#542

Mentioned in 35 episodes

The Founders

The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley

Book • 2024

In 'The Founders', Jimmy Soni delves into the turbulent early days of PayPal, a company that would become one of the world's foremost payment platforms.

With hundreds of interviews and unprecedented access to internal material, Soni chronicles the challenges faced by the founders, including bruising competition, internal strife, online fraud, and the dot-com bust of the 2000s.

The book highlights how this group of entrepreneurs, often referred to as the 'PayPal mafia', went on to form, fund, and advise leading companies such as Tesla, Facebook, YouTube, SpaceX, and LinkedIn.

It is a story of iteration, inventiveness, and the profound impact these individuals had on modern technology and entrepreneurship.

Mentioned by

Lenny Rachitsky

Danielle Strachman

Mentioned in 35 episodes

Mentioned by

David Senra

when discussing PayPal's hiring practices and prioritization of speed.

#329 Charlie Munger (the NEW Poor Charlie's Almanack)

Recommended by

David Senra

as a book covering the history of PayPal.

#278 Peter Thiel

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to strategic maneuvers and business tactics.

Jay Z's Autobiography

Mentioned by

David Senra

while discussing the history of Paypal and its impact on Silicon Valley.

#234 Sam Walton: Made In America

Mentioned by

David Senra

, quoting Max Levchin's perspective on ideal employees.

#371 James J. Hill: The Empire Builder

Mentioned by

David Perell

, emphasizing the value of insights from less prominent individuals in interviews.

Sam Parr: How To Make $2 Million A Month By Writing

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to his friendship with the author and the book's content on PayPal.

#345 George Lucas

Mentioned by

David Senra

as the main topic of the podcast episode.

#233 Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Max Levchin (PayPal)

Mentioned by David Sacks as a book he optioned for a television series adaptation.

E160: 2024 Predictions! Markets, tech, politics, and more

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to the competitive landscape of the tech industry during the dot-com bubble.

#336 How To Lose A Few Billion Dollars: Samuel Insull

Mentioned by

David Senra

while discussing the importance of hiring top talent.

#279 What I Learned Before I Sold to Warren Buffett

Mentioned by

David Senra

in relation to the early history of PayPal and Elon Musk's experiences.

#341 Cornelius Vanderbilt (Tycoon's War)

Mentioned by

David Senra

as a book about PayPal and its founders.

#235 Steve Jobs (The Pixar Story)

Mentioned by

David Senra

when discussing Max Levchin's quote on identifying the best employees.

#242 Francis Ford Coppola: A Filmmaker's Life

Mentioned by the podcast host in the context of the intense learning cadence at startups.

#236 Nims Purja (Mountain Climber)

Mentioned by the podcast host who received an advanced copy.

#231 William Rosenberg (Founder of Dunkin Donuts)

Mentioned by

Danielle Strachman

.

Michael Gibson & Danielle Strachman — The 1517 Rebellion (EP.279)

Mentioned by

Cal Newport

when discussing books he reads.

Ep. 203: Taming Meetings

Mentioned by

Lenny Rachitsky

as a book detailing the early history of PayPal.

How to own your career growth and become a powerful product leader | Deb Liu, Ancestry (ex-Facebook, PayPal)

Mentioned by

Preston Pysh

and

Jimmy Soni

in relation to tech pioneers and billionaires.

BTC188: Claude Shannon and Information Theory with Jimmy Soni (Bitcoin Podcast)

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