Peter Corbett: The ‘Geek 2 Chic’ Interview

Post by: Mark Drapeau (Washington, DC)

This is the first in a series of interviews for a series we’re calling Geek 2 Chic, which is a personal style, a social movement, and a new event series all in one. The first Geek 2 Chic fashion show is powered by Microsoft and will take place at Bloomingdales in Chevy Chase, MD on October 13th. We’ll be raising money for the Heart of America Foundation, which makes libraries the heart of communities around the country and promotes literacy.

Our first Geek 2 Chic interview is, quite appropriately, with Peter Corbett. Not only did his company help design this website, but he’s done more to help make geek culture mainstream in the nation’s capital than anyone I know. And not only is he a smart businessman, but he is also very interested in using his powers for public service and social change. Read on…

Peter, what’s your current position, and what work do you do as part of that?

I’m the CEO of iStrategyLabs. There’s a tremendous amount that goes into growing a small, innovative organization like ours. I’m mostly focused on making sure our clients are happy, our employees and collaborators have the opportunity to work on things they enjoy, and that we’re following the right path to longterm success.

Technology is the basis for many of the things you do. How did you first become interested in it?

I’ve been interested in technology as far back as I can remember. With regard to PCs specifically, I started teaching myself how to program and navigate the net when I was 11 in 1991. I’m a natural problem solver, and computers drew me in early on as a place to explore and solve.

Technology 1.0 is one thing, but when and how did you become interested in the Web 2.0 technologies that are affecting so many people’s lives and businesses right now?

I became interested in Web 2.0 when I was working in NYC in 2003 - at the time I was a TV producer. In the summer of ‘03 I used my Emory alumni email address to get access to Facebook, setup a Blogger blog, and ended up leading the experimental Social Media ‘division’ of an ad agency three years later. Fast forward 7 years from that initial experience and you’ll find me leading iStrategyLabs, which is more ’social’ than any business around DC.

What experiences or events have most transformed your thinking about technology in the last couple of years?

What has changed my perspective most has been seeing how code can drive thousands of people to meet in the real world. As much as I appreciate the power of getting even more people engaged in something on the web, seeing technology change our physical space has the most exciting possibilities of all. We’re really just scratching the surface on geo-location and augmented reality.

You helped create an event last year called Big Ideas, Big Action. In that vein, thinking about public service and the ‘open government’ movement, what does the next year or two look like for how technology and innovation will affect how communities come together to solve big problems?

First, I don’t think we’re going to see anything dramatic over the next year. I see a muddling, incremental grind forward without a lot of fireworks. Two years out however, I think we’ve got a real chance to see social technology enable a deep enough graph that’s tied to physical space and real time data that early adopters will take augmented reality for granted. With an added layer of reality, super-informed, super-connected citizens will begin to self organize into more and more effective bands of problem solvers.

We’re thinking about how we can support this movement during things like DCWEEK, Apps for Democracy, and by creating something we call the “School of Doing” where we teach people how to solve problems together.

“School of Doing” - I like that. Speaking of doing, what do you like to do when you’re not working?

I like to cycle. I’ve been doing about 100 or so miles per week recently and I’ve seen so much more of the DC area than I could have otherwise.

This interview series is about the transformation of “geek into chic” but more generally about how people evolve in their careers through periods of change. What were you doing five years ago?

Five years ago I was working at a media agency and learning how to execute campaigns across all channels - TV, Radio, out of home, Web, etc.

You’re a successful CEO of a small business now, but from that past, could you have predicted your career path to where you are today?

Sort of. I was planning to start a company like iStrategyLabs when I was 30 - instead, I was forced into it at 27 through a layoff and I’m happy to be 3 years ahead of that schedule. I had no idea that iStrategyLabs would be as well known and successful as it is today in such a short period of time - but now the real work begins.

What career and life advice would you give someone with similar interests to yours, but who’s much younger?

Start your own business or project as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter if it’s in elementary school or college - you need to create something from nothing, and then do that over and over and over again. You’ll initially get excited about the prospects of making a lot of money and being famous - but over time, if you keep your balance you end up pursuing a passion that will keep you happy for life.

What do you (1) read, (2) watch, (3) dream?

(1) I read lots of books about product and service innovation. I also read books that inspire me to think in a new way.

(2) I mostly watch web videos and Netflix movies. I don’t have cable TV.

(3) I dream about spending my life in the service of others - working on hard problems that when solved, can make the world a better place. I also dream about escaping to tropical islands to open a tiki bar.

You’re going to be in the very first Geek 2 Chic fashion show in October. Do you like fashion? How would you describe your personal style?

My style is incredibly colorful and confident - a mashup between street culture (hyper-colorful pumas and track jackets) and prep-school preppy. I’ll break out a button down Brooks Brothers shirt, with some Quicksilver slacks and a set of screaming orange sneakers - like it’s standard. I use clothes to shake people up, and display a complexity that creates intrigue.

Thanks, Peter!

Please follow Geek 2 Chic on Twitter for links to future interviews, news, and events! You can purchase tickets to the first Geek 2 Chic charity fashion show here.