We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christopher Lafayette a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christopher , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

When you ask, “What did your parents do right, and how has that impacted you in your life and career?”, the thing that comes to mind is, from my earliest days, that my dad was a soldier, and my mom was a nurse. Through so much of my childhood, teenage years, and adult life, I’ve seen them in positions of service, with the consideration of the great sacrifice that a soldier and a nurse make, the impression never left me.

The sacrifice of what our family had to adjust to, or the adjustments we had to make because of their service, and the many lessons that came from this vantage point. The different countries we’ve lived in, or cities and states, and drawing an appreciation for them continuously playing or operating at a level that they had time to serve, and to keep their family together, and to serve in their respective positions.

All families have their trials and tribulations, and ours was not an exception, but even through some of the most difficult times, the resilience and the resolve to keep us together was always powerful to me, and I think they instilled in me a sense of loyalty, a sense of trust, and high fidelity.

I was able to take this type of experience that was instilled in me, that I was born into, and in many ways considered the same for the things that I commit to, with a sense of loyalty, a sense of trust, and high fidelity, and commitment. And not just externally, but more importantly, to exercise trust, loyalty, and commitment within, for my beliefs, my commitments, and from what I set out of decisions that were made years ago, and our older me manifesting and experiencing these decisions that were made by the younger me so long ago, and holding true to that, because that, of which I do today, in so many ways, came from my heart.

Christopher , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in humble beginnings, but I won’t start there. That’s a different story for another time. During my school years, I remember using green and black computer screens and playing the Oregon Trail. It was my first interaction with a computer and a game of survival.

When I was a teenager, my dad worked at a printing factory. He worked the graveyard shift, carrying heavy paper rolls and ink to produce images on canned goods. One day, he came to work and learned that the factory was being bought out and everyone would be laid off. Everyone had the opportunity to learn a new trade or skill, such as trucking or carpentry. My dad chose to pursue a career in technology and went to school to become an information technologist. This not only changed his life, but in many ways, it changed our entire family.

“When my dad began his career in technology, it was during the time when the Silicon Valley bubble was growing and jobs and opportunities in the tech industry were abundant. He was given the chance to work for the University of California Berkeley, where he stayed until he passed away. I remember him taking me with him on trips to check on the college’s servers in the middle of the night and teaching me about the internet and how the web works. He also taught me about the differences between production development servers, routers, hardware, and software, and how each of these things worked together. I didn’t realize how valuable this education would be for my future career.

Many years later, I found myself selling cars, which I was terrible at. I won’t go into details about that, but suffice it to say that I didn’t enjoy it and didn’t want to do it for the rest of my life. As a college dropout, I needed money, and that job was the opportunity that presented itself to me. But I quickly realized that I didn’t want to make a career out of selling cars at inflated prices, and I moved on to find something else.”

As I worked in managing health clubs, I became good at it and enjoyed working with the community and being involved in fitness. I appreciated the various machines and electronics at the clubs, and gained a better understanding of how the community operated. However, it was not enough for me, and I began to feel like many others do at some point in their lives: I wanted to become an entrepreneur. For so long, I thought that the American dream was to work for someone else, gaining experience and knowledge in managing and operating a business so that one day I could do the same with my own.

Now, as I manage a health club in Silicon Valley, where many of my members are in the technology industry, I hear about all the exciting and innovative ideas being developed. This has only fueled my desire to start my own business and be a part of the entrepreneur community.

I remember staring out the gym window, shortly before I left my job, and talking to my brother on the phone. He told me that I would fail, but that only motivated me to move forward with my plans. I didn’t hold it against him for saying that, as it’s often the kind of thing that older brothers would say to their younger siblings. I know he cares about me, but he just didn’t understand my desire to become an entrepreneur. My parents, on the other hand, were supportive of my decision and embraced the idea. For whatever reason, they went along with it and even offered their support.

How do I write this story and not cry? How do I continue writing these words and not completely break down? When you consider the care of our parents. And you consider how far you can go with your parents’ belief. They may have never known. But their support. Even to this day means everything to me. Even after they both passed away a few years after I launched my first startup. They both left within a year’s time. I never saw that coming. But it happened. But we won’t touch on that. That is a different story. A story so close to the heart.

When I decided to quit my job, I asked my parents to help me buy some Apple gear, as Apple products were very popular at the time. I, like many others, believed that if I had an Apple laptop, I could create anything I wanted. Apple’s advertisements were very powerful and made me feel empowered, as if buying their products would allow me to build great things. In many ways, they were right. I bought my gear and was ready to start my business, but I quickly realized that no one can truly do business alone. No matter how talented and driven an individual is, success in business requires collaboration and support from others.

