#35 Dominic Carter: Burnout at 24, Building for 2040

Dominic Carter, the CEO of the Carter Group, didn’t become an aging tech founder by chasing trends—he got there by building slowly, listening deeply, and surviving the kind of early burnout that forces reinvention. In Part 1, he shares how moving to Japan, launching businesses, and failing hard shaped the systems-thinking approach that now powers his work on aging innovation. This isn’t a startup story—it’s a Gen X blueprint: steady, lived, built from purpose long before it had a name.>>Leaving, Burning Out, Coming Back“I opened a Tokyo office at 24—and broke myself in the process.”Dominic talks about how early success nearly ruined him, and why walking away was the start of everything good that followed.>>A Life Rebuilt Through Listening“Research made me better—not just at business, but at understanding people.”He shares how market research and consulting sharpened his ability to listen deeply and solve real problems over time.>>No Pivot. Just Evolution.“Every business I built grew from the one before it.”Dominic explains how his work in research, media, and software wasn’t a series of pivots—it was a slow, deliberate build toward relevance.>>Staying in Japan by Choice“I could’ve gone home—but Japan became the place I wanted to change from.”He reflects on the emotional pull of Japan and how the country’s demographic trajectory mirrored something deeper he was starting to feel.>>When Profit Isn’t the Point“I’ve never been obsessed with money. I’ve been obsessed with meaning.”Dominic explains why mission-aligned work—not exits—has always been his driver, even if it meant a longer, less glamorous path.__________________________Connect with Dominic Carter