How I Built This with Guy Raz Snap: Evan Spiegel
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Apr 21, 2025 
Evan Spiegel, Co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc., shares his fascinating journey from a Stanford design project to leading a billion-dollar social media giant. He discusses rejecting Mark Zuckerberg’s buyout offer, driven by a vision for Snap's potential to revolutionize communication. Evan reflects on early challenges, such as funding and competition, and the strategic decisions that shaped Snapchat, including embracing augmented reality. He emphasizes innovation and ethical engagement as Snap evolves, exploring a future where technology aligns with social responsibility.
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Early Startup Failure at Stanford
- Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy initially built an app called Future Freshman to simplify college applications.
- Despite good software, they couldn't compete due to competitors' distribution advantages and shut it down after 18 months.
Clarify Founder Roles Early
- Founders must clearly define roles and responsibilities and get agreements in writing early.
- Unclear expectations among co-founders can lead to disputes and legal battles later.
Snapchat’s Unique Virality Model
- Snapchat's growth was driven by users wanting to communicate with close friends, not by large social graphs.
- Virality was unique because it depended on small, tight networks, unlike typical social media growth.