"Be Your Unapologetically Weird Self" - Chris Sacca

Chris Sacca is an early stage investor in many companies when they were start-ups including Twitter, Uber, Instagram, Kickstarter, and Twilio. He was also on the cover of Forbes’ Midas issue in 2015. He served as Head of Special Initiatives at Google Inc. and is a recurring guest shark on ABC’s Shark Tank.

In the commencement speech Christ Sacca gave at Carlson School of Management in Minnesota, he said, “be your unapologetically weird self. I think authenticity is one of the most lacking things out there these days”. Chris discusses how being weird is why we love our friends, it bonds us to our colleagues and sets us apart. So many times, we compare ourselves to other people (on social media or in real life) and try to fit in that we forget to be true to ourselves. We forget the things that make us unique. 

We don’t love celebrities because they’re perfect. We love them because the opposite is true – they aren’t perfect, they are real and they are weird. Chris Sacca is known for wearing ridiculous cowboy shirts and they’ve become part of his signature style. He bought the first one impulsively but Chris says being a successful investor isn’t just about knowing what companies to invest in, but “ensuring founders know who you are”. And that’s exactly what his cowboy shirts have done for him. 

“Growing up, I acted differently around my family than my friends. At home I was true to myself - loud, extra, and always trying to make everyone laugh. But when I was with my friends I was the quietest in the group. I worried that if I was myself then people wouldn’t like me anymore. In high school though when I had the chance to switch schools, I realized that I could start over and I could be myself. I could be loud and no one would think any different of me since this was the first time they would be meeting me. It ended up being a great change because it led to me having more friends and more meaningful relationships. I realized that being your true weird self can really be a really good thing.” - Rukmani, Marketing Manager

Even if it’s challenging, stay true and be your weird self!

Ferriss, Timothy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers HMH Books, 2016.
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