The NFX Podcast Josh Elman & James Currier on the Arrival of the Next Social Era
Today Josh Elman & James Currier discuss the history of social media, where it is today, and the next wave of social companies that may be a result of the current lockdown situation. Due to the massive behavioral changes over the last few months, Founders may have room to build and the 'Golden Age' of social media might see a resurfacing. Josh Elman has run product for top-tier companies like Robinhood, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and was a partner at Greylock.
In this episode, we discuss:
- A brief history of social media
- The behavioral changes from COVID-19
- The 'New Wave' of social media platforms
- The opportunity for founders to build companies
- How social products reshape the human connection
Be on the lookout for new episodes on The NFX Podcast and read more NFX content at - www.nfx.com/essays
(0:00) Introduction and the Evolution of Social Media (10:48) The Current State of Social Media Platforms and User Behavior (13:38) Advice for Early-stage Founders in Social Media Startups (19:30) Predictions for Future Opportunities in Social Media (23:16) The Shift Towards Experience-based Social Media and Bringing Humanity into Digital Interactions (33:37) The Importance of Humanity in Technology and Psychology in Startup Innovation (35:43) Transition from Meerkat to House Party: Challenges and Lessons Learned (41:56) The Power of a 10x Better Product: Identifying and Capitalizing on It (47:53) The Importance of Constant Product Evolution and User Engagement in Social Media (55:13) The Growth and Evolution of Discord (55:29) Conclusion and Appreciation of the Conversation