#70: Jacob Peters - LEGO Empires, Fake ID Rings, Tulum Mansions, and Discovering Community

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Episode Description

Today, we’ll sit down and hear from Jacob Peters, co-founder of Launch House and Commsor, two community-led and data-driven startups. As a frequently uprooted army brat, Jacob prioritized fitting in with his peers. So, he dumbed himself down and hid his genuine interests, including math and LEGOs. He led a double life playing the part of a “cool kid” at school while secretly running a LEGO empire with the help of his family.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury, Jacob finally dropped the facade and followed his authentic passions. Jacob immersed himself in the world of data science and started creating internal incubators at JP Morgan. In his role, he used the networking skills he’d developed as a LEGO mogul and the emotional intelligence he’d gained as an undercover nerd to build an authentic data science community. This authentic community served as rocket fuel for Jacob’s entrepenurial endeavors.

Show Notes

Childhood & Family Background: Jacob describes his childhood as a status conscious army brat who hid his intelligence to be popular. How did Jacob’s love of LEGOs fundamentally change the arc of his career?
Delving into the Dark Web: Are there parallels between running an illicit business and being a CEO? In the pursuit of popularity, Jacob started creating fake IDs and began exploring the dark web.
Business School & Following your Gut: In business school, Jacob decided to stop chasing clout and follow his passion. He took a risk and immersed himself in the new discipline of data science. How did Jacob go from being a coding novice to presenting at a global data science symposium in front of 6,000 people?
Data & Community: How did Jacob use his community building skills to turn two guys in a coffee shop into a network made up of thousands of people?
Taking a Leap of Faith; The Early Days of a Startup: Jacob and his co-founder quit their jobs and launched their start-up with only a $5,000 commitment. How did Jacob keep himself motivated as a couch surfing entrepreneur?
Commsor: How did the Community Club help Jacob turn Commsor into the belle of the venture capitalist ball?
Launch House: Learn how a booking accident with AirBnB and a joke on social media launched an innovative incubator?
The Tenets of Community Building: Why do some communities become incorporated into your identity? Jacob gives us his opinion, and shares his tenets of community building.
Parting Advice: Jacob shares some advice on setting your intentions and breaking loops.