Ryan Delk is an entrepreneur and investor with a deep-seated passion for revolutionizing education. As the latest venture in his career, Ryan founded Primer, a company that aims to disrupt the traditional educational model by integrating the personalized, high-agency principles of homeschooling and microschooling with advanced technology. Although he grew up in the South, he has built deep roots in the Bay Area's startup scene and a record of meaningful contributions with companies like Gumroad and Omni. Now, Ryan is focusing his seemingly endless energy on education reform.
This week, Barrett and Ryan dive into a wide array of topics around the current state and future of education, personal growth, and entrepreneurship. They explore Ryan’s homeschooling background and its profound influence on his perspective on learning and efficiency—key principles that now underpin Primer's educational approach. They discuss Ryan’s journey from disillusionment with established bureaucracies to creating a flexible, high-agency learning environment. They also explore the delicate balance between personal ambition and family life, an insider’s view of startup culture, and the critical, sometimes existential, problems that today's founders are choosing to tackle.
In this episode:
- 00:00 - Intro
- 01:45 - The frozen banana stand
- 06:37 - From college dropout to Silicon Valley innovator
- 29:26 - The power of networking and adding value in tech
- 35:05 - Going the extra mile
- 39:48 - The importance of tackling hard problems
- 45:41 - Starting earlier on harder problems
- 56:15 - Micro schools: a revolutionary approach to education
- 01:07:22 - The role of teachers and unions in education reform
- 01:12:06 - Empowering teachers and valuing education
- 01:15:06 - The impact of transforming education
- 01:21:59 - Building a culture of ambition and agency
- 01:23:44 - Unlocking potential and undiscovered talent
- 01:32:29 - Balancing professional aspirations with family life
- 01:40:34 - Envisioning a future shaped by high agency and motivation
- 01:44:08 - Reflecting on personal growth and family dynamics
Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.
