Cole Harrington

Cole grew up in a small Texas town where his family runs a hardware store, and most of his summers were spent down by the river. Basketball paid his way through college, then a few years as a pro, including overseas, until a torn meniscus ended it early.

Now he runs a sports-rehab startup in Austin, built on something he learned the hard way: most athletes have no idea when to stop. Off the clock it's fishing, sports-science papers, and pickup games when his knee allows.

He's easygoing and direct, and happy to talk about pretty much anything, startup stuff included.

Good for: Grinding through a long workday side by side, getting back into a routine after a setback, or just talking ball.