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Lamar Cannon

Relationship Type: Colleague / Friend (Gauntlet AI / Alpha Ecosystem) First Met: Gauntlet AI Program (Implied) Last Interaction: 2025-05-19 (Vietnamese Restaurant and Car Ride to Soho House) Connection Strength: Strong

Background Information​

  • Participant in Gauntlet AI program.
  • Appears technically skilled but also values energy and intuition.
  • Involved in brainstorming and potentially implementing movement-building initiatives.
  • Originally from Odessa, Texas (known for "oil and football")

Professional Life​

  • Interested in the business side of Alpha Schools, particularly school acquisition strategy.
  • Proposed a vendor fee + commission model for acquiring schools.
  • Engages actively in strategic discussions regarding Alpha School, movement building, and related tech.
  • Part of the team potentially building the micro-school platform.
  • Working on the Strata project and concerned with maintaining a positive perception of it.
  • Believes Alpha will eventually hire everyone who's worthwhile.
  • Post-opening a school, which seems significant as he claims to be the only one in the building who has done this.

Personal Traits & Dynamics​

  • Gets energized ("hyped") by Gary's ideas.
  • Sees Arpan Gupta as a logical counterpoint ("makes me feel dumb").
  • Values sports analogies and enjoys watching high-level competition (NCAA finals).
  • Appreciates directness and clear value propositions.
  • Engages openly in philosophical discussions (reality as a game, manifestation, AI's impact).
  • Has experience with pick-up techniques and credits them with helping develop his social skills.
  • Observant of office dynamics and strategic in his interactions.

Interests​

  • School acquisition strategies.
  • Business development models (commission structures).
  • AI applications (team members as APIs, manifestation tools).
  • Sports (NCAA Basketball).
  • Movement building and strategy.
  • Visiting Alpha School.
  • Potentially visiting Trish Taylor.
  • Soho House membership (expressed strong interest in becoming a member).

Shared Connections​

  • Gary Sheng
  • Joe Liemandt
  • Arpan Gupta
  • Malekai Mischke
  • Danny Mota
  • Other Gauntlet AI participants (Dallas, Spencer, Nils etc.)
  • Alpha School staff (Alicia, Rebecca indirectly)
  • Roger (colleague who seems to be struggling)
  • Benji (colleague with unusual behaviors)
  • AZ (colleague who manages expenses)

Key Insights & Perspectives Shared​

  • Believes Gary's strength is energy and acquisition, contrasting with others focused on details/real estate.
  • Resonated with the idea of reality as a game influenced by manifestation/prompts.
  • Confirmed the value of internal knowledge sharing/journaling for the movement.
  • Agreed with the potential of AI tools for manifestation and personal development.
  • Shared insights on Austin geography (soil preventing skyscrapers on one side).
  • Discussed the cyclical nature of human eras (contemplative, scientific, post-science).
  • Agreed on the increasing value of "vibe" and authentic connection.
  • Provided perspective on Gauntlet group dynamics and personality shifts post-program.
  • Further discussed Joe Liemandt's management style as a "free for all" where high-agency individuals identify and execute on needs without explicit direction.
  • Agreed on the concept of "Gauntlet 2.0" - the post-program phase where value creation within the ecosystem is key.
  • Discussed the importance of indirect influence – having others (guides, students, leaders) recognize and communicate value rather than self-promotion.
  • Understood the strategic value of John Alznauer's social media distribution platform.
  • Discussed the importance of trusting the process and relying on faith/divine flow within the high-agency environment.
  • Shared perspective on invoicing/sub-contracting (limited personal need).
  • Discussed Joe Liemandt's management style and the Gauntlet 2.0 dynamic with Danny and Arpan.
  • Believes there's increasing tension between Gauntlet participants and existing staff who perceive them as threats.
  • Confirmed understanding that Gauntlet was specifically created to replace existing staff who aren't embracing AI.
  • Observes that existing staff often lack documentation and proper processes.
  • Believes in delegating and orchestrating rather than doing everything personally.

