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INDIE AUDIO

At Home with Karri Saarinen, Cofounder of Linear

Sep 13, 2024
In a deep dive with Karri Saarinen, cofounder of Linear, they discuss their unconventional approach to building a company with emphasis on quality over rapid scaling. Karri shares insights on maintaining a net-negative lifetime burn rate while raising funds and navigating ‘Founder Mode’ challenges. They also explore innovative hiring practices from Airbnb and Coinbase, and even dive into the delicious world of Finnish potatoes versus American varieties. This conversation is a refreshing take on entrepreneurship that prioritizes craftsmanship and sustainable growth.
01:17:13

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Linear prioritizes product quality and craft over traditional rapid scaling, allowing for sustainable growth without compromising excellence.
  • The founders' experiences at major tech companies inform their non-traditional approach, helping them avoid pitfalls associated with blitzscaling.

Deep dives

Valuing Quality Over Rapid Growth

The founders prioritize building a product with high quality rather than adhering to the traditional fast-scaling methods often pushed by venture capitalists. They recognize the allure of aggressive growth tactics like blitzscaling but argue that these strategies can detract from the core objective of delivering an exceptional product. Instead, they aim to ensure that their product speaks for itself, fostering organic word-of-mouth among users. This approach allows them to maintain focus on the quality of their output rather than succumbing to pressure for immediate growth.

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