IT IS NOW MY GREAT PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE OUR 2017 COMMENCEMENT
SPEAKER, AUSTIN MCCHORD.
[Applause]
YEAH.
YOU'LL SEE WHY!
AUSTIN IS ONE OF RIT'S GREAT
SUCCESS STORIES.
HE IS AN ALUM, HAVING EARNED A
DEGREE IN BIOINFORMATICS.
HE IS A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR.
HE IS THE FOUNDER, CEO, AND
DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DATTO, A
PRIVATELY-HELD PROTECTION
COMPANY FORMED IN 2007.
AS MANY OF OUR STUDENTS DO,
AUSTIN HAD AN IDEA THAT HE GREW
AND NURTURED, DESPITE THE ODDS.
STARTING HIS COMPANY IN HIS
PARENTS' BASEMENT -- DOES THIS
SOUND FAMILIAR?
DATTO IS NOW
WILDLY SUCCESSFUL, MAKING THE
COVETED, INC. 500 LIST OF
FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES FOR
THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
DATTO BACKS UP, RESTORES AND
PROTECTS CRITICAL BUSINESS DATA
ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT
ANTARCTICA.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH
ANTARCTICA?
IT NOW EMPLOYS MORE THAN
THAN 800 EMPLOYEES IN LOCATIONS
AROUND THE WORLD.
IN ADDITION TO THE CORPORATE
HEADQUARTERS IN NORWALK,
CONNECTICUT, THE COMPANY HAS
OFFICES IN BOSTON, ROCHESTER,
PORTLAND, TORONTO, LONDON,
SYDNEY, AND SINGAPORE.
AS NOTED IN YOUR PROGRAM, DATTO
IS THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS
INDUSTRY AWARDS FOR COMPANY
GROWTH, PRODUCT EXCELLENCE AND
TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
AUSTIN HIMSELF HOLDS SEVERAL
PATENTS RELATED TO VIRTUAL
MACHINES AND NETWORK STORAGE.
HE WAS NAMED TO THE FORBES 30
UNDER 30 LIST IN 2015 AS A
LEADER IN ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY
AND WON THE ERNST & YOUNG
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR NEW
YORK AWARD IN 2016.
AS IMPRESSIVE AS ALL THAT IS,
IMPRESSIVE, I WANT TO SPEND A
MINUTE OR TWO TO TALK ABOUT
ANOTHER SIDE OF AUSTIN.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AUSTIN
IS AN RIT ALUM.
HE EMBODIES THE INNOVATIVE AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT THAT IS
RIT, AND HE GIVES BACK TO RIT IN
SO MANY WAYS DESPITE THE DEMANDS
OF LEADING A BILLION DOLLAR
BUSINESS.
HE IS A CO-OP EMPLOYER AND HAS
HIRED SEVERAL RIT STUDENTS UPON
THEIR GRADUATION.
HE IS A MENTOR TO STUDENTS IN
--
YEAH.
THEY APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M SURE.
HE IS A MENTOR TO STUDENTS IN
THE SIMONE CENTER FOR
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND HAS
DELIVERED KEYNOTE ADDRESSES FOR
THE RIT ENTREPRENEURSHIP
CONFERENCE, RIT 48 EVENT, AND
THE 2015 VENTURE CREATIONS
GRADUATION EVENT.
AND DATTO IS A TITLE SPONSOR OF
BRICKHACK.
EACH YEAR, AS STUDENTS GRADUATE
AND ENTER THE NEXT PHASE OF
THEIR LIVES, AS YOU ARE DOING
THIS WEEKEND, WE INVITE THEM TO
STAY INVOLVED AND TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF
STUDENTS THROUGH SHARING THEIR
TIME, TALENT, KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCES.
AUSTIN CERTAINLY TOOK US UP ON
THAT INVITATION AND IS AN
OUTSTANDING MODEL OF ENGAGEMENT
WITH THE UNIVERSITY, AND
ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION TO
OTHER STUDENTS.
A FEW YEARS BACK, I SENT AUSTIN
AN E-MAIL WITH A LINK TO AN
ARTICLE WHERE RIT WAS MENTIONED.
THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE WAS
"THE NEXT STEVE JOBS IS GOING TO
COME FROM ONE OF THESE 13
SURPRISING SCHOOLS".
AND OF COURSE RIT WAS ON THE
LIST.
AND I POSED THIS QUESTION TO
AUSTIN: "MAYBE HE ALREADY HAS?"
AUSTIN, WE ARE SO PROUD TO CALL
YOU AN RIT ALUM AND HONORED TO
HAVE YOU HERE TODAY AS OUR 2017
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER.
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE
JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM TIGER
WELCOME TO AUSTIN MCCHORD.
[APPLAUSE]
>> AUSTIN MCCHORD: IT'S AN
INCREDIBLE HONOR TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ON
YOUR COMMENCEMENT TODAY.
IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING DECADE
SINCE LEAVING HERE.
NOW, I WARN YOU, I AM NOT BILL
NYE OR BILL CLINTON, BOTH PAST
RIT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS.
IN FACT, WHEN RIT FIRST REACHED
OUT ASKING IF I WOULD BE WILLING
TO SPEAK AT COMMENCEMENT, WHEN I
TOLD MY FRIEND, HER FIRST
REACTION, AFTER A PAUSE WAS, "I
WONDER WHO CANCELED."
[LAUGHTER]
STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THE
BOTTOM OF THAT.
YOU'LL BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT
THIS IS THE FIRST CONVOCATION I
HAVE EVER ATTENDED.
NONETHELESS SPOKEN AT.
THIS KIND OF POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE IS RARELY MY KIND
OF THING.
COMMENCEMENT IS ACTUALLY DEEPLY
IRONIC.
ON A DAY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
ALL ABOUT YOU, I'VE BEEN ASKED
TO SPEND THE NEXT 15 MINUTES
TALKING ABOUT ME.
WHILE WRITING THIS, I'VE TRIED
TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT MUST FEEL,
TO BE ARMED WITH KNOWLEDGE,
EXPERIENCE, CLASSMATES, FRIENDS
AND AN INDISCERNIBLE FUTURE
AHEAD OF YOU.
THE BEST I CAN OFFER IS TO TELL
YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MY STORY.
TEN YEARS AGO IS WHEN I SHOULD
HAVE GRADUATED WITH MY BACHELORS
OF SCIENCE IN BIOINFORMATICS.
I WAS STARING DOWN A 2.2 GPA, NO
INTERNSHIPS, AND NOT ENOUGH
CREDITS.
I BEGAN TALKING TO MY ACADEMIC
ADVISOR ABOUT THE IDEA OF
POTENTIALLY STARTING A BUSINESS,
EXPLAINING THAT PERHAPS I COULD
CO-OP FOR MYSELF FOR THE SUMMER
WHEN, IN ALL HONESTY, I WAS
WORRIED NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME.
WHEN I TOLD MY ADVISOR ABOUT MY
IDEA, HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR IT
WAS NOT GOING TO FLY.
THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE COULD
BUILD WHAT I WANTED TO DO FROM
SCRATCH AND SELL IT WITH NO
PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR FUNDING WAS
CLEARLY NOT IN THE REALM OF
POSSIBILITY.
IF THE GOAL OF MY ADVISOR'S
LECTURE WAS TO GET ME TO
STUBBORNLY PURSUE THIS IDEA
ANYWAY, THEN HIS ADVICE COULD
NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT.
SOMETIMES FAILURE CAN BE ONE OF
THE MOST LIBERATING PLACES TO
BE.
SEEING AS I WAS ALREADY
STRUGGLING WITH MY ACADEMICS, I
FELT THERE WAS NOTHING TO LOSE
IN ATTEMPTING TO SEE MY IDEA
THROUGH.
I NOW HAD THE MOTIVATION TO
PROVE SOMEONE WRONG.
SO, I LEFT RIT AND MOVED HOME TO
CONNECTICUT.
WHERE THE RENT WAS FREE.
I DREW UP A ONE-PAGE BUSINESS
PLAN WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE
CASE.
MY COMPANY COULD SOME DAY BE
WORTH $100K AND I WOULD SELL IT
TO BUY A SPORTS CAR, AN AUDI R8.