Interaction History​

  • 2025-03-24: Attended Gary's birthday dinner.
  • 2025-04-07: Spent extended time with Gary, including Tesla drive and watching NCAA finals at Champions Bar. Discussed school acquisition strategy, America 2.0 Summit participants, Alpha School insights, AI concepts, and personal philosophies.
  • 2025-04-08: Dinner with Gary and Rebecca Metters. Discussed potential Alpha School initiatives, Gauntlet AI cohort dynamics, spirituality, and future plans.
  • 2025-04-10: Conversation with Gary Sheng (during Gary's haircut). Discussed interpreting Joe's methods, the "Gauntlet 2.0" environment, strategy for adding value, leveraging networks (John Alznauer's platform), and the importance of building internal support.
  • 2025-04-10 (Later): Joined conversation with Gary, Chris Locke, and Elle Liemandt at Alpha School. Discussed trusting the process, potential Vibe School concept, practical logistics (invoicing), and ecosystem dynamics.
  • 2025-04-12: Participated in conversation with Gary, Danny Mota, and Arpan Gupta, including interaction with an Iranian Uber driver and listening to Joe Liemandt's strategy discussion at the Gauntlet office.
  • 2025-05-19: Met with Gary at a Vietnamese restaurant and drove him to Soho House. Discussed office dynamics, tensions with existing staff, Arthur's confirmation that Gauntlet was meant to replace old staff, Gary's recent trip and high-level meetings, dating, and business strategies.
  • 2025-07-11: Participated in extended group discussion at Superbuilders office with Gary and team members. Contributed to discussions about space industry opportunities, Austin real estate, social media dynamics, and various technology trends.
  • 2025-07-30: Phone conversation with Gary where Gary informed him of his decision to move to Tulsa in August 2025 to work with Dr. Lael Alexander, transitioning away from Alpha Schools. Discussed team building philosophy, AI infrastructure challenges, geographic investment strategies, and mutual influence on each other's career trajectories. Lamar expressed strong support for Gary's transition and acknowledged their reciprocal impact on each other's decisions.

Potential Opportunities / Collaboration Areas​

  • Developing school acquisition strategy and potentially executing deals.
  • Brainstorming and building movement infrastructure tools (internal journal, manifestation app).
  • Visiting Alpha School together for networking and insights.
  • Continued strategic sparring partner for Gary.
  • Potentially helping with a sales/marketing focused Gauntlet-style program at Alpha School.
  • Collaborating on organizing "Alpha Dinners" for power players.
  • Helping with "Alpha Hacks" events.
  • Potentially sharing a Soho House membership with Gary.
  • Orchestrating projects rather than doing everything personally.

Contact Information​

  • Email: [Update if available]
  • Phone: [Update if available]
  • Address: [Update if relevant]

Personal Background​

  • Attended Gary's birthday dinner at Zach Casler's home on 2025-03-24
  • Originally from Odessa, Texas (known for "oil and football")
  • Has lived in the Austin area for about 10 years
  • Recently moved to New Braunfels but in the process of moving back to Austin
  • Values recognizing patterns and thinking ahead
  • Has a personal philosophy of "everything's temporary" and "everything's gonna work out perfectly"
  • Maintains an optimistic outlook on life and circumstances
  • Described by Gary as "the best" who "schools everyone"
  • Mentioned having a girlfriend who was understanding of his sudden late-night office visits

Professional Background​

  • Has been following AI tools and developments since 2018
  • Expected AI capabilities in 2020 that were delayed until 2025
  • Former FENCE (unclear what this refers to)
  • Strong focus on code exploration and technical learning

Expertise​

  • AI development and tools
  • GitHub code exploration and analysis
  • Pattern recognition
  • Early technology trend identification
  • Programming and coding
  • Social skills developed through pick-up techniques
  • Strategic thinking and observation

Current Projects & Interests​

  • Spends more time on GitHub than Twitter, exploring code repositories
  • Daily routine includes checking GitHub for new AI repositories
  • Particularly interested in Trinity repositories
  • Committed to spending 10 hours daily building with AI in 2025
  • Believed to have already planned a year of intense AI development (10 hours daily) before joining Gauntlet AI
  • Views the current AI revolution as a historic opportunity, comparing it to the dot-com boom but with the advantage of being present at the beginning
  • Believes education is the most suitable industry for applying AI technology and talent
  • Working on the Strata project, concerned about its perception among colleagues

