Acquired

Season 2, Episode 5: The Dropbox IPO

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Mar 26, 2018
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ANECDOTE

Dropbox's Origin on The Bus

  • Drew Houston invented Dropbox after forgetting his thumb drive on a bus trip and coding a file-sync solution on the spot.
  • This story highlights the problem-driven origin of Dropbox as a real engineer's frustration turned into innovation.
INSIGHT

Simple Syncing Nailed Early

  • Dropbox's core product feature, syncing files by placing them in a folder, was nailed within weeks of the company's founding.
  • This simple, intuitive design became the product's enduring magic and main user value.
ADVICE

Embrace Skeptics Early On

  • Early criticism of Dropbox highlighted doubts about virality and income generation.
  • Founders should persist through skepticism and focus on sound product-market fit.
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