#95: Lessons Learned from Jeff Bezos, Reid Hoffman, and More

Phil Libin shares his journey into founding Evernote, starting from a desire to create tools for personal productivity that would act as an external brain. The conversation details the multi-source origins of Evernote, including teams working on photographic memory, and how the company was born out of a desire to build something for themselves rather than for external market pressures. Phil emphasizes the significance of the seed ideas, such as the memory of the team and the natural habitat inspired logo, and recounts his early personal use and perception of Evernote, like how it became his daily operational hub for work. The discussion highlights how the product evolved from simple note-taking to an essential productivity and collaboration platform.

Phil talks about the influential leaders in his life, including Jeff Bezos, Hiroshi Mikitani, Reid Hoffman, and Steve Jobs, highlighting their advice and philosophies on scaling companies and leadership. He elaborates on Bezos’s advice about growth stages, particularly the law of three and ten, which describes how processes tend to break at specific growth points, and how companies can adapt to scale effectively. Phil reflects on his interactions and observations in Silicon Valley, noting the openness and accessibility of high-profile entrepreneurs and how their early experiences of success and failure influence their leadership. He also discusses the importance of having a coherent life philosophy, with references to philosophy and mindfulness, especially Stoicism, as tools for personal development.

A large part of the conversation explores experimental technologies like electrical brain stimulation and ultrasound-based brain stimulation, which Phil is personally experimenting with. He discusses their potential to improve mental performance, calmness, and well-being, referencing products like THINK and TDCS, and how these tools may change approaches to meditation and self-improvement. There is an emphasis on curiosity about the science, personal experience, and the future possibilities of these technologies, viewing them as powerful augmentations rather than mere gadgets. The dialogue also covers the importance of mindfulness, meditation, and habits for mental clarity, and how these new tools could expand human capacity.

Phil delves into his interest in philosophy, especially Stoicism, and the importance of having a coherent framework to guide life decisions and actions. He reflects on his childhood fascination with the end of the world, eventual understanding of purpose, and the significance of long-term thinking—like the 10,000-year clock project and the idea of humanity becoming a multi-planetary species. He emphasizes that success is often due to luck, but ideas and persistence are more critical, and he advocates for developing a personal philosophy rooted in purpose. Phil recommends several books, including William Irvine’s ‘A Guide to the Good Life’ and Richard Dawkins’ ‘The Selfish Gene,’ as sources to deepen understanding of these themes.

Phil shares his morning routine, which involves waking up, checking for emergencies, and gradually preparing for the day while desiring a more automated digest of daily information. He discusses his approach to meetings, note-taking, and how physical notebooks complement digital tools—particularly describing how taking handwritten notes in meetings and scanning them into Evernote creates better engagement and context. He also talks about his favorite foods, like the best toast in Tokyo and his memorable hamburger with a fried egg, highlighting the role of simple pleasures and routines in his life. Entertainment-wise, he mentions movies like 'Empire Strikes Back,' his favorite TV series, and his interest in documentaries about space, science, and skeptics like James Randi.