Luis Von Ahn details the story behind Duolingo and its famous owl, how to do handle marketing in the TikTok era, hiring young talent, and using addictive habits for good.
Chapters
00:00:00 Intro & The Owl
00:02:35 Unhinged Marketing
00:06:09 TikTok Era
00:08:06 Owl As the Face + Approving Risky Posts
00:10:31 Hiring New Grads and “No Assholes”
00:14:29 Making Learning Feel Delightful
00:16:57 Addictive Habit Loops
00:18:38 Expanding Beyond Languages
00:19:26 Guatemala Roots + Free Education Mission
00:23:40 AI
00:31:00 Impact
00:36:58 What's Next for Duolingo?
🔗 FOLLOW US
https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates
https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni
https://www.instagram.com/duolingo
🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS
https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts
https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts
📲 Support What We’re Building
Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com
About The Burnouts The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.
Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more.
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