By now, the story is legend. When Drew Houston boarded a bus from Boston to New York and discovered that he had—yet again—forgotten to bring his thumb drive, he was frustrated. So frustrated that he sat down and began writing the first lines of code of what would eventually become Dropbox.

After over a decade of changing the way files are stored, synced, and shared, Houston is changing the way people work, once again. This time, to solve a problem that likely plagues every single knowledge worker today: our fragmented, overcomplicated workspaces.

In this episode, you’ll learn more about Houston’s journey—from ideation to launch—with Dropbox Spaces, as well as the most important lessons he’s collected while building a multibillion-dollar company with over 500 million users.

Key Takeaways

• The relatable experience that inspired Houston to come up with the idea for Dropbox
• Why Houston doesn’t believe there’s any “magic” involved in building a multibillion-dollar company
• The importance of decision making and learning continuously on the job
• How a conversation with a SpaceX engineer sparked the vision behind Dropbox Spaces
• Houston’s advice on “harvesting” versus “planting” when it comes to your business
• Why Houston is such a huge believer in intentionally designing your environment—at work and with your personal relationships

Alex Osterwalder is primarily known for developing the Business Model Canvas, a template that helps startups develop and document new or existing business models.

In this interview, Osterwalder shares his best insights into the world of business models—ideas that are especially applicable now as entrepreneurs try to launch businesses during Covid-19. He explains why products, technology, and price alone aren’t enough to keep your company competitive. Osterwalder also breaks down the innovative models that Apple, Netflix, and Nintendo have used to become industry leaders (and why even these behemoths aren’t safe from disruption).

We also get a sneak peek into Osterwalder’s latest book called “The Invincible Company.” Not only does it contain an entire library of business models for companies of all sizes, but it also provides guidance on how startups can continuously reinvent themselves to stay ahead of the curve.

If there’s any other content you’d like to see that would be valuable to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out at support@foundr.com.

Key Takeaways

• How Osterwalder came to study business models in graduate school
• Insight into Osterwalder’s latest book, “The Invincible Company”
• Why companies can’t compete on products, technology, and price alone (and why your business model can provide the ultimate competitive edge)
• The scalability of business models
• Why companies need to transcend industry boundaries
• The reason why Osterwalder urges entrepreneurs to test before they build
• How Apple, Netflix, and Nintendo are prime case studies of innovative business models in action—but why even they’re not safe from disruption
• Osterwalder’s stance on the “magic bullet” when it comes to business models (hint: there isn’t one)