Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick took the stage Wednesday at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 to talk about the challenges faced by people who want to disrupt something, both inside and out. outside of the tech world.
“One of the biggest challenges you’re likely to face when you’re trying to disrupt something – or when you’re trying to do something that you’re passionate about, and it ends up disrupting something in that process is that you face a lot of resistance,” Kaepernick said. . “There will be tough times, and during those times you want to have people that you can lean on, people that can support you, and that’s really what gives you that stamina.”
Kaepernick is no stranger to disrupting the status quo, having made national headlines in 2016 when he knelt to protest racial injustice. The former NFL star says that while he faced a lot of resistance, he also saw a push to create a better, more equitable future.
“When you do that and you see such a strong response, it really gives you perspective and insight,” Kaepernick said. “We have so far to go. But, the other part that I learned during this time is that there are also a lot of people who want to go that far with you, and I think that’s the most beautiful part that The bottom line is that there was resistance to that, there was also a lot of organization.
Having written thousands of stories about himself, he now wants to help creators take control of their stories with Lumi. The startup aims to empower creators by helping them independently create and publish stories and content.
As for founders looking to disrupt and explore their passions, Kaepernick offered some advice.
“Do your homework and know why you’re doing what you’re doing,” he said. “And then secondly, once you know that, pursue it with passion and pursue it with everything you have and bring people with you. I wouldn’t be sitting here today and none of you would know me if there weren’t many people who have helped me along my journey, and that’s everyone, from my wife to my family and friends, to my teammates and my coaches. the investors and advisors I have had throughout my journey. So have those people with you, because that makes us, that makes you sustainable in the long run.