(upbeat music)
- [Dan] If somebody would've told me
when I was 16 sittin' in a jail cell
that my life would look the way it does today,
I would tell them they were full of shit.
- [Attendant] How can I help you?
- Can I get a medium Americano black?
- [Attendant] Anything else? - That's it.
- [Attendant] Come on up. - Thank you.
You know I've been comin' here for years,
and they keep asking me if I have a loyalty card.
And somethin' in me just doesn't wanna get it at this point.
- [Attendant] You have a points card?
- I do not have a points card.
- [Attendant] Be $7.35.
- So we're goin' to speak to two different
high school classes, so that's really exciting.
I absolutely love, more than I love
talking to entrepreneurs, I love talking to teenagers.
I remember one time I was speakin' to
a ninth-grade class, and the kid that was
directly in front of me actually fell asleep.
(traffic roaring)
This is the shittiest highway in the world.
Or maybe not the shittiest.
- [Jared] But you're saying that
I shouldn't videotape this highway?
- I'm just sayin' if you're gonna get some footage
of driving, there's better roads to shoot.
This is definitely not one of 'em.
Dun dun dun, alright, big talk today.
Here's the funny part, is I'm tryin' to give a talk
and try to put myself back in the headspace
that I was in when I was them.
And the first thought I have is,
I wouldn't have even been there,
'cause I probably would've found out
there was an assembly and I would've, you know,
fucked off to Tim Horton's across the street.
So then I go to the next order,
it's like, okay, who got caught trying to
sneak out and got brought back in the room?
'Cause that might've happened to me.
So then I'm thinkin', what could I possibly say
in 55 minutes, what's that one thing?
A big one would be, high school is
such a small fucking blip, it's nothing.
If I would've defined my life based on my test scores,
holy shit, I'd be livin' under
that fuckin' bridge right there.
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff I'd love to share.
When I was your age, I found myself in
a high-speed chase drivin' down the highway in a stolen car,
with a handgun next to me, high on drugs,
tryin' to get away from the police.
I ended up in jail when I was 15.
On the last day, I was getting out,
the guard stops me and he says, "I'll see you soon."
I was like, "What an ass!"
And I said, "Why would you say that?"
He goes, "We always do."
I lasted a day.
Got out, started hanging with the wrong people,
my life spiraled out of control.
I started realizing that I'd
rather be numb to the world than
have to deal with any feelings whatsoever.
You're the average of the five people
you spend the most time with.
You know what my problem was?
I was spendin' time with fuckin' losers.
And then I'd wonder why my life
was spiraling out of control.
I just had to look around, and everything changed.
I ended up goin' to a place called
Portage, just outside of Norton.
And I did 11 months of therapy,
and at the end of that stint, I was workin'
with this guy named Rick, and I was in the cabin,
and we were cleanin' it out, and I come across a computer.
I'm sittin' there with a computer,
and there's this book next to it,
it was yellow, and it said Java Programming on it.
I got released a few months after that moment,
and I discovered this thing called the internet,
and since then I've been involved
in 30+ technology companies.
I feel blessed that even though that's where I came from,
my life doesn't look anything like that today.
I'm gonna tell you the most creative thing
you can do with your life is figure out
who you are, and do that every day.
Every day, do you.
So I hope that in some little way that
I was able to spark something in you guys today.
Thanks for having me.
(audience applause)
(somber cello)
I spoke to about 700 kids, two classes.
I gotta tell you, even after the first session
when this kid Noah came up to me and admit
that he felt like he had no self-worth
and that he's already tried to kill himself,
and he's had the gun to his temple,
and that he really appreciated me
comin' in and sharin' my story.
Here's what I believe.
I believe that it's the right person,
the right message at the right moment.
It's not fabricated, it's not bullshit, it's like a real,
I care about you and I feel compelled to say these words,
and people can't deny it, they can't dismiss it.
And I think it's one of the most powerful things and gifts
that we all have that we need to sharpen up and use more.
So I remember the day that my dad drove me here,
dropped me off, everybody said hello, and that was that.
I spent 11 months here.
Really just tryin' to figure out what made me tick,
my feelings, and my anger, and...
You know, how to lead, I mean the cool part about
Portage is, the residents actually run the facility.
The staff are there, but the staff are there to support.
There's this whole hierarchy that
you kinda grow into and work into.
That's the new gym, geez, literally
I wish I could show you guys what...
This is crazy nice.
This is not even close to what...
But you know what, the facilities don't matter,
it's the people, and I had some pretty
incredible people show up in my life.
Let's do this.
(groaning)
(muffled talking)
Yes, Roberta!
Don't fall!
We were just talkin' about ya!
- [Roberta] Why didn't you tell me you were comin'?
- I forgot.
You know me, I'm not good with this computer stuff.
- We were going in the middle of the parking lot.
