- Many people have misconceptions about how new startups are formed
- The idea for new products is not just something founders come up with on a whim
- The movie "The Social Network" got many things wrong about how Facebook actually started
- Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, had a different experience
- The first guest on Airbnb, Amol, had a conversation with Brian before the product was even launched
- Great founders talk to future customers before they have a product
- The best founders learn directly from their users throughout the life of their company

Most people in the world have the idea on how new startups are formed completely wrong.

They think ideas of new products is something the founders just come up with on a lazy Sunday or a late night coding session.

You probably know it doesn't work this way.

This scene, as you can see here, is a scene from the Social Network movie.

It's a great movie, but they got a lot of things wrong on how Facebook actually got started.

Brian is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb.

They actually spent a weekend together in San Francisco when it will be kind of launched.

You notice the difference between this photo and the previous photo?

Well, this photo actually is a real photo and includes a two-way conversation with a real customer.

Great founders talk to future customers before they even have a product.

In fact, the very best founders in the world learn directly from their users throughout the life of their company.

If you have correctly identified who your users are, you should learn from them throughout the lifetime of your company.


Speaker 0: Most people in the world have the idea on how new startups are formed completely wrong. They think ideas of new products is something the founders just come up with on a lazy Sunday or a late night coding session. You probably know it doesn't work this way. This scene, as you can see here, is a scene from the Social Network movie. It's a great movie, but they got a lot of things wrong on how Facebook actually got started.

This is Brian Chesky. Brian is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb. On the left side of the photo is Amol. Amol was the very first guest on Airbnb. They actually spent a weekend together in San Francisco when it will be kind of launched.

You notice the difference between this photo and the previous photo? Well, this photo actually is a real photo and includes a two-way conversation with a real customer. Great founders talk to future customers before they even have a product. In fact, the very best founders in the world learn directly from their users throughout the life of their company. Let that sink in.

If you have correctly identified who your users are, you should learn from them throughout the lifetime of your company.

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It's all about talking to your users.