these t-shirts with what he believed was his inspiration back then, being “Do You”, “Hustle”, “Do More”, “1% Better” and “Dream Big”. These shirts are still available privately and most of their customers still maintain their loyalty.

Passion is an important ingredient to success, when Thomas Dispen discovered his passion rested elsewhere he decided to close the drop shopping business. This led to the establishment of Hustlers Villa. The Hustlers Villa is located in Ubud, Bali. This space is a dedication to entrepreneurs that work online and it helps provide a comfortable space that encourages them to work better. They have hosted 250 entrepreneurs so far and hosted 60 events. The Hustlers Villa continues to be in operation.

Thomas Despin’s latest venture is Reconnect, an eco-friendly sustainable resort located at Buka Buka Island, in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. This island has already set a firm foot in the tourism industry and has benefited the local communities with the vast employment opportunities. Investment in remote areas of Indonesia is a tedious process, but he strived to work with the government and the locals to gain their trust resulting in mutual benefit. The island aspires to conserve nature’s resources and has opened the gates for meaningful investment opportunities to multiple remote areas in Indonesia. He plans to continue working on developing eco-resorts and promoting impactful investments for the next 5 years.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

5 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.