Early tech cos were a lot flimsier than you’d think: • Zuck saw FB as a growth hack for launching WireHog, the real biz • Snapchat’s product was built around an iOS bug, basically • Airbnb grew via unauthorized craigslist crossposts and spam Reassuring reality for founders!

Nov 13, 2018 · 2:08 AM UTC

15
203
21
912
Replying to @backus
is there an article somewhere on snapchat/ios bug? speaking of bugs, myspace bling was a markup injection bug
1
3
Can’t remember but there was a shift from blocking screenshots to reporting it after a patch
1
5
more replies
Replying to @backus @semil
Yes. And I don’t think coincidence that all 3 examples are consumer. Lightning in a bottle.
2
3
Replying to @backus
It is also stunning how each of the most talked about consumer companies have defied one or two of the most common startup conventional wisdom platitudes. eg. have cofounders, work with known folks to avoid conflicts, frictionless on-boarding etc
1
4
Replying to @backus
Great tweet
1
Replying to @backus
What was the iOS bug Snapchat was built around?
Replying to @backus
Another interesting perspective
1
3
9
Replying to @backus @zooko
Gmail was the comments section of a Garfield blog. No kidding, that's where the G comes from.
1
1
20
Replying to @backus @jcliff42
The market moves fast, especially today, and if you're not prepared to pivot from your plan as the market deems appropriate, you'll miss the biggest opportunities. This is not to be confused with Shiny Object Syndrome, however.
Load more