Coinbase's original product was extremely simple: a website where users could buy Bitcoin with just a few clicks, solving a significant problem at the time.

Timing was crucial for Airbnb, Coinbase, and Stripe; they entered markets where existing products were inadequate, allowing them to create solutions that were ten times better.

Coinbase emerged in a time when buying Bitcoin was complicated and fraught with risks, making it difficult for potential users to engage with cryptocurrency.

Coinbase faced immense challenges in raising money during demo day, highlighting how investors initially viewed the idea as unviable.

Brian Armstrong, the founder of Coinbase, faced skepticism from investors who viewed Bitcoin as a bubble and associated it with fraud, complicating his efforts to secure funding. Even in his Y Combinator application, he didn't fully believe in his own idea for Coinbase, which initially focused on peer-to-peer transfers rather than buying and holding Bitcoin.

Stablecoins represent a significant evolution in the financial system, allowing for new products and services that were previously too complicated or costly to implement.

The experience of working at Coinbase and Airbnb taught me how different companies operate and the common challenges they face, which informs how we build Linear.

Before founding Linear, I was a founding designer at Coinbase and a principal designer at Airbnb, where I learned the importance of building tools that are fast and efficient.

Many founders and investors initially dismissed the ideas behind Airbnb, Coinbase, and Stripe as poor or overly ambitious, underestimating their potential.