Nic McKinley

But then at the CIA, things kind of changed and it got a lot more strategic because now very, very small teams operating with virtually no supervision. And we were kind of able to do really whatever we wanted and kind of came up with our own mission. So suddenly the strategic objectives became extremely important because instead of having missions handed down from a higher headquarters, we were

But then at the CIA, things kind of changed and it got a lot more strategic because now very, very small teams operating with virtually no supervision. And we were kind of able to do really whatever we wanted and kind of came up with our own mission. So suddenly the strategic objectives became extremely important because instead of having missions handed down from a higher headquarters, we were

We were developing our own missions and doing our own work and deciding what it was we were going to do. And the agency gave us all the rope in the world we wanted. However, they made it very clear that if we hung ourselves, they weren't going to come cut us down. We had to start thinking more strategically. And while in my old world as an operator, right, the hard skills are a lot of fun, right?

We were developing our own missions and doing our own work and deciding what it was we were going to do. And the agency gave us all the rope in the world we wanted. However, they made it very clear that if we hung ourselves, they weren't going to come cut us down. We had to start thinking more strategically. And while in my old world as an operator, right, the hard skills are a lot of fun, right?

The combatives and the CQB and the gun work, right? It's all really fun. It's fun stuff. But that's not what moves the needle strategically. It moves the needle tactically, and that's the foundation. But suddenly, I started saying, okay, I see where the future is going. I see where the... I'm paying attention to the wars that are... rolling out around me when I'm not on deployment.

The combatives and the CQB and the gun work, right? It's all really fun. It's fun stuff. But that's not what moves the needle strategically. It moves the needle tactically, and that's the foundation. But suddenly, I started saying, okay, I see where the future is going. I see where the... I'm paying attention to the wars that are... rolling out around me when I'm not on deployment.

I'm going to sign up for that computer science course. I'm going to sign up to go learn that new data analysis tool. I'm going to go hang out with the nerds. I'm going to go check out, you know, 12 years ago, this like really cool technology called AI that they were rolling out. Right. I'm going to go learn all this stuff.

I'm going to sign up for that computer science course. I'm going to sign up to go learn that new data analysis tool. I'm going to go hang out with the nerds. I'm going to go check out, you know, 12 years ago, this like really cool technology called AI that they were rolling out. Right. I'm going to go learn all this stuff.

Well, here we are 12 years later after making those kinds of decisions and the decisions that I made 12 years ago are what are informing what I do today. So people will say, well, oh, yeah, Nick's this, like, you know, keyboard guy. But then the people who know me from the past are like, oh, no, like, Nick's a shooter.

Well, here we are 12 years later after making those kinds of decisions and the decisions that I made 12 years ago are what are informing what I do today. So people will say, well, oh, yeah, Nick's this, like, you know, keyboard guy. But then the people who know me from the past are like, oh, no, like, Nick's a shooter.

But then people who know me from undergrad are like, oh, no, Nick was the, like, super nerd. Well, I'm actually all of those things. Each one of those groups of people only got a slight window into who I was. And what that turned into was now I can – I can build whatever it is that I want to build because I put in all the work 12 years ago.

But then people who know me from undergrad are like, oh, no, Nick was the, like, super nerd. Well, I'm actually all of those things. Each one of those groups of people only got a slight window into who I was. And what that turned into was now I can – I can build whatever it is that I want to build because I put in all the work 12 years ago.

22 years ago, maybe even 32 years ago to lead to the point that I'm at today. And I think the big problem that entrepreneurs run into or that their detractors run into is they don't want to put in that work. And that's OK. We don't need everybody in the world to be launching rockets to Mars or trying to solve the commercial sex trafficking issue. We don't need everybody to be doing that.

22 years ago, maybe even 32 years ago to lead to the point that I'm at today. And I think the big problem that entrepreneurs run into or that their detractors run into is they don't want to put in that work. And that's OK. We don't need everybody in the world to be launching rockets to Mars or trying to solve the commercial sex trafficking issue. We don't need everybody to be doing that.

But don't demonize the people who are just because they're not living like you are.

But don't demonize the people who are just because they're not living like you are.

And because you were the straight stick to that community.

And because you were the straight stick to that community.

You were a reminder of what they could be, but they were choosing not to be.

You were a reminder of what they could be, but they were choosing not to be.