S7 Ep3: The WILD Story of PayPal’s Origin, with Author Jimmy Soni

Elon Musk, Amy Rowe Klement, Peter Thiel, Julie Anderson, Max Levchin, Reid Hoffman. 
What do these powerhouse entrepreneurs all have in common? 
Hint: They all played a role in the meteoric rise of PayPal.
Find out the intricate web behind one of the biggest startups in the world, as Alex chats with the author of "The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley," Jimmy Soni.
They dive into the history of PayPal and discuss the early days of the company, its vision, and the talented individuals who were part of its success. How did PayPal start as the result of a broken AC unit and a simple ploy to get free air conditioning from a college campus? How did Elon Musk’s role in PayPal fundamentally shape his views on banking? Find out how some of today’s most seminal minds collided and how things culminated into the height of Silicon Valley’s fintech revolution.
For a fascinating glimpse into one of history’s most fundamentally impactful fintech companies, you don’t want to miss this ep!
Read “The Founders” here.
 
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00:01:59 - Book on PayPal's Genius Team
00:09:02 - Paths Crossed: Silicon Valley Engineers
00:13:21 - Evolution of PayPal Founder's Ideas
00:19:21 - David Sacks: From Email to Product Officer
00:21:31 - Elon Musk's Early Banking Experience
00:24:03 - Elon Musk's Financial Services Interest
00:32:33 - eBay and X.com's Email Money Concept
00:39:13 - PayPal's Merger Against Elon's Will
00:44:32 - Shorting the Stock Market: Peter Thiel's Proposal
00:50:39 - PayPal's Evolution in Fintech Industry
00:52:24 - PayPal: From Startup to Modern Regulations
00:57:37 - Elon Musk's Vision for Efficiency
 
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Follow Jimmy: 
Website: https://jimmysoni.com/books/the-founders/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1501197266
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmysoni/
 
Follow Alex: 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson