Mark “Almachize” Salazar’s unconventional path from college dropout to independent artist and financial sovereignty mentor reveals a new blueprint for modern leadership, one that refuses to separate creative expression from entrepreneurial savviness.
Almachize: The Artist Who Plays Chess, Not Checkers
In an era where authenticity is currency, Almachize represents a new archetype of leadership: the Artist & CEO. As the founder of Chosen Few and Alchemy Academy, Almachize has built a movement that merges the soul-stirring power of music with the strategic brilliance of wealth creation. His story proves you don’t have to choose between feeding your spirit and building an empire.
Almachize’s journey defies conventional wisdom. In 2018, he made a decision that many would consider reckless: he left his parents’ house, dropped out of college, and walked away from the “safe path,” despite facing immediate financial hardship. But this wasn’t rebellion, it was a calculated bet on himself, driven by an unwavering commitment to a vision that wouldn’t let him sleep at night.
“I was 111% committed to devoting my life to the vision that I was given,” Almachize reflects. “I understood that the traditional path wasn’t designed for people like me, people who see the world differently, who refuse to trade their life force energy for a paycheck that barely covers basic human needs.”
That vision was to master the money game not by its publicized rules, but by understanding how wealth actually moves in the world, and then using that knowledge to fund both his artistic dreams and help others break free from financial hardship.
From Rags to Riches: Decoding the Money Game
Almachize’s motivation to understand wealth came not from privilege, but from watching his parents lose everything. “I immigrated to the United States from the Philippines in 2004,” he recalls. “I watched my parents work multiple jobs, do everything ‘right’ according to the American Dream, and still lose their home in the 2008 crash. That broke our family apart. I realized the traditional path was rigged, not because my parents didn’t work hard enough, but because they were playing by rules designed to keep them in the cycle.”
That early experience planted a seed: there had to be another way. Years later, with just $83 in his bank account after dropping out of college and quitting his last job, Almachize faced a choice: follow the same path his parents took, or learn how wealth actually works. He studied the hidden rules of wealth and then taught himself to play the game better than those who inherit the knowledge.
His transformation from $83 to over six figures in funding wasn’t luck. It was the result of understanding a fundamental truth that traditional financial education deliberately obscures: the wealthy don’t use their own money to build wealth. “Most people are taught to save, avoid debt, and climb the ladder slowly,” Almachize says. “But that’s not how wealth is actually created. The 1% use other people’s money, strategic leverage, and alternative financial instruments that most people don’t even know exist.”
By studying wealth mechanics, Almachize didn’t just improve his own situation, he multiplied that six-figure funding into life-changing money in the markets. This allowed him to fund his music career as an independent artist while building a brand that serves thousands. But the crucial difference? He didn’t keep this knowledge to himself.
The Dual Mastery: Music as a Medium, Business as a Vehicle
What sets Almachize apart is his philosophy. For him, music and business aren’t separate, they’re two expressions of the same truth: energy transfer.
“Music teaches me to tap into my soul’s purpose,” he explains. “It’s about transferring energy from one person to another, the medium just happens to be sound. The spiritually tapped-in people feel it in their soul.”
This same principle governs his approach to business and teaching. At Alchemy Academy, students aren’t just learning financial tactics, they’re experiencing an energy transfer. Almachize speaks directly to the soul, bypassing the mental resistance that keeps most people trapped in scarcity thinking.
His track “Sacred Union” embodies this philosophy perfectly. It’s not just a song; it’s a sonic transmission of the abundance-consciousness he teaches in wealth-building. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the same frequency that underlies his business strategy: alignment, flow, and the refusal to separate spiritual purpose from material success.
This integration of art and commerce isn’t new, it’s the blueprint that legends like Nipsey Hussle followed. Like Nipsey, Almachize operates with an ownership mentality, understanding that true wealth comes from building assets, not just income streams. He embodies the hustle mindset without sacrificing artistic integrity, and his business acumen creates sustainable systems that generate wealth while he sleeps.
Leadership Through Authenticity: The Artist’s Advantage
In traditional business leadership, there’s often a disconnect between who you are and what you do. CEOs compartmentalize, separating their personal values from their business decisions. Artists are expected to “stay in their lane” and leave the business to professionals. Almachize rejects this artificial separation.
“I’m a leader both in the way I express my ideals, my morals, and my values in my music, and in how I show up for my students in Alchemy Academy,” he says. “There’s no split. The same energy that drives my creative process drives my business decisions. The same commitment to truth that shapes my lyrics shapes how I serve my community.”
This integrated approach creates a unique form of leadership that resonates with the new generation seeking authenticity over polish. His students don’t just want to learn “how to make money”, they want to build wealth without losing their soul. They want a guide who has actually done it, not someone reciting theory from a textbook.
His music provides that proof. Tracks like “Sacred Union” aren’t separate from his business, they’re demonstrations of the consciousness that his wealth-building philosophy is built upon. When someone listens to his music and then encounters his teachings, there’s coherence. The frequency is the same.
The Hybrid Future: What Modern Leadership Actually Looks Like
In a world where old rules are dissolving and traditional career paths are becoming obsolete, Almachize represents what modern leadership actually looks like:
- Multi-dimensional, not confined to one role or one expression.
- Integrated, no separation between values and actions, art and business, soul and strategy.
- Sovereign, not dependent on systems that profit from disempowerment.
- Service-oriented, not driven by greed but using personal success as a platform to elevate others.
His approach challenges the either/or mentality that dominates most career advice. You don’t have to choose between being an artist or an entrepreneur. You don’t have to choose between spiritual alignment or financial success. You don’t have to choose between creative expression or building wealth.
“The path to true freedom is simple, but it ain’t easy, and it is well worth it,” Almachize reflects. “What I teach is not just about building wealth, it’s about creating a life that’s in alignment with your soul’s purpose and remembering why your soul came down here in the first place. That’s where the real power is.”
The Legacy Being Built
As Chosen Few and Alchemy Academy expand, Almachize remains focused on a singular mission: helping as many people as possible wake up to their true potential and build lives that reflect their highest vision. His success isn’t measured solely in dollars (though the financial results speak for themselves). It’s measured in the students who’ve accessed funding they didn’t know existed. It’s measured in the community members who’ve found their tribe. It’s measured in the lives transformed by someone refusing to play small.
Most importantly, it’s measured in the example he’s setting: that you can be an artist and a CEO. That you can make great music and great money. That you can be spiritually aligned and strategically brilliant. That you can build an empire without selling your soul.
In an era of increasing complexity and uncertainty, this integrated approach to leadership isn’t just refreshing, it’s essential.
The Artist & CEO model isn’t about adding another title to your LinkedIn. It’s about recognizing that the most powerful leaders are those who refuse to fragment themselves, who bring their whole being to everything they create, and who understand that true wealth flows from alignment, not accumulation. Almachize is living proof that when you commit fully to your vision, when you’re all in, the universe conspires to support you. And then, you use that support to lift others.
That’s not just good business. That’s legacy.
To learn more about Almachize and Chosen Few, visit Chosen Few or follow him on Instagram and YouTube.
Chosen Few and Alchemy Academy represent more than platforms, they’re movements for individuals ready to claim their financial sovereignty while staying true to their soul’s purpose. Almachize’s journey proves that when artistry meets financial independence, fulfillment happens.
