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The 11-Year-Old CEO Who Rewrote the Rules of Innovation

Picture this: An 11-year-old walks into Great Western Savings with his father, opens a business account, and launches "Effortless Programming," teaching BASIC programming to neighborhood kids from his living room. That boy was Joseph Bradley. Today, he's the CEO leading a $500 billion initiative to build the world's first cognitive city.

This isn't just another tech success story. It's the blueprint for thriving in an age where the right question matters more than any answer.

The Foundation: When Respect Became Revolution

Joseph's father gave him more than a Commodore PET computer that day in 1980. He gave him a philosophy that would reshape entire industries: "Respect costs nothing, but it means everything."

But this wasn't the passive respect of "yes, sir, no, ma'am." This was active respect: the kind that listens with genuine curiosity, seeks to understand before being understood, and asks, "How can I help you succeed?"

This principle would later guide Joseph through:

• Becoming Pacific Bell's youngest CFO at 28
• Surviving the dot-com crash that taught him the difference between "failing fast" and "learning fast"
• Creating Cisco's Internet of Everything concept that grew into a $3 billion business
• Leading Saudi Arabia's NEOM project — the most ambitious smart city initiative in human history

The Cisco Years: Where Questions Became Currency

Under the mentorship of legendary CEO John Chambers, Joseph discovered something profound: In a world where all answers are becoming available instantly, value lies in knowing what questions to ask.

This insight became the basis of his book, "Questioneering," published by Melissa through her company, Networlding, written years before ChatGPT proved him right. While others focused on AI's outputs, Joseph saw the real revolution: AI doesn't replace human creativity; it amplifies the power of human curiosity.

The Saudi Arabia Gamble: Real-Time is Too Late

When that mysterious call from Saudi Arabia finally got through (after Joseph declined it five times), it led to the opportunity of a lifetime. The Crown Prince wasn't just building another smart city. He was reimagining what a city could be.

Joseph's breakthrough insight: Real-time is too late.

"We learned from COVID — by the time we found out in real-time, the damage was done. The future isn't about smart cities that react; it's about smart cities that anticipate. It's about cognitive cities that predict."

Under his leadership, NEOM became the world's first cognitive community: a city built not around assets, but around human intelligence. A place where AI doesn't just respond to your needs; it anticipates them.

The Next Evolution: Your AI Twin

Today, Joseph is pioneering what comes after the AI assistant: Identic AI. Not an agent that serves you, but a digital twin that IS you.

Imagine having a version of yourself that:

• Works 24/7 while you sleep
• Think with your knowledge and reasoning
• Maintains your values and decision-m

Connect with Melissa @ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissagwilson/
Connect with Billy @ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/billydexter/
Connect with John @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-st-augustine-1b3192/