djsiclari.com
Intrepid
Adventures
The Life & Pursuits of Don Siclari
Entrepreneur · Medicine · Priest · Warrior · Explorer
A Little About Me
When I was six years old, I wanted to be four things when I grew up: a businessman, a priest, a warrior, and a doctor. Apparently, I never quite grew out of any of them.
I'm Don Siclari, and much of my life has been spent pursuing those four interests in one form or another. Along the way, they've taken me into entrepreneurship, emergency medicine, martial arts, traditional Asian spiritual disciplines, and quite a few corners of the world.
As a teenager, I met four mentors who helped set my path: a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a martial arts master and bodyguard to a Middle Eastern royal family, a master of NLP and hypnosis who coached me through my awkward teenage years, and a Japanese monk.
I grew up in a working-class family and started my first business in college with $250 in my bank account. That business eventually gave me the freedom to explore interests that might otherwise have remained hobbies.
I often joke that I have half a dozen hobbies that could easily be careers. Unfortunately, most would be terrible financial decisions.
This site is simply a place to bring some of those pursuits together.
Hear the storyAn impromptu talk at a client’s event.
No. I
The Entrepreneur
Founded as a college student
I founded InChek from my college dorm room with the $250 I had in my account at the time. It’s still my primary business. We specialize in payment processing for high-volume merchants, working with a selective group of clients who have direct access to our team, including risk management.
Other Business Activities
L’Oracle Circus and Fitness
Along the way, I also built and sold a 13,000-square-foot training facility in Las Vegas called L'Oracle, used by fitness enthusiasts and circus performers, including artists from Cirque du Soleil.
Avocro Management
Avocro Management held rental properties in three countries.
Intrepid Scents
Intrepid Scents is a boutique perfumery.
Investments
My best investment so far has been Polymarket.
MetroFly — Party With a Purpose
While living in the New York City area, I joined three friends in running MetroFly, a charitable organization built around a simple idea: Party With a Purpose.
Each month, we'd partner with a different charity and venue to organize a social event that brought people together while supporting a good cause. It was a fun way to combine nightlife, networking, and charitable work.
No. II
The Doctor
By fourth grade, I was reading Gray’s Anatomy and had set up a lab in our basement. In my teens, I completed a two-year apprenticeship in traditional Chinese medicine and became the youngest certified acupuncturist in the state.
I later became a firefighter, EMT in high school, and went to paramedic school concurrently with my junior year in college while on a premed track.
Though I never pursued medical school because I started InChek, years later I stepped away from running it for four years to return to school. My training includes a master's degree in Advanced Practice, a fellowship in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, emergency and flight paramedicine, and remote and austere critical care. My master’s dissertation looked at blood products in field resuscitation.
I’ve also worked and trained internationally, including in South Africa, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Thailand, Tonga, and Fiji. These days, my medical interests are primarily functional medicine, nutrition, health, and longevity.
For medical inquiries, feel free to contact me at intrepidinternationalhealth@gmail.com
No. III
The Priest
My grandmother is descended from four popes. I went to Catholic schools and wanted to become a Catholic priest.
In my early teens, I began to realize that a life of celibacy wasn’t for me, and I started looking toward Asia.
I grew up watching The Karate Kid and looking for my own Mr. Miyagi. I found him in Reverend Tanaka, a Japanese monk who took me on as his student. I learned early on that being a deshi—a disciple of an Asian master—was very different from the American ideas of spirituality I’d grown up with. That path has been part of my life ever since.
For the first five years, whenever I asked him a question, he would ask one back. Something like, “Don-san, how you sleeped last night?”
Eventually, he transmitted to me an ancient fire ceremony called Goma, originally from India and performed for the manifestation of wishes. He told me it was my mission to bring it to the West. I’ve been doing that since 2007.
I eventually received ordination and initiations in Shingon esoteric Buddhism, Shinto, and magical Daoist lineages. I also practice traditional Chinese divination.
I'm involved in running a nonprofit Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine, and I regularly travel to Japan and China to continue studying with my teachers.
Temple Jow
Temple Jow is a traditional medicinal liniment I make as part of the temple’s activities.
No. IV
The Warrior
Martial arts have been part of my life since childhood. That interest also led me into professional training in executive protection and personal security, including the Certified Protection Specialist program at Executive Security International.
I also went through SWAT school.
My interests in martial arts, medicine, and traditional Asian practices have often overlapped, so they've never felt entirely separate.
No. V
The Explorer
I'm something of an amateur cultural anthropologist, fascinated by different cultures, traditions, and ways of life.
I've visited 58 countries so far, with a goal of reaching 100. I divide my time between Boston, Las Vegas, and London, and I’m a dual EU–U.S. citizen.
Other interests include amateur radio, perfumery, and generally finding new things to learn.
Men's Coaching
In my twenties, I also spent time working as a life and relationship coach for men, focusing on personal development, relationships, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.
That work grew out of my longstanding interest in human behavior and the ways people understand themselves and their relationships.
Get in Touch
People I’d Like to Meet
I’ve always been a networker. At this point in my life, though, I’m more intentional about the people I welcome into my circles. Encounters with jealousy, hostility, and negativity have taught me the value of strong boundaries—and made me appreciate kindness and sincerity all the more.
I’m looking to meet authentic, heart-centered people: curious minds, sincere seekers, and people with a similar outlook and sense of purpose. I’m always open to collaborations across my businesses and other pursuits, as well as friendships, shared adventures, and interesting conversations.
My mission is simple: in my own small way, to spread a little more light and add to the happiness of the people I come into contact with.
I divide my time between Boston, Las Vegas, and London, and I’m a dual EU–U.S. citizen. If something here resonates with you, I’d be happy to hear from you.
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© 2026 Don Siclari