The Second Act
👋 Friends,
It’s the first time in months that I’ve published a late issue, and I apologize for that. It’s been a whirlwind of planning for New York Tech Week (12 events in the next 14 days) and moving apartments. Taking a slightly different approach in today’s newsletter…
In 2020, I got my first taste of entrepreneurship in America when someone offered me $500 USD to “sponsor” my tech event and pay for the food and drinks. At the time, it was bizarre to me why somebody would do that, but it all makes sense now.
In the following three years, I hosted hundreds of tech events—mixers, parties, and dinners—bringing together tens of thousands of people. You could say I found "product-market-fit” in a sense, observing early traction with both event attendees and event sponsors. That was Act 1.
Fortunately, from intimate dinners to massive, 2,000-person mixers—I’ve never had trouble filling a room with high-quality attendees. The momentum led to me quitting my cushy corporate tech job to pursue entrepreneurship full-time.
During the last six months, I’ve tested new ideas that have now become staple concepts in my portfolio including the Lumos House (a private 4-day event series taking place in a private mansion in Austin and Miami), the Junto Series (a dinner and event series for tech CEOs and leaders), and Andrew’s Mixers (a large-scale tech event series.)
Today, I’m excited to announce the launch of a new project I’m really excited about. Welcome to Act 2.
The OOO Summit
I spent over six years working a corporate job because I believed that it was the only path available to me.
It can be terrifying to have your path to economic security, personal identity, and for immigrants—your ability to live in America (or <insert another country>)—tied to your employer.
While I hold nothing against corporate jobs (it’s a great setup that makes sense for most), the majority of my peers who I spoke with at companies like Google, Meta, and Goldman Sachs always had an itch for the taste of entrepreneurship.
This might come in the form of a fulfilling passion project, ongoing side hustle, or even fully taking the plunge to quit and start a business.
I’ve realized that the goal should always be to build a portfolio of projects across your career—with your corporate job being just one of them.
But here's the thing: there aren’t enough readily available, high-quality resources to teach you how to find accessible, low-risk ways to pursue entrepreneurship. I had to figure it out myself by patching together tools from all over the internet and talking to a TON of people.
So I’ve partnered with my friend Ankur Nagpal (Founder and CEO of Carry) to put together our resources, networks, and knowledge to create something to address the issue. He’s an incredible entrepreneur who scaled his first company to $60M a year in revenue and sold it for $250M!
Today, we announce the launch of The OOO Summit.
The Os stand for Owners, Operators, and Outliers.
It’s a full-day event, with talks, activities, networking sessions, and of course a “party”, for you to learn from the top experts in the biz and meet some of the most ambitious, curious, and inspiring people in New York City.
If you have even the slightest itch to build something, then you might want to consider attending.
OOO is for those of you who are:
Curious about starting a side project or business
Currently building a company or venture
Interesting in building your audience or personal brand
Stuck in your careers (and seeking fulfillment)
It’s an event for beginners and experts alike. You’re all welcome to come!
Our confirmed lineup of speakers:
Sam Parr - Founder of The Hustle (sold for $30M!) and My First Million
Steph Smith - Founder of Internet Pipes and Pod host at a16z
Alex Lieberman - Co-founder of Morning Brew (sold for $75M)
Sahil Lavingia - Founder of Gumroad
& more
I’ve learned that getting in front of the right experts will save you a ton of time, money, and headaches. This is a shortcut to starting your entrepreneurial journey.
This will probably sell out pretty quickly.
Apply for an early-bird ticket here.
📌 Andrew’s Picks
Fascinating internet things I’ve come across…
Ultimate Guide to Virtual Assistants (w/ Sam Corcos) – Tim Ferris, author of the 4 Hour Work Week is the absolute master of productivity and efficiency. Here he meets his match. Sam Corcos talks at length about buying back his time by outsourcing and delegating with an army of virtual assistants.
Storyworth – One of my favorite products I’ve come across recently that has helped bring me and my family closer together. It’s a simple idea: every week, your chosen partner sends you a prompt to answer and share with them- usually about a topic that requires you to be vulnerable (like your aspirations, hopes, motivations, fears, etc.). At the end of the year, it gets compiled into a scrapbook for both of you to reminisce.
60 AI Tools to start your online business in 2024 – It’s never been easier to build something. With AI, you can build a stunning website in under an hour, write excellent copy that matches the quality of world-class copywriters, and design marketing materials that would’ve taken weeks to do. a decade ago.
💃 Community Perks
🏨 Traveling for work? If you’re looking for a hotel with cozy rooms and social co-working areas, check out citizenM. I exclusively stay with them. They’ve even been kind enough to offer this community a discount. Reply here.
🚴 Discounted Equinox membership in NYC. Equinox is my second home. I recommend it. Reply here for a free trial and a discounted membership.
🇺🇸 Looking for a US immigration lawyer? Reply here for an introduction to the lawyer I worked with for my O1A visa.
🍽️ FREE FOOD! I found an app that gives you 30%+ off fancy restaurants in NYC. AND $50 off your bill every month, plus $25 when you sign up. Not sure how long the offer will last. Sign up here.
What other perks should I include? Let me know.
🖼️ Behind the Scenes
I recently moved to Chelsea after two years in West Village.
A bunch of people asked me why. I think West Village is extremely overrated:
“But the restaurants are amazing…” – If you want to have Italian for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then the village is for you.
“The neighborhood is beautiful” – Agreed, but frankly it gets boring after a while. All the buildings look the same!
“It’s convenient” – Fair enough. The West 4th station is a godsend. But Union Square, Grand Central, Herald Square, and Fulton St are equally convenient.
“The apartments are gorgeous” – You’re paying a >20% rent premium for tiny, old apartments with outdated infrastructure.
You’re paying a premium to say that you live in "West Village.”
If you’re moving soon, consider these options: FiDi, Chelsea, UES, Williamsburg, Park Slope.
P.S. one of the reasons I’m sending this newsletter out late is because I was inundated with moving logistics. My one tip to those who are moving: HIRE MOVERS.
I would’ve been weeks behind schedule if I hadn’t hired a company to help me with my move.
I recommend Piece of Cake Moving. They were helpful, professional, and did everything. I sat on my couch the whole time with a cup of tea and watched while they packed my entire home in hours. Best ROI on time you can get.
Get 10% off your next move here with code “ANDREWY”.
OOO Summit, love it!