Steven Bartlett

Wow. And back then, was it a social network as it is now, where there's a news feed and people talking to each other? Or was it more of a-

Okay, interesting. So the network effects were slightly less important than the model is today because a lot of people today are using it not to search for a job or a professional, but to...

Okay, interesting. So the network effects were slightly less important than the model is today because a lot of people today are using it not to search for a job or a professional, but to...

it didn't really, really matter if anybody was chatting to you about what they ate for dinner that day. So a new network could penetrate the market that was less dependent on the like social networking component. Because if I go in there and make a profile and put my CV up, It doesn't really matter if I don't come back for four days.

it didn't really, really matter if anybody was chatting to you about what they ate for dinner that day. So a new network could penetrate the market that was less dependent on the like social networking component. Because if I go in there and make a profile and put my CV up, It doesn't really matter if I don't come back for four days.

Because I can get an email that will bring me back in saying, oh, there's a job here. But once my profile is up and ready, I'm now giving value to the rest of the network just by being there. Yes.

Because I can get an email that will bring me back in saying, oh, there's a job here. But once my profile is up and ready, I'm now giving value to the rest of the network just by being there. Yes.

Yeah, I could never understand how LinkedIn did that, but now it makes sense to me. Yes. Because I always think, God, building a social network is asking for, like, hell in your life.

Yeah, I could never understand how LinkedIn did that, but now it makes sense to me. Yes. Because I always think, God, building a social network is asking for, like, hell in your life.

Oh, I didn't realize you were going to invest in Friendster as well.

Oh, I didn't realize you were going to invest in Friendster as well.

were part of what they call the PayPal mafia. I know you use a different term.

were part of what they call the PayPal mafia. I know you use a different term.

But mafia is cool as well. Yes, yes. People love the term mafia. And through that time, you worked with the likes of Elon. You knew Peter Thiel from your days at university. I mean, everybody asks this question about PayPal. And why it was so successful, but also why so many of the alumni of PayPal went on to become multi-billionaires.

But mafia is cool as well. Yes, yes. People love the term mafia. And through that time, you worked with the likes of Elon. You knew Peter Thiel from your days at university. I mean, everybody asks this question about PayPal. And why it was so successful, but also why so many of the alumni of PayPal went on to become multi-billionaires.

I think seven people that were part of that sort of early PayPal founding team went on to create Tesla, YouTube, Reddit, SpaceX, LinkedIn. Was it talent density? Was that what made the PayPal Matthew?

I think seven people that were part of that sort of early PayPal founding team went on to create Tesla, YouTube, Reddit, SpaceX, LinkedIn. Was it talent density? Was that what made the PayPal Matthew?

I often hazard a guess at what the fundamental game of business is for a startup founder. And I've hazarded a guess before that it's recruiting the best group of people you possibly can, binding them with a culture that gets the best out of them, and setting them a vision that's worthwhile. But from reading your work, there's a couple of things.

I often hazard a guess at what the fundamental game of business is for a startup founder. And I've hazarded a guess before that it's recruiting the best group of people you possibly can, binding them with a culture that gets the best out of them, and setting them a vision that's worthwhile. But from reading your work, there's a couple of things.

So when I say sales, I actually mean like selling to employees.