Max Levchin, the visionary behind Affirm and co-founder of PayPal, shares his insights on hiring top talent and managing extreme personalities. He challenges the traditional talent grading system, arguing it's outdated. Levchin also underscores the importance of learning from failure over success and advocates for a robust writing culture within companies. He discusses creating transparent post-mortems to foster continuous improvement and how to navigate the competitive landscape of the 'buy now, pay later' market.

Max Levchin, co-founder of PayPal and founder of Affirm, shares his journey from Soviet Ukraine to Silicon Valley's tech scene. He discusses the formation of PayPal with notable figures like Elon Musk and the challenges they faced, including Musk's ouster as CEO. Levchin reflects on the intense work culture and pivotal moments in the company's rapid growth, driven by innovation. His transition to entrepreneurship after PayPal's acquisition by eBay showcases his relentless drive to create impactful fintech solutions.

Max Levchin, Co-founder of PayPal, discusses the challenges of navigating early inflection points and battling fraud in the fledgling business. Topics include the rivalry with X.com, intense competition and paranoia, leadership changes, fighting fraud with CAPTCHA, and the long-lasting impact of PayPal's fraud-fighting tools.

During its formative years in the late 1990's, Paypal attracted an extraordinary group of young entrepreneurs, who then went on to build some of the best known companies in tech. They became known as The PayPal Mafia—and Max Levchin was one of the leaders. A computer genius from Soviet Ukraine, Max joined Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman and others as they grew PayPal into a massively successful online payment service. Along the way, they encountered almost every start-up challenge imaginable, including the emotional ouster of Elon Musk as CEO. After PayPal was acquired by eBay in 2002, Max couldn't sit still, so he launched a startup lab that eventually led to another successful fintech company: Affirm. Guy will talk to Max about Affirm next week, in the second episode of this two-part series. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this podcast, Max Levchin and Jackie Reses shared their journey in fintech, discussing personal challenges and future innovations. They touched on algorithmic lending, Square's impact, and global money movement. The episode also included insights on starting a fertility tech company and staying active by cycling during lockdown.

After PayPal sold to eBay in 2002, Max Levchin could have relaxed on a beach for the rest of his life. But that’s not the kind of person he is. He isn’t happy unless he’s coming up with new ideas and building companies – so much so that he actually fell into a dark place after leaving PayPal. He didn’t fully find himself until years later, when he rediscovered his passion for the “hard, valuable, fun” problems of fintech. Now, Max runs another billion-dollar company: Affirm, a “buy now, pay later” service that’s transforming how we purchase things on credit. This is the second part of a two-part conversation with Max; to hear the story of PayPal, be sure to listen to part 1!  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Max Levchin, founder of Affirm and PayPal, shares insights on entrepreneurship, angel investing, and the future of finance. Topics include challenges in raising money, reflections on cryptocurrency, importance of yield-oriented assets, innovative credit solutions, complexities of lending, and the evolution of companies like PayPal and Affirm.

Max Levchin, CEO of Affirm and a pioneer in the buy now, pay later revolution, shares insights on consumer credit trends. He discusses Affirm's recent financial results, revealing how their model impacts spending behavior. The conversation also touches on Amazon's staggering $100B investment in AI and its implications for tech stocks. Additionally, Levchin explores the competitive landscape of the sports betting industry as DraftKings gears up for the Super Bowl, highlighting shifts in consumer spending habits and regulatory challenges.

Max Levchin, the Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Affirm Holdings, dives into the future of Buy Now, Pay Later services. He shares insights on strategic partnerships with tech giants like Apple and their impact on the industry. Levchin discusses consumer spending trends, highlighting innovative solutions for the holiday season, including AI-curated gift lists and zero-interest financing. He also underscores the role of Generative AI in enhancing financial wellness amid rising credit card debt, advocating for responsible financial management.

Max Levchin, CEO of Affirm, shares insights on the company's impressive quarterly results, dubbing it a 'killer quarter.' He dives into the booming buy now, pay later market and its competition with traditional credit card services. Levchin also discusses the importance of profitability and how AI is shaping their operations, particularly in loan underwriting and fostering trust with customers. With strategic plans for expansion, especially in the UK, the conversation reveals how Affirm navigates a competitive landscape.