Dino Mavrookas

And she looks at me and I could just, she wanted to say like, get out of my face. And you have two kids at this point, two kids. Oh yeah. This is in 2020. This is early 22. So my kids are seven and six, seven and six. Yeah. And we're living in Austin and we have a house and then do I have all the thing? And so it's, I'm like, I have to quit. She's like, OK, tell me why.

And I go, well, I'm going to go build a defense tech company. And she goes, that sounds great. That sounds really exciting. What does your company do? And I go, oh, it builds technology for defense. And I didn't have the answer. I just didn't know. But I knew this is what I wanted to do and what I was supposed to be doing. And so she heard me out.

And I go, well, I'm going to go build a defense tech company. And she goes, that sounds great. That sounds really exciting. What does your company do? And I go, oh, it builds technology for defense. And I didn't have the answer. I just didn't know. But I knew this is what I wanted to do and what I was supposed to be doing. And so she heard me out.

And I go, well, I'm going to go build a defense tech company. And she goes, that sounds great. That sounds really exciting. What does your company do? And I go, oh, it builds technology for defense. And I didn't have the answer. I just didn't know. But I knew this is what I wanted to do and what I was supposed to be doing. And so she heard me out.

And as always, she supported me, which is incredible. And we came up with a plan. It was like, look, here's the plan. If in 12 months, if I'm still wandering around the streets saying, hey, I want to build a defense tech company, and there's nothing concrete, then I'm going to go get it. I'm not looking for perennial unemployment here. I'm really looking to follow my dreams. And this is my dream.

And as always, she supported me, which is incredible. And we came up with a plan. It was like, look, here's the plan. If in 12 months, if I'm still wandering around the streets saying, hey, I want to build a defense tech company, and there's nothing concrete, then I'm going to go get it. I'm not looking for perennial unemployment here. I'm really looking to follow my dreams. And this is my dream.

And as always, she supported me, which is incredible. And we came up with a plan. It was like, look, here's the plan. If in 12 months, if I'm still wandering around the streets saying, hey, I want to build a defense tech company, and there's nothing concrete, then I'm going to go get it. I'm not looking for perennial unemployment here. I'm really looking to follow my dreams. And this is my dream.

She's like, huh? Then you got to go for it. Then you got to go for it. So walked in, quit my job, and started building out Saronic. With no idea what it was going to be? With no idea what it was going to be. So started thinking through, OK. Well, first step was I thought I was going to take like a couple weeks off and at least clear my head a little bit before diving right in.

She's like, huh? Then you got to go for it. Then you got to go for it. So walked in, quit my job, and started building out Saronic. With no idea what it was going to be? With no idea what it was going to be. So started thinking through, OK. Well, first step was I thought I was going to take like a couple weeks off and at least clear my head a little bit before diving right in.

She's like, huh? Then you got to go for it. Then you got to go for it. So walked in, quit my job, and started building out Saronic. With no idea what it was going to be? With no idea what it was going to be. So started thinking through, OK. Well, first step was I thought I was going to take like a couple weeks off and at least clear my head a little bit before diving right in.

And the next thing that happened was I caught up with Joe Lonsdale. How did you guys meet? So Joe and I met 2020-ish time frame when he moved to Austin. He was networking with some SEALs and military folks. He invited me to his house for breakfast. We did a workout. This was, again, 2020, I think late 2020, early 2021. And it was great. I was like, great, cool guy, like awesome.

And the next thing that happened was I caught up with Joe Lonsdale. How did you guys meet? So Joe and I met 2020-ish time frame when he moved to Austin. He was networking with some SEALs and military folks. He invited me to his house for breakfast. We did a workout. This was, again, 2020, I think late 2020, early 2021. And it was great. I was like, great, cool guy, like awesome.

And the next thing that happened was I caught up with Joe Lonsdale. How did you guys meet? So Joe and I met 2020-ish time frame when he moved to Austin. He was networking with some SEALs and military folks. He invited me to his house for breakfast. We did a workout. This was, again, 2020, I think late 2020, early 2021. And it was great. I was like, great, cool guy, like awesome.

I thought I'd never see him again. Six months later, his EA emails me. He's like, hey, do you want to come to Joe's house for a workout and breakfast? It was great. Last time was fun. Do it again. We were talking about investments, things I was working on at Vista. There were like some overlapping companies. So it was just nice guy, cool to go to. So fast forward, quit my job.

I thought I'd never see him again. Six months later, his EA emails me. He's like, hey, do you want to come to Joe's house for a workout and breakfast? It was great. Last time was fun. Do it again. We were talking about investments, things I was working on at Vista. There were like some overlapping companies. So it was just nice guy, cool to go to. So fast forward, quit my job.

I thought I'd never see him again. Six months later, his EA emails me. He's like, hey, do you want to come to Joe's house for a workout and breakfast? It was great. Last time was fun. Do it again. We were talking about investments, things I was working on at Vista. There were like some overlapping companies. So it was just nice guy, cool to go to. So fast forward, quit my job.

I had one of these breakfasts. It's like, what do you have going on? I'm like, oh, I quit Vista and I'm going to go build a defense set company. And he kind of did the same double take that my wife did. He's like, I'm sorry, what? And I've learned from the conversation with my wife. I go, no, no, don't ask me any questions because I don't know. I'm not pitching anything. I don't know what it is.

I had one of these breakfasts. It's like, what do you have going on? I'm like, oh, I quit Vista and I'm going to go build a defense set company. And he kind of did the same double take that my wife did. He's like, I'm sorry, what? And I've learned from the conversation with my wife. I go, no, no, don't ask me any questions because I don't know. I'm not pitching anything. I don't know what it is.

I had one of these breakfasts. It's like, what do you have going on? I'm like, oh, I quit Vista and I'm going to go build a defense set company. And he kind of did the same double take that my wife did. He's like, I'm sorry, what? And I've learned from the conversation with my wife. I go, no, no, don't ask me any questions because I don't know. I'm not pitching anything. I don't know what it is.

And he goes, no, no, no. That's perfect. Come join AVC, let's build this together. Let us support you. It's your company, it's your thesis, it's your idea, everything. He's like, use our resources, use me as a mentor, use me as advisor, and we want to invest in you when you come up with that idea. Wow. And I was floored. And that's a skill. Like Joe saw something in me that I didn't even see.