I realized that Facebook was an unstoppable force in social networking, and that competing with them was a significant challenge.

We initially included detailed profiles on Facebook, such as dorms and courses, to create a college-specific environment that fostered a sense of community and trust among users.

Facebook's success stemmed from our commitment to keep improving the platform based on user demand, which was different from my previous projects.

In the early years at Facebook, we should have focused on iteration speed rather than building a large team and a polished product.

The skepticism among the founders led us to seek customer feedback early, which was crucial in determining the viability of our product idea.

Listening to user feedback was crucial in shaping Facebook's features, such as allowing users to upload multiple profile pictures, which reflected a strong demand for more personal expression.

When reviewing applications, I look for the founders' backgrounds, their idea, the current state of their product, and evidence of customer interest.

We constantly launched new features and received feedback during weekly dinners with other founders, which kept us honest about our progress.

We aimed to launch our improved service in three months, incorporating payments and reviews to enhance user experience, and we launched our service just weeks before a major event, listing 800 properties to help locals make extra money during the influx of visitors.