How I Built This with Guy Raz Twitter, Medium and Blogger: Ev Williams
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May 6, 2024 
Ev Williams, co-founder of Twitter and the mind behind Blogger and Medium, shares his fascinating journey from college dropout to tech innovator. He recounts early struggles with startups, the emotional toll of managing and losing a company, and the pivotal moments that led to Twitter's rise. Ev discusses how real-time connectivity shaped online engagement and reflects on the balance between hard work and luck in achieving success. With humor and insight, he emphasizes the personal growth that comes from failure and innovation in the tech landscape.
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Blogger's Revival
- After his employees left, Williams's monthly costs decreased significantly, enabling him to continue working on Blogger independently.
- The events of 9/11 led to increased blog usage and media attention, giving Blogger a boost.
Build for Yourself
- Williams believes in building products for yourself unless you excel at user research.
- At Odeo, he lacked insight into podcasters' needs since he wasn't one himself, which hindered product development.
Apple's Disruption
- When Apple launched its podcast service, it rendered Odeo's efforts obsolete. Williams offered to return investor money, but they encouraged him to pursue new ideas.