“Philanthropy is supposed to hurt your wallet,” said a very well-known, highly regarded member of the local business community. Last week when I read of Michael Dell’s $6.25 billion commitment to 25 million children across the US in “peanut-sized” $250 contributions per individual, I got all the reassurances needed to proceed with something I was working on as part of the WatchMojo Foundation, Mojo Gives. That effort was an elegant answer & solution to two seemingly conflicting philosophies: WatchMojo wanted to pay tribute to newsmakers who passed away, but the YouTube community generally finds monetizing off such videos distasteful (even though magazines and TV shows do it all the time). So I decided to cover these stories and pay tribute to those we looked up, but then donate proceeds to pertinent charities. It was a nice first effort. Since, Christine & I continue to give here and there, and if one day I sell WatchMojo and subsequently ride into the sunset, teaching and philanthropy will be front and centre to keep me busy.

Recently, I wanted to set up something similar to Michael Dell (albeit on a much smaller total scale) and give (for example) $1000 to 10 students per year, or $10000 to 1, etc. In the USA, with tuitions at some schools soaring to stratospheric levels, it’s a drop in the bucket, but in Canada, some school charge $2500 tuition in total, so this could help. My focus was to help students aspiring to follow in entrepreneurship, athletics, creative fields, etc. but any time I would engage with the institutions of higher education that come to mind, it didn’t really resonate with my principles (not enough going to students, or the donation being canonized in my name etc. which was not my goal to begin with). If anything, my goal was to set up something to honor my late mother-in-law, Anastasia Ferendinos Voulieris, who passed away in 2016 from a brain tumour (how many men feel that way about their mother-in-law?). She was so welcoming when I met her daughter in 2003, and so supportive in WatchMojo’s early days. She truly was a saint.

At Fred’s celebration of life, my wife and co-founder and I spoke about something we have long wanted to do through the WatchMojo Foundation. Years ago, we discussed creating a scholarship or similar initiative in honour of my mother-in-law. In her generosity, and true to who she is, my wife suggested that this moment, we should begin by first honouring Fred Brayton, Rebecca (and Emily)’s dad, whom I met over the years and passed away in 2025. Rebecca started with WatchMojo the day my daughter was born, and she went on to become an unsung pop culture legend to the point where even Hollywood royalty recognized game. Emily was with us for years until this year we promoted her to lead the charge at MsMojo. What’s better than one Brayton dynamo? Two!

I won’t lie, despite a photographic, Rain Man-esque memory, I don’t quite recall the first time I met Fred, but I would bet my last dollar that it was when he came to pick up Rebecca in those early years after one of WatchMojo’s social shindigs. I was impressed how a father (and usually, accompanied by his wife, and Rebecca/Emily’s mom Nancy) would drive all the way from the West Island at odd hours of the evening. While my daughters were then very young, it was refreshing to see a man with the right priorities. As a father of two girls myself, that impacted deeply to me.

In business, we are oftentimes encouraged to look up to men who singularly chase profit, but seeing someone with the right principles and a purpose beyond rather refreshing. Over the years, I would always invite the Braytons (and others) to WatchMojo’s social events – picnics, sugar shacking etc. and Fred and I would talk about sports, fatherhood, life. He was never judgmental, condescending, but in his unique way thread the needle to offer guidance, advice, and a reason to laugh.

Some initiatives should not begin with structures, announcements, or checklists. They should begin with intention. Not because of optics. But because by now it should be abundantly clear that I don’t follow others when I see a path to have a greater impact.

The idea, at its simplest, is a Fred Brayton Scholarship. What form it takes, how it works, who it serves, and how it is administered are all intentionally undecided. The only “golden rule” is that ultimately, we send the proceeds straight to an academic institution to minimize the risk of fraud.

Before involving lawyers, accountants, platforms, or institutions, I want to listen. I want to understand what would genuinely help. What would work. What would not. What would feel meaningful rather than performative. Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s, I will share a form where applicants can submit more info, but for the time being, here is a simple form to help me clarify the details.