I found a co-founder who was a great programmer and teacher of technology. He was working at a bookstore at the time, and I had experience in marketing and sales, as well as some knowledge of design. Little did I know that over the next few years, our startup would serve as an educational platform for me to learn more about design, web media, and technology. We worked from our homes, which was challenging at the time because Wi-Fi was not as strong as it is now, and video conferencing was difficult. We often had to meet in the middle of the city or drive to each other’s houses just to share files, but it was worth the effort. When we did have a decent connection on video chat, we would spend hours messaging back and forth, learning about typeface, typography, color theory, design, and web layout. There was so much to learn, and we did it all from the comfort of our living rooms, probably sitting in our boxers.

​​After working from our living rooms and cafes for some time, it was time for us to get an office. One of the cafes we frequented was called Gaylords, located in the city of Piedmont in Oakland. It was a well-known cafe that was always crowded with people working on code and meeting potential co-founders. It was a no-frills, chill place with Pac-Man arcades and table arcades, and they always seemed to play the best alternative music. We didn’t want to leave Gaylords, but it was time to move on and get our own office. Surprisingly, hardly anyone ever hung out at the Starbucks across the street.

As a creative technologist, I never thought my first office would be outside the gates of Pixar. We were a poor startup with little money, and we searched all over Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland for an affordable office space, but to no avail. Craigslist became our best friend, and one day we came across an entry for an office space available in the back of an architecture firm. As creatives, we value our autonomy, but we also understood that we had to work within our means, sometimes that means sharing space. Co-working spaces were not as prevalent as they are today, so we made an appointment to visit the space and were surprised to find ourselves standing outside the gates of Pixar. Across the street from Pixar was a small architecture firm, and when we rang the bell, they let us in and showed us the backspace, which was generous and had potential. We imagined ourselves sitting at our desks with our laptops and hot Wi-Fi, and a kitchen with hot coffee just across the way. We were sold and moved in with the little money we had and some borrowed funds. There was something special about waking up in the morning, commuting to our office, and when we wanted to take a break and rest our minds or expand our imaginations, all we had to do was step out the back door and be at Pixar. It was an incredible experience.

There are not many places that can provide as much inspiration for creativity as Pixar, and every day, there were people standing outside the gates taking pictures and selfies. It was awesome to see and added to the excitement of working in the area, talking, chatting, planning, strategizing, and exploring the world of technology, design, and art. What started with two teammates grew to three, and then to twelve of us. We had clients and people came by often, including friends and family, and it was an incredible experience. However, all many good things must come to an end, and after many years, it was time for us to move on.

Some startups can start with grand adventures and succeed, but most startups fail due to lack of business or clients, and some startups can end in crisis or simply fall apart…

After my startup failed, I found myself at a crossroads and had to make some difficult decisions. I took some time to work on design and technology projects and commissions as a freelancer, and I also advised clients on their startups and brands. At the same time, I focused on my spiritual and physical health, which were more important to me than just business. I worked for different shops, restaurants, musicians, attorneys, doctors, and other professionals who were not familiar with the new ways of technology, such as social media and the app revolution. I advised hundreds of companies and platforms throughout Silicon Valley, and spent a lot of time in San Francisco and the South Bay and the peninsula, but I still lived in the East Bay in a small city called Emeryville. I had grown fond of the city because I had worked there for many years and appreciated not only working in the city, but also living there and understanding its community. It was a city filled with artistry and storytelling, and a place where people came to laugh and do business, and it was where I first became an entrepreneur. I have a fondness for Emeryville, but as I grew in my understanding of media, technology, design, and other technologies such as virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence, I felt something stirring within me, similar to the feeling I had when I first wanted to become an entrepreneur, but this was different. This was not just a want, it was a necessity for survival. My first interactive experience with a computer was the Oregon Trail, which was based on surviving, and little did I know that I was also on a trail, the trail known as Silicon Valley.

The decision was made. And it wasn’t made lightly, but it was easy. I remember sitting in my apartment. Having just served notice that I was facing eviction, that the owners of my rented condo were wanting to sell my home, that was theirs.
The process was handled roughly. But we mutually and eventually came to terms that the date was settled for me to leave, and all parties were on the same page. I was at a crossroads. The decision had to be made. I felt like it was a decision that needed to be made for so long. But I was so prepared for even longer.

I wanted to learn and understand more about technology. I wanted to go beyond the surface and delve deeper into the world of technology. I wanted to explore the places where only a few people were invited and see what was being built in garages and labs. I wanted to know what was brewing and what was happening beyond what others could see. I was no longer content with just being on the surface and wanted to push beyond the horizon.

But in order to do that. I couldn’t afford to make that move without some sacrifices.

The cost of moving to another place or apartment in the Bay Area, which has seen a surge in housing costs due to the growth of technology, was financially prohibitive for me. Many people in the region were forced to live in crowded conditions, with multiple roommates in small homes or even bunk beds in shared rooms. I did not want to attempt to live in such conditions if I didn’t have to.

