Table of Contents
Sometimes, life-changing decisions are made in the most unexpected places. For Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and a millionaire entrepreneur, that place was a Waffle House in Virginia.
Back in 2004, Ohanian was preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), the standard exam required to enter law school in the U.S. He had studied, planned his career path, and was seated in the exam hall like thousands of other aspiring lawyers. But just 20 minutes into the test, he realized something profound: law wasn’t his true calling.
Instead of finishing the exam, Ohanian walked out, drove to a nearby Waffle House, and decided then and there that he would not pursue law school. Instead, he told himself he was “gonna invent a career.”
From Waffle House Epiphany to Reddit
The decision turned out to be pivotal. Along with his college roommate Steve Huffman, Ohanian co-founded Reddit, the now world-famous online discussion platform often dubbed “the front page of the internet.”
Reddit went on to become a cornerstone of online culture, valued at over $10 billion as of its most recent funding rounds, and recently completed a successful IPO in 2024.
Ohanian himself became a multimillionaire through Reddit and later ventures, including venture capital investments and founding Seven Seven Six, an early-stage VC firm backing ambitious startups.
The Power of Walking Away
Ohanian’s story highlights an unconventional but inspiring message: success doesn’t always come from following the traditional route. For many, walking away from a set path can feel like failure. But in his case, it was the moment that opened the door to a career that not only made him wealthy but also reshaped the internet.
As he has shared in interviews, the experience taught him that sometimes walking away from “Plan A” is the best way to create a better “Plan B.”
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs and young professionals can draw three big lessons from Ohanian’s story:
- Self-Awareness Matters: Recognizing when a path isn’t right is a form of wisdom, not weakness.
- Opportunities Are Everywhere: Even a Waffle House can be the birthplace of a billion-dollar idea.
- Invent Your Own Path: Many iconic entrepreneurs—from Steve Jobs to Elon Musk—broke away from conventional careers to create something entirely new.
External References
- CNBC Make It: Alexis Ohanian on walking out of LSAT
- Business Insider on Reddit’s early years
- TechCrunch: Reddit’s IPO success
FAQs
1. Why did Alexis Ohanian walk out of the LSAT?
He realized law wasn’t his passion and decided to pursue entrepreneurship instead.
2. What did Alexis Ohanian do after leaving the LSAT?
He co-founded Reddit with Steve Huffman, which grew into a multi-billion-dollar social platform.
3. How much is Reddit worth today?
Reddit is valued at over $10 billion, following its 2024 IPO.
4. What companies has Ohanian invested in since Reddit?
He founded venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, which invests in early-stage startups.
5. What lesson can aspiring entrepreneurs learn from Ohanian’s story?
That it’s okay to pivot from the “safe” route—sometimes the boldest decisions lead to the biggest payoffs.
