Steven Bartlett

But just looking at my own portfolio, I often find myself like feeling like an old man because I'm telling them that like spend more time hiring, not just hiring your friends because they're willing to come work here.

That's great. You need the others too. I think when I was young, when I was 18, 19 years old, I somewhere in my brain thought my outcomes were going to be determined by how hard I worked and how good my ideas were. And it wasn't until I accidentally hired someone fantastic that I realized the absolute tremendous impact that an A player can have on everything.

That's great. You need the others too. I think when I was young, when I was 18, 19 years old, I somewhere in my brain thought my outcomes were going to be determined by how hard I worked and how good my ideas were. And it wasn't until I accidentally hired someone fantastic that I realized the absolute tremendous impact that an A player can have on everything.

And that was just such a mental shift for me.

And that was just such a mental shift for me.

Okay, yeah. Yeah. When you're a young founder, you're somewhat insecure, though. You think, oh, God, why would that person want to come work here? Or I can't afford them.

Okay, yeah. Yeah. When you're a young founder, you're somewhat insecure, though. You think, oh, God, why would that person want to come work here? Or I can't afford them.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's my experience that young founders don't really think about that. Because they're also insecure. So they think, I can't manage that person.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's my experience that young founders don't really think about that. Because they're also insecure. So they think, I can't manage that person.

Like, just go! Right? And is there anything practical about hiring? You know, people say, like, hire slow, fire fast, or other sort of, like, cliche advice around hiring that matters. Like, how important is it that they're culturally aligned?

Like, just go! Right? And is there anything practical about hiring? You know, people say, like, hire slow, fire fast, or other sort of, like, cliche advice around hiring that matters. Like, how important is it that they're culturally aligned?

Right? Yeah. Got some ammo, and they can't then say, oh, no, I've never seen that. They'll probably give you a little bit more context. Yes. On all these great people you've worked with, specifically, you know, during that PayPal period of your life, Mm-hmm. One of the things I was reflecting on is they're all independently successful people, but they're all very different people.

Right? Yeah. Got some ammo, and they can't then say, oh, no, I've never seen that. They'll probably give you a little bit more context. Yes. On all these great people you've worked with, specifically, you know, during that PayPal period of your life, Mm-hmm. One of the things I was reflecting on is they're all independently successful people, but they're all very different people.

And that in and of itself is evidence that there's not one version of success. There's many different types of success. Presumably there's many different types of entrepreneur, leader. Give me a flavor of the different types of entrepreneurs you've worked with. Because I sat with Walter Isaacson, and he talked to me about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, et cetera, and he was like,

And that in and of itself is evidence that there's not one version of success. There's many different types of success. Presumably there's many different types of entrepreneur, leader. Give me a flavor of the different types of entrepreneurs you've worked with. Because I sat with Walter Isaacson, and he talked to me about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, et cetera, and he was like,

Steve's really great at hiring people. Elon's not as good at the people team building part, but he's better at this part.

Steve's really great at hiring people. Elon's not as good at the people team building part, but he's better at this part.

He pitched it to you as an investor? Yes. Yeah. At what point was SpaceX at when he pitched it? That was before he started it.

He pitched it to you as an investor? Yes. Yeah. At what point was SpaceX at when he pitched it? That was before he started it.

Really? Well, yeah. Of course you would, yeah. My friends said that to me. I think I'd make a couple of calls just to check in. You know what I mean? Like, is Elon doing okay? He just told me about this turtle. Yes. It's like, that's not a business. Has your opinion of him changed over time in terms of his potential and ability as an entrepreneur?