Elon Musk and the PayPal Wars with Eric Jackson

October 19, 2023

Tune in for an interview between Kerry and Eric Jackson about the early days of PayPal and its founding team, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Max Levchin. Jackson reflects on the historical significance of the company and the strong personalities that sometimes clashed but ultimately worked together. They discussed the challenges PayPal faced, including fraud and regulatory issues, and how it overcame them to become a success. The conversation also touched on the cultural differences between PayPal and eBay, and how they affected the companies’ respective trajectories. Jackson also discussed the formation of the PayPal Mafia, a group of successful entrepreneurs who worked together at PayPal, and attributed their success to a culture of innovation, risk-taking, and accountability. The interview provides insight into the early days of PayPal and the individuals who helped shape its success. Buy the book here.

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