“Great founders such as Brian Chesky of Airbnb, Drew Houston of Dropbox, or Adi Tatarko of Houzz, are all on a mission to build a product or service that corrects something that they believe the world got wrong. They are on a mission to correct a personal problem or personal pain.”
— Alfred Lin

The quote archive

Wisdom in fragments

A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.

My research over the years has made it clear that companies pay a high price for maintaining low wages, primarily in the form of employee turnover. This turnover can account for 10-25% of a company's total expenses, in relation to payroll in a common setup, with some cases even witnessing figures as high as 45%.

— Zeynep Ton

MIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work

For four decades, real wages for Americans haven't experienced any significant growth. Prior to the pandemic, it was reported by the Brookings Institute that 53 million Americans were trapped in low wage jobs, where their earnings failed to adequately cover their needs.

— Zeynep Ton

MIT Professor & Author on Retail Operations & Low-Wage Work

Relationships are an emotional exchange hub. We bestow energy upon one another, help each other de-stress, and ignite joy in each other's lives. However, we must acknowledge that the digital realm filters out a significant portion of our emotional bandwidth.

— Robert J. Waldinger

Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development & Psychiatrist

When we crafted that phrase, it was because we saw a similarity with physical fitness. If you work out today, you don't return home and declare, 'Great, I'm finished, I never have to exercise again.' Those with the strongest social bonds diligently nurture them throughout their lives.

— Robert J. Waldinger

Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development & Psychiatrist

When our original participants reached approximately 80 years of age, we asked what are your greatest sources of pride, and what are your deepest regrets? The predominant regret was the disproportionate time spent working and the inadequate time spent with loved ones.

— Robert J. Waldinger

Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development & Psychiatrist

One of my Zen mentors authored a book entitled 'Ending the Pursuit of Happiness'. He criticises the concept of chasing happiness as a curative fantasy – the mistaken belief that happiness is an attainable, sustainable, and permanent state. No one is in a state of perpetual happiness.

— Robert J. Waldinger

Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development & Psychiatrist

We found that those who enjoyed the best health, and not just the greatest happiness, were the individuals who had nurtured stronger relationships with others. From this, we deduced that those who put considerable effort into maintaining their relationships navigated life's challenges with greater ease.

— Robert J. Waldinger

Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development & Psychiatrist

Typically, when you ask a business person about their progress, their immediate response tends to revolve around growth figures – 'We're 20% up from last year' – under the assumption that growth equates to robustness and sustainability. However, empirical evidence doesn't support this assumption.

— Professor Alex Hill

Undeniably, joining a flourishing company vastly differs from joining a struggling one, just as there's a significant contrast between building a company with the intention to sell and constructing one with the goal of passing it on.

— Professor Alex Hill

A pervasive sentiment among high-performing organisations is the fear of failure. I sought the opinions of numerous high performers on who they admired or found interesting and surprisingly, none mentioned a business.

— Professor Alex Hill

I realised that my passion lay in the realm of high performance, irrespective of the context, and the sustainability of such performance was a fascinating query. This question is invariably present in the minds of leaders in great organisations.

— Professor Alex Hill

Contributing to society comes in many forms. Meaningful careers not only fulfil our team members but also drive the broader economy as employees become taxpayers. This virtuous circle is a fundamental contribution to society.

— Ajaz Ahmed

Our company has always been guided by our foundational values: innovation, service, quality, and thought. We believe in embodying these values through our actions, rather than merely discussing them.

— Ajaz Ahmed

We quickly adopt technologies we see potential in and dismiss those that don't seem promising. Over the last five years, we have heavily invested in Artificial Intelligence, which has brought immense benefits to us and our clients.

— Ajaz Ahmed

We view ourselves as an innovation agency, one that marries the spheres of art and technology. We also aim to foster an environment that magnetises highly skilled individuals who strive to produce groundbreaking and influential work.

— Ajaz Ahmed

Our core belief is in the immense potential of technology as a force multiplier, particularly when it's rendered accessible and intuitive. From the onset, we have viewed the internet through the lens of software, rather than merely brochureware.

— Ajaz Ahmed