William Halbert
via Ohana platform
William
Halbert
Systematic investor • Former software engineer • Helping everyday people live more freely
I went to the University of Florida for chemical engineering. While my classmates were taking notes I had a coding tutorial open on the other half of my screen, and on Saturday nights I’d sit in the library teaching myself how to code. I built a lot of small apps in those years.
A semester abroad in Australia gave me the time I needed. A beautiful view at a Starbucks overlooking the Sydney Opera House, and a lot of learning. The summer after that, I built the listings map for Ohana — my brother Jacob’s housing startup. That map has now been seen by over 1.5 million people.
I rejoined Ohana full-time after their seed round as the first in-person hire. Over two years we scaled to 100,000+ users, $40M+ in rent processed, and partnerships with some of the biggest companies in the world.
“If you’re willing to work hard and learn, anything is possible for you. But along the way, you must follow your path, listen to your heart, and walk a path that honors your soul.”
Freely Dream is where I bring that same energy to help others. Every project I take on gets built with the care and conviction I gave to Ohana. The goal is simple: help everyday people and businesses build what they’ve always wanted but never knew was possible.
The path here
Chemical Engineering → Self-Taught Coder
Enrolled in Chemical Engineering honors, but my mind was elsewhere. Saturday nights in the library with coding tutorials open on one half of my screen. I built small apps, broke things, fixed them — learning by doing before I knew what to call it.
First contribution to Ohana
Joined Ohana as a summer contractor and built the listings search map. That map has now been seen by over 1.5 million unique people. At the time it felt like a huge technical feat — because it was.
Founding Engineer, Ohana
Rejoined full-time after the seed round as the first in-person hire. Helped open the office, built the desks, and stayed for two years. Over that time: 100,000+ users, $40M+ in rent processed, enterprise partnerships with OpenAI, Oracle, Palantir, Rivian, Snapchat, Plaid, Morgan Stanley, Paramount, Barclays, and MongoDB. Built nearly every part of the product.
Full-Time Systematic Trader & Founder
Left Ohana to pursue systematic trading full-time under Cordamente (from cor = heart, mente = mind). Also launched Freely Dream to bring the same builder mentality that scaled Ohana to businesses and everyday people who deserve great software.
The whole point is the everyman.
Life is hard. Too many people spend their lives on a hamster wheel, turning and turning until they die. My dream is to create more freedom for more people.
What does it cost anyone if Mr. Joe down the street gets to take his family out to dinner without worrying about groceries? Or if Bob and Sally finally get to chase something they love — woodworking, painting, writing, or going back to school? That’s what Freely Dream is about.
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