Jacob O'Connor

Jacob O’Connor (born 20 July, 2001) is an American entrepreneur, podcast host and apparel designer. He is the Founder and President of Venture Mentality LLC, which initially started as an online podcast and later launched a clothing line. O’Connor is best known for his podcasts that address issues around the road to success and greatness. He has interviewed a number of influential and renowned people, including the Co-Founder of Netflix Marc Randolph, Founder, and CEO of 1st Phorm and Supplement Superstores Andy Frisella, 2x Gold Medalist and Hall of Fame Hockey Player Chris Pronger, and many more. 
In a short span of time, O’Connor expanded his company Venture Mentality LLC to become an online lifestyle brand that sells a range of apparel such as hoodies, T-shirts, hats, along with conducting podcasts.
O’Connor advocates personal growth by pushing limits and striving towards achieving one’s potential. Jacob is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Monroe County), 2x Hunter Watson Grant recipient, and a Jabara Scholar at the University of Wichita.
== Early life and education ==
O’Connor was born in Illinois. He attended Columbia High School and graduated in 2020. O’Connor has always been a studious person and excelled in studies during his time at school. He was also an avid basketball player. 
It was by the end of his sophomore year that O’Connor applied to the Monroe County StartUp program, an elite entrepreneurial program for high school students that aims to bring forth young entrepreneurs and guide them to starting successful ventures. For this program, Jacob created and designed a customized seat cushion for truck drivers that offered maximum comfort to the users by alleviating back pain and improving posture. This was O’Connor’s very first entrepreneurial venture that won him the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the StartUP program.
O’Connor is currently enrolled in Wichita State University to continue his entrepreneurial studies.
== Career ==
After his successful stride with the StartUP Program, Jacob continued to develop his prototype for seat cushions.
O’Connor then did an internship at Premobil, a medical device company located in Belleville, Illinois. He worked in the Product Development team at this company during the summer before his senior year of high school. 
O’Connor started a number of smaller businesses such as a lawn mowing business, a car detailing business, and selling customized pop sockets, but his breakthrough in the entrepreneurial space was through Venture Mentality LLC. 
In 2019, in his senior year of high school, Jacob founded Venture Mentality. Venture Mentality is a company designed to help people reach their goals and overcome their challenges. It’s all about helping people live out their “bucket list.” Within a month of starting Venture Mentality, O’Connor managed to interview some of the most influential performers in the world, including Joel Brown, Casey Adams, Jason Stone, Andy Dane Carter, and Ben Newman.
In a short period of time, O’Connor gained substantial traction with Venture Mentality expanding this venture to a lifestyle brand.
== Awards ==
O’Connor has received a number of awards before turning 20. He is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Monroe County), 2x Hunter Watson Grant, and a Jabara Scholar.
== Personal life ==
O’Connor grew up with two sisters and one brother. Jacob is passionate about exploring personal development, basketball, and traveling.
== Gallery == 
== In the media ==
* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dn82-jacob-oconnor-podcast-mastery-tips-from-high-school/id1457381714?i=1000469972967
* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-17-building-your-network-as-a-young-adult-ft-jacob-oconnor/id1492003215?i=1000475500095
* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/venture-mentality/id1478874764
== References ==
== External links ==
* Official Website
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Category:American entrepreneurs
Category:American businesspeople
Category:American fashion designers
Category:American podcasters