“It's shocking how quickly this innovation [the internet] has become woven into the foundation of everything that we do. In just 30 years, the internet and the world wide web have gone from being generally unknown to consumers to being involved in every aspect of life, and necessary for almost everything. There is no healthy society without a healthy internet.”— Mitchell Baker
The quote archive
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
My experience has shown me the importance of hiring problem solvers and builders, not just those who impose pre-established templates. The idea is not to forcefully superimpose their previous experience onto our company, but to adapt and innovate.
— Girish MathruboothamFounder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company
Rather than recruiting someone who assumes they've mastered it all, we seek those who regard their roles with awe. It's essential for us that they are moved by our journey and mission, and harbor an eagerness to learn, not just contribute.
— Girish MathruboothamFounder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company
I'm genuinely convinced that the upcoming decade will be the era of India as a product nation. The product revolution has begun, what we're terming as 'India SaaS' – the development of global SaaS products originating in India, not merely for the Indian market, but for the world.
— Girish MathruboothamFounder and CEO of Freshworks, cloud-based software company
Open-source evidence is essentially public information available to anyone and can be traced back to its original source. We've always maintained transparency in our methodologies and the step-by-step processes we employ.
— Eliot HigginsFounder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network
If someone can take our findings and draw out additional insights, we consider it a triumph. Our aim is to constantly enhance our understanding of the world, and contributions from others are invaluable in this pursuit.
— Eliot HigginsFounder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network
For instance, while AI can generate images that appear real, it cannot create convincing backgrounds that can be geolocated, since they do not correspond to actual places.
— Eliot HigginsFounder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network
It's essentially a democratic revolution, wresting control from the conventional gatekeepers like intelligence agencies and the media.
— Eliot HigginsFounder of Bellingcat, open-source investigation journalism network
By the time you've spoken to the 30th person, you'll have a good idea if your problem is substantial or not. Validation can be pretty straightforward. All it takes is communicating with people.
— Uri LevineCo-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google
Customer retention is the solitary metric indicating product-market fit. If you offer value, your customers will return; if you don't, they'll disappear.
— Uri LevineCo-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google
If you manage to attain product-market fit, you'll thrive, but if you fail, your venture will falter. It's that simple. Product-market fit boils down to creating value for your customers.
— Uri LevineCo-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google
If you start with a solution, there's a risk you might construct something that no one finds useful, leading to immense frustration. But when you centre your efforts on the problem, it serves as the guiding North Star of your journey.
— Uri LevineCo-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google
The most straightforward way to create value is to solve a problem. When you provide a solution to someone's problem, by default, you're generating value for that person. Consequently, my perspective is that this journey must always begin with a problem.
— Uri LevineCo-founder of Waze, GPS navigation app acquired by Google
He approached me, asking what he should do, to which I responded, 'You're the boss. Why are you asking me?' My conviction has always been that it's crucial to operate this business as an institution; I don't have to always be glued to my chair.
— Onkar KanwarChairman of Apollo Tyres, Indian businessman and industrialist
Throughout my career, my vision for the company has not changed – creating an institution. I find this the most challenging task, not just getting in the sales and growing year on year but creating an institution that is considered part of the family by those within it.
— Onkar KanwarChairman of Apollo Tyres, Indian businessman and industrialist
Upon inquiry, I learned that we were using American technology, suitable for American roads but not Indian ones. So, the next step was understanding the market, and we went to the field, spoke to the truckers and understood their requirements and expectations.
— Onkar KanwarChairman of Apollo Tyres, Indian businessman and industrialist
I knew then that I was in for some serious challenges. Not only did we lack funding and morale among the workforce, but we were also lagging technologically. The first task at hand was motivating my team and providing a clear vision for our future, despite my limited knowledge of tyre manufacturing.
— Onkar KanwarChairman of Apollo Tyres, Indian businessman and industrialist