Pathfinder: Blake Hall - Colossus
Each issue, we showcase someone doing the thing they seemed destined to do. We call these people Pathfinders because, beyond the direct impact of their creations, they set an example by identifying their life’s work—and relentlessly pursuing it. Blake Hall’s path to founding ID.me began with his experience commanding an elite platoon of scouts and snipers in Iraq. When he returned home, he discovered a problem: veterans suffered from identity theft at nearly twice the rate of other Americans, while simultaneously struggling to prove their service status to access hard-earned benefits. Since its founding in 2010, ID.me has grown into America’s largest digital identity network, with over 140 million members, as it pursues a bold vision: a single secure login for everyone’s online identity. Colossus Review: You were 23 when you were deployed to Iraq, in charge of 32 scouts and snipers in your platoon. How do you reflect on the experience of that responsibility at such a young age? Blake H
Pathfinder: Blake Hall - Colossus Loading Search Podcasts Invest Like the Best Business Breakdowns Founder’s Field Guide Joys of Compounding Founders 50X Magazine Newsletter About Us Sponsors Subscribe Log in Copyright © 2026 Colossus. All rights reserved. Q&A Pathfinder: Blake Hall The founder of ID.me on war, vocation, and identity April 2025 Issue 02 PHOTOS BY JARED SOARES Click here to subscribe to print for your office or home. Each issue, we showcase someone doing the thing they seemed destined to do. We call these people Pathfinders because, beyond the direct impact of their
Explore this link on the map →related reading
- i wish we’d grown up on the same advice - by vincent huangmindslice.substack.com
- World-building IRL - by joss and Wygo - box.boxx.substack.com
- Conviction is the Scarcest Resource: Dialogues About Convictionblog.aayushg.com
- World-building IRL - by joss and Wygo - box.boxx.substack.com
- Galactic Empire | Purdue Hackersblog.purduehackers.com
- Ronald McDonald just chased me thru the play place and I spilled my apple juiceaadillpickle.substack.com
- Flounder Mode - Colossusjoincolossus.com
- You don’t have to be a founder | MIT Admissionsmitadmissions.org
- Kernel | A Guide to Options at the End of the Worldkernelmag.io
- Schlep Blindnesspaulgraham.com
- Thoughts on Meaning and Writing – Matt Lakemanmattlakeman.org
- 10,000 Hours with Reid Hoffman: What I Learned – Ben Casnochacasnocha.com