Journey
Experience That Shaped a Worldview
Where It Began
Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with an Ivorian father serving as an ambassador and a Belgian mother, exposed Serge early to different cultures, perspectives, and ways of seeing the world.
Living at the intersection of different identities and experiences also introduced him to diplomacy and to the possibility that leadership can bridge differences rather than deepen them.
Learning Through Adversity
Later chapters brought very different lessons.
Immigration, financial hardship, homelessness, and the responsibilities of raising a family taught lessons no classroom could provide. They revealed how quickly circumstances can change, but also how much resilience, opportunity, and the right support can alter the course of a life.
Those experiences shaped a lasting conviction: systems should help people regain stability, preserve their dignity, and build the capacity to move forward.
Building Solutions
Entrepreneurship became a way to turn ideas into action.
From working in real estate through the housing crisis to consulting in renewable energy, sustainable development, and international business, Serge encountered complex problems from different perspectives and across different sectors.
The experience reinforced a practical lesson: lasting solutions rarely emerge from a single institution, industry, or point of view. They require understanding how systems connect and bringing people together around workable solutions.
Testing Ideas in Public
Running for Governor of California brought those ideas into the public arena.
It created an opportunity to listen to people across the state, examine complex challenges more deeply, and develop proposals around housing, healthcare, energy, water, technology, economic opportunity, and government accountability.
The experience also reinforced a broader conviction: leadership is not about having every answer. It is about asking better questions, listening carefully, making thoughtful decisions, and remaining willing to learn.
Looking Ahead
Today, Serge's work is focused on a broader question:
How can societies build systems that help people, communities, and nations become more capable, resilient, and free to shape their own futures?
This website is an invitation to explore that question together.