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Whenever I talk to people who founded a company, I often like to ask the prehistory questions 'When did you meet? How long have you been working before you started the company?' A bad answer is, 'We met at a networking event a week ago, and we started a company because we both want to be entrepreneurs.'
Peter Thiel
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the importance of deep relationships and a shared history in founding a successful company.

Peter Thiel suggests that successful companies are often founded by individuals who have established a meaningful relationship and a solid understanding of each other's strengths over time. Quick connections formed merely for the sake of entrepreneurship typically lack the foundational depth needed for enduring collaboration and success.

Themes

EntrepreneurshipRelationshipsSuccessFoundersBusinessCompany

In practice

Example use cases

In a conference about startup success stories, I might share this quote to emphasize the importance of building strong relationships.

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Quote by Peter Thiel | QuoteProject