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About

BS

Ben Silbermann

11/09/16

@ Y Combinator

My girlfriend encouraged me to stop talking about my ideas and start building them, which motivated me to leave Google and pursue my own projects.

Video

YC

Ben Silbermann at Startup School SV 2016

@ Y Combinator

Ben Silbermann at Startup School SV 2016

11/09/16

Related Takeaways

SN

Sarah Nahm

07/10/19

@ Y Combinator

Leaving Google wasn't about starting a company; it was about personal growth and experiencing new things, which eventually led me to work with early-stage teams.

DS

Dan Siroker

10/26/13

@ Y Combinator

I decided to stop working on my startup and joined Google to learn skills that would help me succeed as an entrepreneur.

JK

Justin Kan Cast

05/27/21

@ Justin Kan

I realized that I enjoy inspiring others and catalyzing ideas rather than being the one to build the product, which has shaped my career path.

DL

David Lieb

12/19/24

@ Y Combinator

After my treatment, I realized that my job at Google had evolved away from building products for users, and I wanted to work with people who were innovating the future.

PB

Paul Buchheit

10/25/18

@ Y Combinator

After leaving Google, I wanted to create a company that replicated the early, exciting environment of Google, focusing on building a great workplace.

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Apoorva Mehta

06/20/14

@ Y Combinator

After quitting my job at Amazon, I moved to San Francisco where I found a co-founder and began working on various startup ideas without being picky about the market.

QY

Qasar Younis

05/15/25

@ Uncapped with Jack Altman

Working at Google was a great experience, but I never wanted to be an employee forever; I always felt the pull to be a founder.

DL

David Lieb

12/19/24

@ Y Combinator

I left Google in September 2022 to join Y Combinator, where I could work closely with founders and help them avoid the mistakes I made in my own journey.

BS

Ben Silbermann

11/09/16

@ Y Combinator

I eventually moved to California to work at Google, where I was in online sales and operations, while continuing to explore side projects.