An Interview with Nathan Latka
It isn’t every day that a multi-million dollar CEO takes time out of their busy schedule for an interview with the Virginia Tech Student Affairs communications team. But Nathan Latka isn’t your typical CEO… nor is he a typical Hokie. And the ExperienceVT blog isn’t the “normal” blog… because we don’t believe “normal” exists. Through the stories of our students, our alumni, and our community, the ExperienceVT blog exists to tell the story of the Virginia Tech experience—in all its diverse, unique, and cohesive beauty.
Nathan Latka shot to prominence as the founder of Heyo, an internet marketing service, and is currently the executive producer of “The Top Entrepreneurs” Podcast, CEO of TheTopInbox.com, and is a soon-to-be best-selling author. He is a social media and marketing guru, an entrepreneurship phenomenon, and wields an expert’s eye for identifying talent and good business deals.
Latka spent a few lovely days during spring semester 2018 in Blacksburg interacting with current Virginia Tech students for the Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Challenge, a campus-wide student startup competition that brings together successful alumni-entrepreneurs, industry partners, and students to showcase the best new ventures at Virginia Tech. Latka presented “The VT Advantage: From Barringer Hall to $10.5m CEO.”
As a student, Latka was a Resident Advisor in Barringer Hall. He played club tennis. He founded the Entrepreneur Club, a student organization still in existence. He was involved in student government. All of this was in addition to his studies, which at the time included architecture and business majors. He remembers 4 a.m. pick-up football games on the Drillfield and undisclosed shenanigans (the statute of limitations still applies) from living in an apartment above the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Blacksburg.
Referring jointly to Austin, Texas, San Francisco, and New York City as “home,” Latka self-proclaims to run on “nuclear power” as well as three mochas a day and nine hours of sleep nightly. While he didn’t complete his Virginia Tech degree, he publicly acknowledges how his Virginia Tech student experience continues to be a major contributor to his career success and present-day thriving.
While Latka’s journey isn’t a typical one, his co-curricular experiences were transformative and influential all the same. Here is a snapshot of our interview with some “words of wisdom” he willingly shared.
Q: What do you know now that you wish you had known as a student?
A: Humans live in echo chambers of familiarity. We have to fight those instincts. If you reach outside the classroom, you meet amazing people who can expand your thinking. When you start putting dots out there, they will connect in the future.
Q: You were a member of the Entrepreneur Club. What did you learn from the experience?
A: There is a divide between technical talent and business talent. That wall has to be broken down. I found my niche; it’s like a marriage broker. People need help finding partners. I executed what I wanted myself but gave others the glasses to watch me.
Q: What do you believe is Virginia Tech’s advantage?
A: The resources that the university has put into place make a difference. Tech offers assets not related to the classroom. It’s Maslow’s hierarchy. When basic needs are taken care of, students are free to think and dream. David Geffen [business magnate, producer, and film student executive; founder of DreamWorks Studios] once said something along the lines of, ‘We become what we imagine. The problem is we lack imagination.’ Virginia Tech is an environment where students’ needs are taken care of so they can dream. The bigger you imagine, the bigger you become. There are brilliant people here.
Q: You said you get nine hours of sleep per night. That’s impressive. Why is sleep so important to you?
A: My life is 90 percent strategy. I can beat you if you don’t sleep. Not sleeping is NOT an asset. I also remove meetings on Sundays- it’s therapeutic.
Q: How do you motivate other people?
A: Five simple words: ‘You’ll figure it out yourself.’
Q: Do you feel you are a part of the Hokie Nation, even though you didn’t graduate?
A: Absolutely! 100 percent. I attend football game watching parties in Austin. We go to conferences together. The Hokie network becomes a family. It benefits me to be around alumni who have ‘been there, done that.’
Q: What do you believe is the role of diversity in higher education?
A: It’s hugely valuable. I love debate. I love when someone changes my mind. There must be a channel to open doors for dialogue. Higher education is a logical place.
Q: What is a person’s greatest asset?
A: Time! And, let someone else teach you. They will see themselves in you and be invested in you forever. In general, a great way to recruit talent is to throw out the resume.
Q: What have you learned that you would like to pass on to current students?
A: Trust the world is going to help you. Be rational, flexible, and adaptive. People and relationships are metaphorical keys that will unlock doors. Also, stay motivated and listen to your intuition.