DoorDash co-Founder & CEO: food delivery, first order and hard work
Mar 27, 2024
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Tony Xu, Co-founder & CEO of DoorDash, shares insights on transforming the food delivery industry, the war on bits and atoms, organizing the physical world, and building a culture of excellence at DoorDash. Discover his journey from childhood to entrepreneurship and the significance of self-discovery and uniqueness.
Tony Xu's journey highlights the power of hard work and seizing opportunities.
Building a culture of high accountability and teamwork is crucial for success at DoorDash.
Deep dives
Tony Xu's Inspirational Journey
Tony Xu's journey from arriving in the US with his parents at a young age to co-founding the highly successful company DoorDash demonstrates the power of hard work, resilience, and seizing opportunities. His reflections on starting from humble beginnings and his family's sacrifices underscore the impact of determination and perseverance on achieving success.
Lessons From Early Adversities
Growing up in challenging circumstances where he changed schools frequently and his parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, Tony Xu learned the value of independence, adaptability, and making sound decisions. These early adversities instilled in him a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for the sacrifices his family made to create a better future.
Founding DoorDash and Overcoming Setbacks
The inception of DoorDash, starting with a simple first order delivered personally by Tony Xu and his co-founders, showcased their grit and determination. Overcoming setbacks like fundraising challenges and nearly running out of cash multiple times highlighted their resilience and ability to navigate obstacles. The emphasis on a high ownership culture and dedication to continuous improvement fueled DoorDash's growth.
Cultural Values and Leadership Insights
Building a culture centered on high accountability, ownership, and teamwork has been instrumental in DoorDash's success. Tony Xu's leadership philosophy emphasizes identifying and empowering individuals' strengths, fostering a culture of learning, and balancing optimization with innovation. Drawing inspiration from his experiences at DoorDash and Meta, Tony champions a culture that fosters individual growth, team collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Tony Xu founded this company as a student and has since transformed it into a global leader in food delivery. Tony shares unique insights into how he made DoorDash a success, his vision for the future of delivery, the war on bits and atoms, and how to organize the physical world. Join us as we explore the world of DoorDash with the very impressive CEO.
The production team on this episode were PLAN-B's Pål Huuse and Niklas Figenschau Johansen. Background research was done by Sigurd Brekke, with input from portfolio manager Irene Jensen.