Connections​

  • Gary Sheng (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Zachary Casler (Attended birthday dinner at his home)
  • Joe Liemandt (Attended birthday dinner together, possible future collaborator in education)
  • Uzair Mahmud (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Dallas Klein (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Spencer Chubb (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Gabe (Spencer's fiancee) (Attended birthday dinner together)
  • Nils Lang (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Malekai Mischke (Attended birthday dinner together, fellow Gauntlet AI participant)
  • Matthew Brown (Attended birthday dinner together)
  • Roger (Colleague who seems to be struggling and "melting down")
  • Benji (Colleague with unusual behaviors like "Japanese head nods")
  • K (Colleague who is always first to spot Joe arriving)
  • Leigh White (Female colleague who occasionally comes to the office)
  • Terry (Female colleague mentioned briefly)
  • Amelia (Young female colleague who rarely comes to the office)

Notes​

  • Seems to be a key ally and collaborator for Gary within the Gauntlet/Alpha group.
  • Provides enthusiastic energy and practical business ideas (like the commission structure).
  • Open to exploring deeper philosophical and strategic concepts.
  • Observant of office dynamics and strategic about his interactions.
  • Has confirmed that Gauntlet participants were brought in specifically to replace existing staff who aren't embracing AI.
  • Pays for his own expenses rather than dealing with company expense processes.
  • Believes in the importance of learning to delegate and orchestrate rather than doing everything personally.

From the dinner transcript, Lamar appears to be exceptionally dedicated to exploring and building with AI. He describes spending more time on GitHub than Twitter, despite being active on Twitter, which demonstrates his technical focus and commitment to understanding code at a deep level.

He views the current AI revolution as a historic opportunity, comparing it to the dot-com boom but with the advantage of being present at the beginning.

Lamar asked Joe Liemandt directly whether education was the best industry to apply AI talent and energy, indicating his interest in finding the most impactful application areas. His background from oil-rich Odessa combined with his technical focus suggests a practical, grounded approach to technology.

His personal philosophy emphasizes the temporary nature of both challenges and successes, which seems to help him maintain perspective and optimism. He believes things will "work out perfectly" even if they don't happen according to the original timeline.

Potential Collaboration Areas​

  • AI development for education technology
  • GitHub repository analysis and exploration
  • Early identification of promising AI projects
  • Pattern recognition in technology trends
  • AI applications that align with Joe Liemandt's education initiatives
  • Building AI tools that leverage public repositories
  • Strategic business development
  • Delegating and orchestrating projects

Additional Context (from October 2025)​

  • Strategic Calculation About Joe Liemandt: Per Ron Roberts' conversation with Gary (2025-10-25), Lamar has "made that calculation in their head" that "there's no way that they don't know that Joe's like super problematic" but has chosen to work within the system for strategic advantage rather than confrontation

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-07-30-gary-sheng-lamar-cannon-tulsa-transition-discussion2025-07-30Gary informs Lamar of his decision to move to Tulsa to work with Dr. Lael Alexander
2025-07-11-superbuilders-office-group-discussion-summary2025-07-11Extended group discussion covering education reform, technology, and Alpha Schools dynamics
2025-04-10-lamar-cannon-barbershop-convo2025-04-10Strategic discussion about navigating Alpha ecosystem and interpreting Joe Liemandt's methods
2025-04-08-dinner-rebecca-lamar2025-04-08Dinner conversation on Alpha School initiatives and Gauntlet dynamics with Rebecca Metters
2025-04-07-lamar-cannon-tesla-drive-sports-bar2025-04-07Tesla drive and Champions Bar discussion covering Alpha School strategy, America 2.0 Summit planning, and manifestation concepts
2025-03-25-post-dinner-reflection-group2025-03-25Post-dinner reflection with Arpan, Lamar, Spencer and Dallas discussing Joe's interactions and strategic approaches
2025-03-24-dinner-with-arpan-dallas-lamar2025-03-24Casual dinner conversation with fellow AI bootcamp participants covering various topics
2025-03-24-joe-liemandt-birthday-dinner2025-03-24Birthday dinner at Zachary Casler's home with extensive discussion on education reform, AI development, and Alpha Schools initiatives