Jimmy Soni - Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and the Paypal Mafia
Jimmy Soni is the author of The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley.
Episode website + Transcript: https://www.dwarkeshpatel.com/p/jimmy-soni
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Rp9RNX
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3cDeTaL
Follow me on Twitter to be notified of future content: https://twitter.com/dwarkesh_sp
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmyasoni
Buy the book: https://amzn.to/30PqMV2
Timestamps:
0:00:00 Intro
0:00:32 Bell Labs vs PayPal
0:05:44 Scenius in Ancient Rome and America's Founding
0:07:34 Girard at PayPal
0:15:49 Thiel almost shorts the Dot com bubble
0:20:21 Does Zero to One contradict PayPal's story?
0:28:29 Hilarious Russian hacker story
0:29:38 Why is Thiel so good at spotting talent?
0:35:22 Did PayPal make talent or discover it?
0:41:12 Japanese mafia invests in PayPal?!
0:45:14 Upcoming TV show on PayPal
0:48:43 Musk in ancient Rome
0:52:44 Why didn't Musk keep pursuing finance?
0:57:04 Why didn't the mafia get back together?
1:00:38 Jimmy's writing process
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Chapters (15)
Intro
0:32
Bell Labs vs PayPal
5:44
Scenius in Ancient Rome and America's Founding
7:34
Girard at PayPal
15:49
Thiel almost shorts the Dot com bubble
20:21
Does Zero to One contradict PayPal's story?
28:29
Hilarious Russian hacker story
29:38
Why is Thiel so good at spotting talent?
35:22
Did PayPal make talent or discover it?
41:12
Japanese mafia invests in PayPal?!
45:14
Upcoming TV show on PayPal
48:43
Musk in ancient Rome
52:44
Why didn't Musk keep pursuing finance?
57:04
Why didn't the mafia get back together?
1:00:38
Jimmy's writing process
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