Brett Hurt: Why Austin-Round Rock Is Built for Entrepreneurs | The Rock Solid Podcast

In this episode of Rock Solid, host Bryan Eisenberg sits down with longtime friend and Austin native Brett Hurt, the entrepreneur behind Coremetrics, Bazaarvoice, and data.world. Brett reflects on his family’s roots in Round Rock, what the region was like growing up, and why Austin-Round Rock remains a uniquely authentic place to build a business, raise a family, and connect with a community that lifts people up. Brett shares his perspective on the region’s accelerating tech ecosystem, from SpaceX and deep tech to AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. He also explains how his early programming experiences, his grandfather’s lessons about money, freedom, and health, and his belief that “love conquers fear” shaped his leadership philosophy. The conversation explores building high-performing company cultures, creating businesses where people can thrive, entrepreneurship versus chasing wealth, and themes from Brett’s book, Love Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Future of Abundance for All. Rock Solid is brought to you by host Bryan Eisenberg, a New York Times bestselling author, digital pioneer and co-owner of A Place At Home - North Austin, a Round Rock based home care agency. Bill Combes, owner of a local Round Rock digital marketing agency, No Time for Social. Brent Pierce, owner of Round Rock Studio, empowering local businesses to share their stories with his two podcast sets and state of the art photo studio.