How did you get into computers?

I managed to convince my parents to get me a PC in eighth or ninth grade — that it would help me with my career. In reality I just wanted to play video games. Then I got a 33.6 dial-up connection, and I was building websites for strangers on the internet for free. I just wanted a chance to flex as a web developer. They had no idea I was this dorky kid at my parents’ house.

What was your first job?

My first job was at a CompUSA demo-ing software, and it was the worst public speaking experience a teenager going through puberty could have. Every 30 minutes I’d have to get on a mic and demo to the whole store some lame piece of hardware or software and literally get ignored by people. People would walk up to me, look at me and then walk away.

But I got paid well for it, and basically got my 10,000 hours of public speaking out of the way at an early age. From there I worked as a cook and dishwasher at Pizza Hut. Then I worked my way up to a waiter, where I learned basically everything I’ve ever needed to know about customer service.

Did you think you were going to be an entrepreneur?

I’d been studying for the LSAT. I was going to be an immigration lawyer. I had this romantic idea of helping people get citizenship. But then I realized how much I hated what I was doing, so I went and got a waffle instead. It was at a Waffle House I realized I wanted to start something.

So in 2005, how’d you start Reddit?

I convinced my college roommate to start a business that would help people skip lines. That didn’t work out. But then [the Silicon Valley incubator] Y Combinator said, “O.K., take our money and do something else.” And that was Reddit.