Young, polymathic, and full of energy — Tommy Potter is on a quest to build a “CIA for Entrepreneurs.” He calls it “The Power Hour” — a startup community in Michigan that hosts dropouts, undergrads and PhDs across many industries: enterprise, consumer, CPG, aviation, gaming, robotics and AR/VR, as they work together to build cool projects.
I had a great time chatting with Tommy as we spoke about non-linear career paths, embracing authenticity, working with dazzling, delusional people and more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Tommy’s Origin Story
- Using The Third Door
- Lessons from Documenting the Homeless
- Can We Ever Be Our Authentic Self?
- What Traits Tommy Looks for in People
- Bringing Delusional People Together
- The East Coast - West Coast Bubbles
- Being a ‘Weirdo Broker’
- Process Over Outcomes. Serendipity Over Itinerary.
- Different Personalities in Public vs. Private Markets
- The Importance of Learning People
- Life Isn’t a Highlight Reel - Live It All
- Tommy As World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
- The Third Door: The Mindset of Success; by Alex Banayan
- One-upmanship; by Stephen Potter
- Class: Style and Status in the USA; by Paul Fussell
- Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America; by Chris Arnade
- The Science of Getting Rich; by Wallace D. Wattles
- The Act of Creation; by Arthur Koestler