THE SAME CAR THAT IRONMAN DROVE.
THAT WAS SERIOUSLY MY BUSINESS
PLAN.
WHEN I TELL THE STORY OF DATTO,
MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED THAT I
DIDN'T HAVE SOME GRAND VISION
WHEN I CREATED THE COMPANY.
IN LIFE, PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY YOU
HAVE TO DREAM BIG, TO ACHIEVE
BIG THINGS.
FOR ME, THAT ISN'T THE CASE.
I HAVE FOUND IT'S FAR BETTER TO
DREAM OFTEN AND JUST DREAM A
LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN WHERE YOU
ARE TODAY.
THAN NECESSARILY TO HAVE SOME
GRAND GOAL.
VENTURING BLINDLY INTO THE VOID
IS OFTEN LESS SCARY THAN WALKING
THE PATH WITH CLEAR EYES.
SUCCESS DID NOT COME QUICKLY OR
EASILY.
IF I HAD ACTUALLY KNOWN THE
SCALE OF THE CHALLENGES I WOULD
BE FACING, I SURELY WOULD HAVE
NEVER STARTED.
EARLY ON I LEARNED THAT PRETTY
MUCH EVERY INVESTOR IN THE WORLD
SHARED MY ACADEMIC ADVISOR'S
VIEW THAT I WAS NOT WORKING ON A
WINNING IDEA.
I ENDED UP INITIALLY FUNDING THE
COMPANY WITH EIGHTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN CREDIT CARD DEBT, AND
WORKING A PART TIME JOB AT A
PACKAGING COMPANY.
WHEN WE FINALLY COMPLETED OUR
FIRST PRODUCT THAT WE WERE READY
TO TAKE TO MARKET, IT CONTAINED
MULTIPLE PIECES OF LEGO AND HOT
GLUE.
OUR SECURE DATA CENTER WAS MADE
UP OF SOME SERVERS IN A BASEMENT
ON A CABLE MODEM.
I USED A BUNCH OF ACCENTS TO
CREATE MULTIPLE FAKE EMPLOYEES
FOR TECH SUPPORT.
PEOPLE WOULD CALL IN, AND I'D BE
LIKE, OH, YES, THANK YOU FOR
CALLING DATTO, THIS IS PETER
HEDGE.
OFF PERHAPS Y'ALL DON'TEN
UNDERSTAND, SETTING THESE
DEVICES UP ISN'T AS EASY AS YOU
THINK.
BUT THEY MADE EVERY MISTAKE AT
DATTO, AND I MADE KNOW.
IT TRULY WAS A FAKE IT TILL YOU
MAKE IT OPERATION.
EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING, I MADE
A POINT OF TRYING TO MAKE THE
OFFICE AS FUN AND RIDICULOUS AS
POSSIBLE.
WE DROVE AROUND OUR EARLY OFFICE
IN POWER WHEELS CARS, AND THERE
WAS BEER PONG MANY AFTERNOONS.
WHILE IT WAS FUN, IT ALSO HELPED
MASK THE FACT THAT IN THOSE
EARLY YEARS, WE WERE NEVER MORE
THAN A FEW WEEKS AWAY FROM GOING
OUT OF BUSINESS.
WE NOW CONTINUE TO HAVE FUN
ACROSS OUR OFFICES.
THE NORWALK OFFICE HAS A LEGO
WALL.
THE BRITISH OFFICE HAS A PUB.
AND BEER GARDEN BUILT INTO IT.
I CONVERTED A COWORKER'S CUBE
INTO A BALL PIT, AND WE'RE EVEN
ABLE TO CLOSE SIX FLAGS FOR AN
EVENING FOR OUR SUMMER PARTY.
IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO HAVE FUN,
AND WE'VE MADE SURE THAT THAT
SCALES WITH US AS WE CONTINUE TO
GROW.
THAT'S THE THING WITH OVERNIGHT
SUCCESSES.
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS TAKE YEARS.
ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I
REALIZED THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY
RRM MADE IT CAME IN 2013,
ONE OF THE PIVOTAL POINTS FOR
DATTO IS SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO.
