Over 13 years, Jack Conte has built Patreon into a platform that has paid out more than $10 billion to creators. When Jack was 10 years old, the cool kids wore Nike and Adidas. Jack didn't. He wore Court Classics from Costco. Not because they were better, because the brand worship simply didn't make sense to him. That same voice, the one that says this isn't right, has run through his entire life. Today, it fuels his fight to build a platform that truly serves creators in an industry he says plainly is bad for humans. In this conversation, Darren and Jack explore the public stance Jack is taking against industry orthodoxy, the business he has built to reflect them, the inner work that has shaped how he leads, and the choices and trade offs he has made over 13 years.

Jack’s New York Times Opinion piece: “I’m Building an Algorithm That Doesn’t Rot Your Brain” text and video

Recommended Reading:

The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi

When I Say No, I Feel Guilty by Manuel J. Smith

The Power of a Positive No by William Ury

Kegan’s Theory of Adult Development by Natali Morad

Find out more about the Trium Group at triumgroup.com

One of One is produced by Darren Gold, Emily Shaw, and Karen Welsh. Engineering by Aja Simpson.