Don’t worry, Peter Thiel: There’s someone actually making flying cars & robots a reality.

Move over, Silicon Valley doomers, there’s a new sheriff in town. There's a name echoing in the silicon alleys that deserves your double-take: Brett Adcock. This guy isn’t just playing the tech game; he’s rewriting the rulebook. Here’s the scoop on the man turning heads faster than a high-speed drone.

The Origin Story: From Farm Fields to Tech Titan

Picture this: a young Brett, knee-deep in Illinois farmland, dreams bigger than the endless Midwestern skies. His first tryst with entrepreneurship? High school. His playground? Software development. His inspiration? A hearty blend of Midwestern grit and entrepreneurial genes. “Turning nothing into something valuable for the world,” as he puts it.

Flash forward, and Brett's not just a University of Florida alum; he's the maestro behind StreetofWalls .com, a recruiting juggernaut drawing eyeballs north of 20 million. But wait, there's more!

Vettery: The AI Matchmaker

2012 saw Brett diving headfirst into the AI talent pool with Vettery. Think of it as Cupid for companies and candidates, minus the arrows. His goal? Revolutionize how we match talent to task. Fast forward to 2018, and bam! A cool $110 million acquisition by The Adecco Group. Talk about a jackpot!

Archer: Flying Cars Are Fiction No More

Brett’s next act? Archer - an electric aerospace venture which has netted a $2.7 billion valuation so far. Brett’s vision? Swatting the urban traffic nightmare with electric VTOL aircraft - with a $1.5 billion partnership with United Airlines. Brett’s journey was a masterclass in ‘learning-on-the-fly’ (pun intended).

Figure: The Robot Revolutionist

Cut to 2022, and Brett's at it again with Figure. His new venture? Humanoid robots poised to redefine industry, commerce, and your grandma's knitting circle. From revamping automotive (cue the BMW deal) to revolutionizing elder care and domestic work, Brett's robots are on a mission to redefine labor.

The Adcock Blueprint: How He’s Crafting the Future

So, what’s Brett's secret sauce? For starters, he's all about shipping product - it's his North Star at Figure. Timing? Impeccable. “Couldn't have done it a decade ago,” he says. Why? Robotics ditched hydraulics for electric, and LLMs are blazing new trails.

His strategy? AI-first, all the way. And he built the brand before the rest of the business. Why? Because being “IPO-ready from Day 1” isn’t just about slick suits and boardroom banter; it’s about vision, clarity, and street cred in the tech scene.

But at the forefront is his exceptional hiring. He’s recruited from Google DeepMind, Boston Dynamics, and Tesla. 

Here’s 5 ways he builds the teams that are building the future:

1 - Hiring top talent

Brett’s hiring process? It’s like American Idol for tech geniuses. Remember when he conducted 20,000 interviews at his previous venture? Yeah, he's that thorough. At Figure, if you're not a dead ringer for their culture and mission, don't bother applying. Brett’s mantra? “I’d rather talk you out of joining than in.” It's like a velvet rope for tech talent - only the best get past the bouncer.

2 - Putting the team first

Forget the ‘we are family’ vibe; Figure is more like the Dream Team '92. Brett's scouting for players who can pass the ball as well as they can dunk. Team strength trumps solo stardom. This is a league where collaboration is the coach and teamwork, the MVP.

3 - Setting clear goals

Brett’s got Figure’s goals plastered up like Times Square billboards – there for all to see, live, and breathe. Add to that, weekly demo days to keep the squad sharp and on-track. And the master plan? It’s online for the world to see. Talk about wearing your game plan on your sleeve!

4 - Selecting for shared beliefs

At Figure, it's not just about what you do, but how you think. Brett's crew is a tight-knit group of believers, united by the dream of humanoid robotics. For them, it's not about beating the competition; it's about leaping into the future, quantum style. “Shaping the future positively is our moral duty,” says Brett. It’s less of a job, more of a crusade.

5 - Getting your hands dirty

No ivory towers here. From Brett to the newest recruit, everyone's getting their hands tech-dirty. The rule? If you can’t build, you don’t belong. This is full-contact tech, where even the big bosses are in the trenches. And remote work? Not on Brett’s watch. It’s all in, all the time.