0 to Unicorn in 5 months | Austin Allison | CEO, Pacaso

Searching for Mana with Lloyd Wahed

Joining Lloyd this week, is Austin Allison, CEO of Pacaso, the fastest-growing tech unicorn of all time.

From humble beginnings, and an unusual path, Austin Allison, founder at Pacaso, has taken an unconventional path to the top. A self-proclaimed “troubled teen” and near high-school drop-out, Austin, on the back of an epiphanical moment, turned his life around to become a top performer at college, and become a multi-unicorn founder.

Son of a carpenter, with a clear entrepreneurial streak from a young age, selling birdhouses having seen the joy a birdhouse made by his father brought to his mother, Austin started his first business aged 8.

Fast-forward a number of years, and Austin has founded a business sold for 9 figures, and now founded the fastest-growing tech unicorn ever. From 0 to a $1B+ valuation in 5 months!

However, what stands out with Austin is his attention to culture.

Despite all this success, where Austin really takes pride is in the environments he has created and the room for his team to flourish. Infusing Pacaso with an Infinite Mindset, focused not on the short-term, nor even long-term, but aiming to build a business that outlives even himself, Austin’s mentality is inspirational.

A fantastic episode on how to build cultures, how to build sustainably in bear markets and really, a modern tech founder’s guide.

Book recommendations:
The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz
The Infinite Mindset - Simon Sinek

[ 0:00 - 3:26 ] An introduction to Pacaso - the fastest growing tech unicorn of all time

[ 3:27 - 10:46 ] Fractionalised ownership of 2nd homes & angry Cornwall seagulls

[ 10:47 - 15:55 ] The How and Why of Pacaso

[ 15:56 - 22:01 ] How Pacaso went from 0 to $1Bn+ in 5 months

[ 22:02 - 28:38 ] The macro-market and building sustainably in a bear market

[ 28:39 - 33:08 ] Austin’s background, from humble beginnings to unicorn founder

[ 33:09 - 39:45 ] From being unproductive to maximum productivity

[ 39:46 - 44:28] Austin Allison’s Forbes: He earned it

[ 44:29 - 49:57 ] The cruciality of culture

[ 49:58 - 55:46 ] The Infinite Mindset

[ 55:47 - 58:59 ] The modern leader: vulnerable and empathetic

[ 59:00 - 1:06:11 ] Future projections & Closing thoughts