Cliff Hakim, 70
Cliff is a writer and mentor based in Boston. He recently joined Leap, a San Francisco-based tech start-up which has just released a conversation app, set to transform the way people socialise online.
“My first words were a question. I think I said, ‘who are you?’ or ‘where am I?’ or something along those lines. I’m a curious guy so I guess it makes sense! As a child I often got asked why I had so many questions and felt judged, so for a while I shut myself down. As I got older, though, I realised the most intuitive and joyful way for me to connect with others and make a living was by asking questions and listening to people’s stories.
Likely that’s one of the reasons an old friend of mine introduced me to Leap. When I connected with Caroline, the co-founder, I was immediately struck by her idea to create a new kind of social network that was driven by questions and curiosity. Getting involved in a bigger way was like the building of a custom pair of shoes – before I knew it, they just began to fit and I started to walk in them.