- We were literally going to the parking lot to call you.
- [Roberta] I should've been the first one on the list.
- You get younger and younger every time I see you.
- I know, I told her the same thing.
- I love you too, Rick just called me
on his way to (muffled speaking)
- He was going to call you right now.
No, today was, I literally was supposed to go....
- What I like about Dan, he's humble enough
in his life right now to say there's
something that happened 20 years ago
in treatment that still help me today.
Basically focus on what he's gonna say,
you will be inspired, and you will
be also learning something today.
So Dan, it's all yours.
- [Dan] Thanks Luke.
- [Audience] Thanks Luke.
- If I asked you guys why you're here, and I said,
"Do you wish that that wouldn't have happened,"
most people put their hands up and they say,
"I wish that wouldn't have happened.
"I got in trouble, I got arrested,
"I got caught by my parents, I did this thing
"I feel absolutely embarrassed about."
They wish it didn't happen.
What I say to people, I would not
change a thing, nothing, zero.
I'm who I am because I came here.
You guys are gonna be who you are because you came here,
because you met each other, because you were inspired,
you heard each other's stories.
What you wanna do in life
is become the person who can deal.
So when a problem comes into my world,
instead of wishing that didn't happen,
I say I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn.
And then I look inside, and I say,
"what do I need to learn to be the kind of person
"that can deal with those kinds of problems?"
When you start in business, a $10 problem's a big problem.
And then it goes to $100.
You can't even think of a $100,000 problem,
that's just like, what're you talkin' about,
my business'll never do $100,000.
It's not even part of the realm of possibility.
But as you grow, as you figure it out, that's what happens.
So I just want you guys to start right where you're at,
finish this program, do the program, put in the work.
The ones that don't succeed, you know why?
I'll tell you, I know why.
'Cause they still have it in the back
of their head that I might use again.
That you know what, if I can prove it to myself
and get out there and do three years sober,
five years sober, maybe someday somehow,
maybe I'll just do weed, I'll just smoke weed.
The end of the day, here's what I've learned, is you know,
people will say, "What's your drug of choice?"
My drug of choice was not feeling.
That was literally, why did I do drugs,
I didn't wanna feel, I didn't wanna understand.
Today I would never wanna numb that.
I love showin' up every day, 100,000%.
I would not wanna not feel that.
I think that's the joy of life.
So how do you stay sober?
Work the program, fuck the plan B,
'cause I know some of you guys got it.
Get rid of that, take that brain into the program.
And know that if you stay sober,
that your life can be so incredible and magical.
My commitment to you is, you guys get out,
you stay sober for a year, and you come to see me
with your dream job or the company you wanna start,
and I will do everything in my
fuckin' powers to make that happen.
Everything.
That's my commitment.
And I would love to do that for you.
I didn't have a guy come in to this program sayin' this.
I'm dead serious, I've helped people get there.
But you gotta do it first, just get rid of the plan B.
- It was really nice meetin' ya.
- You too, keep in touch, stay sober.
Don't use the word maybe, that was bullshit.
I won't listen. (muffled talking)
Okay, keep it up, nice meetin' you man.
I didn't talk last time, but it was when they did
the graduation in September, last September.
Usually I try to get here more often...
but I'm spending the winter in San Diego.
- I'm movin' down to Woodstock with my son.
(mumbling)
I think that alone's gonna keep me sober.
Plus I've hit my rock bottom and I'm just done.
(mumbles)
- Who you gonna hang out with?
- No one, my girlfriend.
- You gotta fix that.
What if your girlfriend breaks up with you?
- Man...
- Yeah, exactly.
Your bad habits, that's built up, okay?
You need to refire a new set of habits,
to the point where this, because you're not firing it,
weakens, and this becomes the new norm, right?
You're gonna have to do these weird little
hacks with your life, and have somebody else
hold your pills, and not answer the phone
if certain persons call, and it's just gonna feel like,
"Fuck, man, life is so onerous."
But give it time.
48 days is what they say, but call it a year.
Like after a year, some of the stuff that you felt
was so much work actually just becomes the norm.
You can only keep what you give away.
You want sobriety, go to AA,
go to the meetings, give sobriety.
You want love in your life, it's not
a 50/50, it's full-on 110%.
I never want you guys to say, "They gotta meet me halfway."
It's so crazy!
It happens all the time, "Well I would
"do that, but my wife doesn't"...
It's like, go all the way in, go 100%,
you only get to keep what you give away.
(alarm buzzing)
- Is that the fire alarm?
- Yeah.
(alarm buzzing)
Do we have to go somewheres?
- Yeah.
- [Dan] The fact that you're here and you're dealin' with shit,
you're way more positioned to be a creator than an MBA.
I fuckin' run circles around those ding-dongs.
And the reason why is they're just so fuckin' risk-adverse.
(gentle music)
You know every time I go back,
"Did you hear about this kid?
