Adam Neumann: This is How You Build Iconic Companies

In this recent episode of The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz sit down with Adam Neumann—founder of WeWork and now Flow—to unpack one of the most unlikely comeback storie s in tech. What began as a personal reckoning after a very public fall has become a bold new vision for how we live and belong. Flow isn’t just a real estate company—it’s an operating system for community, built on first-principles software, design, and soul. Joined by a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg, the group goes deep on:Why Adam’s childhood shaped his obsession with communityAdam’s fall from WeWork—and how he found a new path to redemptionHow Flow is re-architecting real estate from scratchWhy loneliness is the greatest design challenge of our time With reflections on dyslexia, the American dream, and the thin line between failure and greatness, this is a candid and wide-ranging conversation about redemption, vision, and building something that matters in this world. We hope you enjoy this deeply human conversation about the future of living. Timecodes 00:00 Introduction  00:51 Adam's Early Life and Family Background 07:56 Military Service and Discipline 10:08 Transition to the US and Education 14:43 Entrepreneurial Journey Begins 17:49 The Concept of Flow and Vision 20:28 Meeting and Partnership Formation 25:22 Overcoming Challenges and Resilience 28:30 The Isolation Phenomenon 30:03 Navigating Post-Crisis Relationships 31:50 Real Estate Strategies During COVID 33:47 The Genesis of a New Venture 36:47 Lessons from WeWork 38:49 Building Flow: The Vision 41:44 The Importance of Alignment 51:23 Technological Innovations in Real Estate 55:44 Revolutionizing Real Estate Software and Flexible Living Solutions 56:28 Challenges and Innovations in Multifamily Housing Rental Markets 58:40 Global Housing Crisis and Solutions 01:06:10 Expanding to Saudi Arabia 01:08:49 Success in Saudi Arabia 01:12:43 Real Estate Funds and Future Plans 01:19:10: Why Is This an Opportunity?  01:20:45 Impact of COVID on Living and Working 01:26:14 Future Potential of Housing and Living Resources:  Read Marc's blog post about Flow: https://a16z.com/announcement/flow/ Marc on X: https://x.com/pmarca  Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/  Ben on X: https://x.com/bhorowitz  Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg  Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/ Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.