Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick took the stage at britcommerce Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday to talk about the challenges faced by people who want to disrupt something, both inside and outside the world of technology.
“One of the biggest challenges you’re probably going to face when you try to disrupt something, or you try to do something that you’re passionate about and you end up disrupting something in that process, is that you face a lot of resistance,” Kaepernick said. . “There are going to be tough times, and during those times, you want to have those people that you can lean on, people that can support you, and that’s really what gives you that resilience.”
Kaepernick is no stranger to disrupting the status quo, having made national headlines in 2016 when he took a knee to protest racial injustice. The former NFL star says that while he faced a lot of resistance, he also saw a push to create a better, more equitable future.
“When you do that and see such a strong response, it really gives you perspective and insight,” Kaepernick said. “We have a long way to go. But, the other part that I learned over that period of time is that there are also a lot of people who want to go that far with you, and I think that’s been the beautiful part that’s come out of that when there’s been resistance to it. There’s also been a lot of organizing.”
As someone who has had thousands of stories written about him, he now wants to help creators take control of their narratives with Lumi. The startup aims to empower creators by helping them create and publish stories and content independently.
As for founders looking to revolutionize and explore their passions, Kaepernick offered some advice.
“Do you do your homework and do you know why you do what you do?” he said. “And then two, once you know that, go after it with passion and with everything you have and bring people with you. I wouldn’t be sitting here today and none of you would know me at all if there weren’t a lot of people who helped me along the way, and that’s everyone, from my wife to my family, friends, teammates and coaches, some of the investors and advisors that I have had along the way. So have those people with you, because that makes us sustainable in the long term.”