Updated on 2026-02-26 from Johor, Malaysia

Hey, I'm Jesse

I live in a startup community in Malaysia. Within six minutes of walking, I get meals, reach a gym, attend events, and meet friends. For the first time, I’m sharing an apartment with a flatmate. It’s nice.

I spent the year’s start in Bali. I celebrated at a festival, disconnected from devices, and visited a friend’s boutique hotel on a small island.

Now I write essays, participate in a body transformation program, and organize day trips for founders.

I’ll spend the summer in Europe to visit family and friends and reconnect with Scandinavia. I plan to return to Southeast Asia in autumn.

I’m grateful for this chapter and the people in it.

Thanks for being here.

Photo of Jesse

Photo by Arthur

What I’ve been doing

Projects

  • Commons (2025/2026) — Founded a community for deeper connection. Hosted 40+ events and two monthly cohorts with 24 and 52 members. Now offering day and weekend trips for founders.

  • Agora (2024/2025) — Developed a community café concept from isolation in Arctic Norway. Interned at a restaurant in Germany, explored opportunities in Madeira, and hosted an intellectual dinner.

  • Apprentice (2022/2023) — Conceived an alternative education system for young people. Won a competition leading to a conversation with Sam Altman and an invitation to The Residency in San Francisco.

Work

  • Freelance Design (2023/2025) — Offered Framer web design and development services.

  • Active Image (2022) — Interned six months on the product team at a digital art platform.

  • Freelance Market Research (2021/2022) — Analyzed coffee and food D2C markets for investors.

  • Freelance Design (2017/2021) — Offered media design and static web design and development services.

Education

Media

  • YouTube (2025) — Filmed video essays and shorts.

  • Substack (2025) — Wrote a weekly personal newsletter.

  • Podcast (2023) — Recorded conversations and solo episodes on entrepreneurship, education, progress, talent, and innovation.

  • Mynd Travel (2017/2019) — Shared travel photography on Unsplash, Instagram, and portfolio website. Now a coffee-table book.

Say hi

Reach me at jesse@gabel.is. I’m sometimes active on Instagram and X.