So I began considering the limited options I had. And it seemed to me that there was only one.

I was going to move to Silicon Valley, and live out of my car hackerspaces and hotels.

I had to first see and run a test to know that I can actually do it for one night, let alone many nights, weeks, months and what eventually turned into years, to be able to sleep in my car.

So I drove to San Francisco to the Presidio, of all places, a very well to do an upscale neighborhood. I parked my car in a familiar area because I often enjoyed visiting Baker Beach. I parked my car, sat in my passenger seat, and just sat there. I was so excited. I was so excited to be in this situation. I have always enjoyed spending time outdoors and exploring new places. The Bay Area, with its vast green hills and beautiful beaches, was a particular favorite of mine. I loved watching the fog flow and fold around the buildings and streets, and the deep blue waters of the Pacific. I also enjoyed exploring the vineyards of Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, and Livermore, as well as the redwood trees at Muir Woods. I enjoyed it all. I fell asleep in my seat. And I woke up the next morning. And there I knew that I could do it. I could live out of my car, because I could sleep in my car. I went back home, began to strategize, told different friends and family, none of them believed that I was going to do this. Some even laughed as if I were joking.

And then on the last day of October, at 11:59 pm, my belongings were packed and bigger items were in storage.

At midnight, the door was closed and the keys submitted in the rental box.

I was on my way to Silicon Valley.

And eventually, I made it to Silicon Valley. I devoted myself to studying every day and met many people. I built many things and have traveled the world. I have spoken in front of hundreds of audiences and taught thousands of people. I am now a humanitarian and emergent technologist. and am surviving in Silicon Valley.

By grace and mercy, I am kept…

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I had lived out of my car in Silicon Valley, spending most of my time at a co-working space for hackers. During that time, I made connections with hundreds of people and worked to establish and strengthen my brand. I was also chosen as a leader among my peers. In Silicon Valley, seeing people living out of their cars, vans, trucks, and RVs was not uncommon. It seemed like there were enough of them to fill a city. Many of these individuals were well-educated, talented professionals who had been forced to live on the streets due to the high cost of living in the area.
There were times when I struggled to afford food, but I was fortunate enough to avoid going hungry. The situation in Silicon Valley resembled a modern-day gold rush, with people striving to make a living in whatever way they could. I was no different; I worked hard and faced challenges that humbled me. I also invested a significant amount of money in my work.
I understood that my situation might have seemed strange to some people. It wasn’t a conventional way of living, but then again, I had never been one to follow convention. A day in Silicon Valley was filled with activity, with tens of thousands of people coming and going, daily. People lived in a variety of accommodations, from houses and apartments to RVs, cars, and even boats. There were many events and conferences happening, including keynotes, panel sessions, and pitch sessions. The area was home to many major tech companies, including Apple and Google, and was at the forefront of technological innovation, with advancements in fields like artificial intelligence and robotics. It was an exciting place to build, network, and start a business, and was unmatched in its energy and innovation. It could be a dream to thousands and a trap for millions of people.
But most knew this the day they walked in.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

On the topic of cultivating a social media audience, my foremost advice revolves around authenticity and a fearless expression of one’s thoughts, albeit with strategic empathy and a keen understanding of even a small audience of one or two. The essence lies in adopting a heart-centered approach. While it may sound cliché, there’s a profound truth found in both personal experiences and the observation of others’ journeys. Often, individuals become so engrossed in brand building that they lose sight of the core message their brand intends to communicate. This self-centric focus tends to eclipse the brand’s essence, diluting its appeal.

A substantial connection rarely emanates from a narcissistic standpoint, but rather through a lens of servant leadership and the propagation of value beyond oneself. Shifting the narrative from self to service not only acts as a potent magnet but also cultivates a meaningful brand persona.

Brand establishment is a multifaceted endeavor with no one-size-fits-all strategy. Even though the insights shared here hold merit, there exist countless other approaches to brand building. The crux, however, is to align with what resonates with your heart. Such alignment not only sustains your brand’s relevance but also encapsulates a personal satisfaction, as you are the architect living and evolving with it.

Moreover, mastering one platform is more pragmatic than spreading thin across multiple social media landscapes. Champion a platform that aligns with your brand’s ethos, and make every interaction on it count. More importantly, secure your digital presence by owning a personal platform – your website. Consider your website as your country and social media platforms as your embassies. The objective is to channel traffic from these embassies back to your country, ensuring a continuous engagement loop. In a scenario where social media platforms vanish, your digital real estate remains intact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.christopherlafayette.com
• Instagram: @onelafayette
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlafayette/
• Twitter: @vrleader
• Other: https://gatherverse.org

Image Credits
Audra Miller