150. From Running a VC Firm to Running for Governor (J.B. Pritzker)

J.B. Pritzker of Pritzker Group Venture Capital joins Nick to discuss his impact on tech in Illinois, where he gets his motivation and why he's running for Governor. In this episode, we cover the following questions: Take me back to your childhood...What was it like growing up in your family and what did you learn from your parents? Your father and uncle famously built and managed Hyatt Hotels...Who was your biggest inspiration in the family? You could have gone in many directions with your career... hotel industry, education, straight into politics. Why'd you choose the path you did? Who were your primary inspirations in tech? Looking through your accomplishments, you're clearly a builder, a creator, you've got internal drive. Where do you get your motivation? What's the greatest lesson you've learned from your career in venture that informs your bid for governor? If you could go back and talk to young J.B... a J.B. in his teens, what would you tell him? What's the best lesson that you've learned from your kids that has changed the way you approach business and/or politics? We've got Donald Trump in the office of the president and Bruce Rauner in the office of Illinois Governor...Do we really need another rich guy in office? The talent vacuum is real and everyone experiences it. In Illinois, the best and brightest in rural areas, leave for the metro areas. In Chicago, many of the best in tech leave for the coasts. How do we approach talent suck more thoughtfully and address a real problem? Can you highlight your plans for tech and innovation, if you are elected?   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.