IN FEBRUARY OF 2013, A MAJOR
SECURITY FIRM MADE AN OFFER TO
TO PURCHASE MY COMPANY.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS AT ALL.
AND THEY SHOWED UP WITH A TERM
SHEET AND SAID THAT THEY'D LIKE
TO BUY MY COMPANY FOR $100
MILLION.
THIS WAS 1,000 TIMES GREATER
THAN MY ORIGINAL 100K GOAL.
I REMEMBER CLEARLY RECEIVING THE
OFFER AND BEING UNABLE TO KEEP A
STRAIGHT FACE IN THE MEETING.
THIS WAS MORE MONEY THAN I HAD
EVER DREAMED OF.
AFTER THE MEETING, I CALLED MY
LAWYER AND SENT HIM A COPY OF
THE OFFER.
HIS WORDS OF ADVICE STILL RING
IN MY HEAD TODAY.
"AUSTIN", HE SAID, "YOU COULD
REGRET THIS DECISION FOR THE
REST OF YOUR LIFE, FROM THE
BEACH OF YOUR OWN PRIVATE
ISLAND."
[LAUGHTER]
SELL THE DAMN COMPANY!
NATURALLY, I CALLED MY PARENTS
AS WELL AND THEY WERE UNSURE WHY
I WAS EVEN DELIBERATING ON WHAT
TO DO.
FOR SOME REASON THOUGH, I JUST
COULDN'T SAY YES.
DEEP DOWN I WASN'T READY TO HAND
OVER THE REIGNS TO SOMEONE ELSE.
MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF THOSE
AROUND ME, I TURNED THE OFFER
DOWN.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST FREEING
DAYS OF MY LIFE.
LOTS OF PEOPLE SAY THEY LOVE
WHAT THEY DO, BUT RARELY IS IT
TESTED WITH A NINE-DIGIT PRICE
TAG ATTACHED TO IT.
IF YOU CAN FIND ONE THING IN
LIFE, FIND SOMETHING YOU TRULY
LOVE.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS
EVENT I HAD NEVER STOPPED TO
CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT I LOVED
WHAT I WAS DOING.
BUT IN LOOKING BACK AND IN
REALIZING THAT I HAD THE COURAGE
TO TURN DOWN THIS OFFER, I
REALIZED THAT IT WAS THIS LOVE,
THIS PASSION, THAT MADE IT
POSSIBLE FOR ME TO RUN THROUGH
WALLS, WORK 90-HOUR
WEEKS, FACE INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS,
AND JUST KEEP GOING IN THE FACE
OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
WHILE IT CERTAINLY TAKES LUCK TO
BE SUCCESSFUL I AM NOT SURE IT'S
POSSIBLE WITHOUT LOVE AND A
PASSION FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUILDING SOMETHING GREAT IS
NEVER A SOLO ENDEAVOR.
GETTING YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE
TODAY HAS TAKEN THE EFFORT AND
SUPPORT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.
FROM YOUR PARENTS, TO THE
NUMEROUS TEACHERS, MENTORS AND
PROFESSORS THAT HAVE GIVEN YOU
THE KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRATION TO
EARN YOUR DEGREES.
NO MATTER WHAT YOUR INTERESTS OR
PERSONALITY, LIFE IS A SOCIAL
EXPERIENCE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO
DEAL WITH IT.
IT TOOK ME TIME TO REALIZE THIS,
AND THE OFFER I WALKED AWAY FROM
HELPED MAKE THAT CLEAR TO ME.
IF I HAD TAKEN THE OFFER I WOULD
HAVE WALKED AWAY WITH AN
ENORMOUS CHECK AND THOSE WHO HAD
PUT THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
IN BY MY SIDE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN
NOTHING.
AFTERWARDS, I MADE SURE THAT
EVERYONE WHO WORKS FOR ME HAD
SHARES IN THE COMPANY, SO THAT
IF AN OPPORTUNITY EVER CAME
AGAIN, EVERYONE STANDS TO
BENEFIT. GREED RARELY BUILDS
GREATNESS.
[Applause]
SURE.
I HAVE LEARNED THAT TAKING TIME
TO RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT HAVE
HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY IS ONE
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND
GROUNDING THINGS YOU CAN DO.
YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO THANKFUL.
NO MATTER WHAT GREAT THINGS YOU
GO ON TO DO FROM TODAY, DON'T
FORGET THOSE THAT HELPED YOU GET
THERE, AND DON'T FORGET TO HELP
OTHERS IN THEIR JOURNEY.
RECOGNITION HELPS COMMUNICATE
APPRECIATION, AND SUPPORTING
OTHERS IN THEIR ENDEAVORS CAN
ALSO COMMUNICATE THAT
APPRECIATION AND VALUE YOU PLACE
ON THAT PERSON.
ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS
YOU WILL HAVE GAINED FROM RIT
WILL BE THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE MET.
I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS
BEFORE, BUT IT'S WORTH
REPEATING.
THE CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE MADE
HERE WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
EVEN YEARS FORWARD, YOU WILL
FIND YOU CAN CALL ON THE PEOPLE
YOU KNOW NOW, AND THEY WILL BE
THERE FOR YOU.
THEY WERE PART OF YOUR LIFE AT
AN IMPORTANT TIME.
THEY WILL PROVE TO BE INVALUABLE
TO YOU AND STAND TO MAKE MORE OF
A DIFFERENCE THAN ANYTHING YOU
HAVE LEARNED IN A CLASSROOM.
SINCE TURNING DOWN THE OFFER,
AROUND A CRAZY IDEA WHICH MY
ADVISOR KNEW WOULD NEVER WORK,
THE COMPANY HAS ACTUALLY
CONTINUED TO GROW.
INCREDIBLY, IN 2015, JUST OVER
TWO YEARS LATER, WE MADE THE
DECISION TO RAISE MONEY, AND
WHEN THE VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM
WENT TO VALUE THE COMPANY, IT
CAME BACK AT A BILLION DOLLARS.
AS WE'VE GROWN, I'VE KEPT IT A
PRIORITY TO MAKE THE OFFICE AS
FINDING A GOOD BALANCE IS HARD.
THE WORLD HAS A WAY OF PUSHING
YOU IN TO TRACKS AND PATHS.
IN A FEW YEARS, YOU MAY SEE,
MAYBE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS ARE
BUYING A HOUSE.
OTHERS ARE GETTING MARRIED OR
HAVING KIDS.
THERE'S AN EXPECTATION OR A
PRESSURE THAT WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED
TO KEEP UP.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THIS
IS AN ILLUSION.
A SITCOM FAMILY WITH A NICE
HOUSE AND TWO AND A HALF KIDS
MAY BE WHAT YOUR PARENTS ALWAYS
DREAMED OF FOR YOU.
THIS LIFE IS YOURS, AND THERE IS
NO REQUIREMENT THAT YOU FOLLOW
ANYONE ELSE'S PATH.
IN LOOKING BACK AT ALL MY
EXPERIENCES SINCE LEAVING RIT, I
FEEL MARK TWAIN SAID IT BEST:
AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE WITH A
QUOTE.
"TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU WILL
BE MORE DISAPPOINTED BY THE
THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T DO THAN
BY THE ONES YOU DID DO.
SO THROW OFF THE BOWLINES.
SAIL AWAY FROM THE SAFE HARBOR.
CATCH THE TRADE WINDS IN YOUR
SAILS.
EXPLORE.
DREAM. DISCOVER."
THANK YOU!
AND CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF
2017!
[APPLAUSE]
>> MAGNIFICENT!
I THINK YOU CAN SEE BY THE
RESPONSE HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT
THAT.
>> DR. DESTLER: THANK YOU AGAIN,
AUSTIN, FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY.
IT HAS TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE TO
HAVE YOU SHARE THIS IMPORTANT
DAY WITH OUR GRADUATES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
AS A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION,
WE HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU.
RIT IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND WE
TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THE WORK OF
OUR STUDENTS.
THIS EXQUISITE GLASS SCULPTURE
WAS CREATED BY JAKE PFEIFER, A
GRADUATE OF OUR GLASS PROGRAM IN
THE SCHOOL FOR AMERICAN CRAFTS,
COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND
SCIENCES.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT HAS ALL THE
RIT COLORS AS WELL.