NFL quarterback-turned-founder Colin Kaepernick on the challenges facing disruptors

Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick took the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday to discuss the challenges people face when trying to disrupt – each in the world of technology and beyond.

“One of the biggest challenges you’re probably going to face when you try to disrupt something – or you try to do something you’re passionate about and you end up disrupting something in the process, is that you’re going to encounter a lot of resistance,” Kaepernick said. “There are going to be hard times and in those moments you want to have people you can lean on, people who can support you and that really gives you that resilience.”

Kaepernick isn’t any stranger to disrupting the establishment, having made national headlines in 2016 when he took a knee to protest racial injustice. The former NFL star says that while he faced quite a lot of resistance, he also saw the have to create a greater and more equitable future.

“When you do that and you see such a strong reaction, you really gain perspective and insight,” Kaepernick said. “We have a protracted road ahead of us. But on the other hand, what I learned during this era, there are also many individuals who wish to go this great distance with you, and I feel the most beautiful thing about it’s that there was resistance to there was also quite a lot of organization.”

As someone who has had 1000’s of stories written about him, he now desires to help creators take control of their narratives with Lumi. The startup’s goal is to empower creators by helping them create and publish stories and content on their very own.

As for founders trying to pivot and explore their passions, Kaepernick had some advice.

“Do you do your homework and know why you do what you do,” he said. “And secondly, once you know it, go after it with passion and go after it with everything you have and take people with you. I wouldn’t be sitting here today, and none of you would know me at all, if it weren’t for the many people who have helped me, and that includes everyone from my wife to family and friends, teammates, coaches, some of them investors and advisors , whom I met along the way. So keep these people with you because it builds us up and makes us sustainable in the long run.”