"Did you hear about Bobby, he got shot."
And I'm just like, wow.
And then I start thinkin' about...
(sighs) all the people that didn't make it.
I don't think people realize that addiction is
one of the most patient things in the world.
It doesn't matter, it'll wait, it'll wait 55 years,
and then one day when you're not payin' attention
and you're not on top of your game,
it'll show up, it'll strike.
(phone ringing)
- [Woman] Hello? - [Dan] Hey, sexy.
- [Woman] (laughing) Hi.
- Yeah I just wanted to call and tell you I love you
and I'll let you guys get back to your thing,
and I'm headed over now to the YEC gala.
- [Woman] (muffled speaking) You have fun.
- I will, I think Rafael flew in for that,
so I'm excited to see my little protege.
- [Woman] Well say hi to everybody for me.
- I will, love you babes.
- [Woman] Okay, love you, bye. - Bye.
(gentle music)
I love goin' in not knowin'.
I love just goin' in and say, "wasuuup?"
And just like you know, hug people,
and get excited for the entrepreneurs.
I love being their biggest fan.
That's how people get me, if you wanna know
how to get me, talk to me about kids.
That's the secret, the secret of getting me to say yes.
This way. - Yeah.
- [Dan] The little leaders, I wanna meet these kids.
- How old are they you said?
- No, I wanna meet them. - Oh.
(gentle guitar)
- [Dan] Natalie took a seat. - What's up brotha?
- Jared, have you ever met my brother Mo?
- No. (talking over each other)
(laughing)
(audience applause)
- Aright, our first category of the night, Idea Architects.
What's your impact?
(audience cheer and applause)
- [Dan] Look at this, look at this.
Bring it.
Yes, sir.
- (muffled speaking) so if you drop your book, you're fine.
- I'm gettin' into this.
- And this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,
because I believe it could save lives.
- Alright, GQ.
- Thank you everyone for your time.
It's been a great evening, and remember,
buy a leaf, you save a tree.
(audience applause) - [Dan] I don't understand.
Shit.
That was a one.
Shit.
- What I'm needing from you judges
is expansion and production--
- [Dan] That's pretty good.
Financials.
(cheering)
I want coffee.
Hey, do you know where the coffee went?
- Yeah.
- Can I follow you can get some?
- Yes. - That'd be awesome.
And I'm not accepting bribes. (woman laughs)
I can't be bought, unless you have chocolate.
Alright, I'm not tryin' to sway you,
I'm just gonna throw this out.
(man laughing)
That.
- [Man] Are we doin' that one first?
I say we start there, 'cause I may have a few thoughts.
This was the key though, that.
She drops her competitors' products.
- [Man] Summer venture, is that what it is?
- [Woman] This was summer venture.
- I don't know a lot of entrepreneurs
would've had the confidence to do that.
- [Man] Yeah, that to me is a winner.
- Avery, I wanna talk to her, are her parents here?
- [Man] She's amazing.
- [Woman] Her father is for sure.
- I would love to talk to them about somethin'.
Let's do this. - Hold on.
- Okay. (laughing)
I wanna meet Avery.
(hands drum rolling)
(speaking foreign language)
Lips by Avery.
(audience cheering and applause)
Congratulations, that's so awesome.
- Thank you.
- That's yours, and we're gonna go here and here.
Let's get in here.
- A little blood, sweat, and tears--
- It is, like, you're gonna have to put some work in.
- Definitely.
- So that's kind of the agreement.
I invest in the business, you agree that you're
willing to be open to feedback,
you're gonna put in the hard work,
if I suggest that you go and meet with
these five stores on Saturday morning,
your dad's willing to drive you, right.
You do it, it's gonna be scary,
people are gonna say no to you,
you gotta get back up and do it again.
- Okay.
- I have no doubt she's gonna do it, that's the funny part.
It's so incredible.
(laughing)
(muffled talking)
- Thank you. - 100%.
Let me know Brian. - Thanks again, Dan.
- Okay, we'll talk soon.
Alright, have a great night.
At the YEC young entrepreneur awards,
and just made an offer, so we'll see if that's accepted.
(muffled chatter)
There was no fear. (relaxed jazz)
There was so much joy and excitement
for what she was creating that I was like,
"And you're gonna have to go in and try to
"sell this at these retailers,"
"Okay, yeah, yeah."
"Uh-huh."
And I'm just like, wow, not even a hesitation.
You forget what it's like when you first start off.
That was so long ago that I kind of forget
those late nights of just being super curious
and fascinated and finding anybody that was
willing to listen to your crazy idea,
and even better, finding some people who are
willing to throw down some money.
And building the first little version of the thing,
and gettin' it to the customer,
and then you're like, "What else can I create?"
It's like well, try to make money first.
Business only happens when there's profit that's made.
Other than that it's really just a project.