#03: Evan Spiegel, SNAP CEO—Secrets of Fostering Innovation

Today’s guest is Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap.  The tech world is driven by innovation. And Snapchat has set the gold standard for getting new ideas to take off, ever since 2011 when Evan Spiegel co-founded the company while he was a student at Stanford.  But there’s a lot more to Snapchat’s success than just having these good ideas. They have created a culture where those ideas can actually develop. They have communicated those ideas to teams and stakeholders. Oh, and most importantly, they have actually turned those ideas into reality. But it hasn’t always been easy – especially back in 2018 when some of those new ideas triggered an 80% drop in stock price and a very public outcry. Now, of course, you may not be out to build Silicon’s Valley’s next big thing. But every leader needs to know how to create a culture where big ideas thrive and become reality. So if you want to understand the secrets of fostering innovation, then you don’t want to miss this episode. You’ll also learn: A fundamental insight about human nature that will change how you think about product development The one thing Evan wished he’d fully understood about going public The #1 piece of advice Evan got early on – and probably what you need to hear today What mistakes to avoid when you’re growing quickly His surprising response to competitors ripping off his company’s products Practical ways Evan grew – and keeps growing – in his leadership role  The one common denominator in all Evan’s biggest past mistakes (and how it helps him now)