Andrew K. Smith Shares Charlie Kirk's Final Interview on Entrepreneurship and American Economy
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Andrew K. Smith Shares Charlie Kirk's Final Interview on Entrepreneurship and American Economy
Andrew K. Smith, cofounder and managing director of the Savory Fund, conducted what became Charlie Kirk's final interview just hours before his assassination. The interview, which aired on Fox Nation and Fox News, reveals a different side of Kirk, his entrepreneurial mind, his optimism about the American economy, and his founder mentality. Smith shares how Kirk, at just 31 years old, demonstrated exceptional business acumen beyond his political activism, discussing real estate development, restaurant ventures, and his philosophy that entrepreneurs are problem solvers who go against the tide. The conversation captures Kirk's final words about living through different seasons of life and his excitement about America's entrepreneurial landscape.
Andrew K. Smith never anticipated that his interview with Charlie Kirk would become the activist's last. As cofounder and managing director of the Savory Fund, a restaurant investment group, Smith connected with Kirk through an unexpected family connection. Kirk's cousin, Brian, served as president of one of the brands the Savory Fund had invested in, and he suggested his cousin speak to their group of young entrepreneurs.
"He said, hey, would you like to talk to my cousin, and I said, who's your cousin? Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk's your cousin? He has a great business mind, and maybe he could speak to all the young entrepreneurs," Smith recalled. What struck Smith immediately was Kirk's willingness to participate without compensation. "I said, we don't pay. He says, I don't want anything, I want to come and be part of this, and he came. He just wanted to help."
A 31-Year-Old Entrepreneur's Vision
Despite Kirk's youth, Smith was impressed by the breadth of his entrepreneurial activities. At just 31 years old, Kirk wasn't only focused on his political activism—he was involved in multiple business ventures behind the scenes.
"He was involved in so many things behind the scenes. He was doing real estate and talking to me about developing land, and would you like to put some of your restaurants there? Who else can you talk to help me? He was pushing his enterprise as a 31-year-old entrepreneur," Smith explained. "That's how you assess someone as a true founder and the founder mentality. He's blazing this trail and everyone else is behind him going I guess we'll just pick up the pieces."
Kirk's expansive network and ability to connect people and opportunities demonstrated a business acumen that went far beyond his public persona. His approach embodied what Smith called the "founder mentality"—constantly pushing forward, creating opportunities, and building connections.
Charlie Kirk on Entrepreneurship
During the interview, Kirk shared his philosophy on what it means to be an entrepreneur in America. His words reflected both his understanding of the risks entrepreneurs take and his optimism about the American economic system.
"An entrepreneur at its core is a problem solver against the tide," Kirk said. "Entrepreneurs are people that quit companies while they might be ascending or putting a second mortgage on their home or diving into savings or liquidating their 401(K), and I think there's something admirable about that kind of ambition. It makes the world a better place."
Kirk also emphasized the importance of positive thinking about the economy: "I would say that the more we can cheerlead the economy, the better. And the more that we can say that it's good, the more it will be good. I would much rather be the United States than Continental Europe right now, than a lot of these other countries."
Having just returned from Korea, Kirk's international travel had reinforced his appreciation for the American entrepreneurial landscape. Smith noted, "He was so excited about how the country is set up for founders, and I loved how he pointed that out, founders go against the tide. How against the tide was he? He is a founder."
Final Words of Wisdom
In what would become his final interview, Kirk shared timeless advice about navigating different seasons of life:
"No matter what season of life you're in, if you're going through the worst of times, this too shall pass. If you're going through the best of times, it's really humbling, this will not last forever. It's a time-transcendent truth that applies towards all periods as an entrepreneur. It humbles and builds you up when you need it, it gives you hope, it also gives you a gut check."
These words, spoken just hours before his death, reveal a philosophical depth and maturity beyond his years.
The Aftermath
After the interview concluded, Kirk and Smith talked backstage. The conversation was warm and forward-looking.
"He said that was so fun. I want to do it again. Can we do this again? I said, well, we do it once a year. He said let's take a pic, and he said, I'll call you after my event," Smith recounted. "He walked out the back, jumped in a Suburban and was killed within an hour."
The Savory Fund doesn't typically record their private events, but this interview was captured almost by accident. When Smith realized what they had, he immediately contacted Kirk's family to determine how to handle the footage.
"I was reeling really hard for the first four or five days knowing that we had recorded this," Smith said. "I was in contact with the family saying how do we want to release this to the world? Everybody should see he's different than a sound bite and a headline."
A Multidimensional Legacy
The interview reveals a side of Kirk that many never saw—not just the political activist and media personality, but the business-minded entrepreneur, the networker, the founder with big ideas and the drive to execute them. It shows someone who, at 31, had already accomplished more than most do in a lifetime, yet was still eager to learn, connect, and grow.
As the interview aired on Fox Nation and Fox News, it offered viewers a chance to see Kirk's brilliance in a different context—one that highlighted his entrepreneurial spirit, his love for America's economic freedom, and his wisdom about life's inevitable ups and downs. The footage stands as a testament to a young man who embodied the American entrepreneurial spirit in every aspect of his life.
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