Ever wonder how a payment startup spawned an empire of innovation?

Code and Council digs into the untold stories of the PayPal Mafia, revealing their relentless drive, their profound impact on technology and finance, and the complex future they're building. From Palm Pilots to space exploration, from reinventing social networks to leading the charge in AI, we explore how Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and others continue to shape our world.

Are we witnessing an intelligence explosion or a dangerous new order? Join us to dissect the ideas that truly matter.Backing Track:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azNw-vQhAXQ&list=RDazNw-vQhAXQ&start_radio=1Here is a list of sources used to compile the podcast script:

Primary Books & Key Works:

Isaacson, Walter. Elon Musk. Simon & Schuster, 2023. (This book served as a major source for the detailed biographical information on Elon Musk, including his early life, challenges, and motivations.)

Thiel, Peter, with Masters, Blake. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future. Crown Business, 2014. (This book was the foundational source for Peter Thiel's philosophy on monopolies, contrarian thinking, "secrets," the Power Law, and the concept of "Zero to One.")

Lacy, Sarah. Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good: The Rebirth of Silicon Valley and the Rise of Facebook and MySpace. Gotham, 2009. (Provides context on the PayPal Mafia phenomenon.)

Levchin, Max. (While no specific book was cited, his role and insights from various interviews and articles were used).

Websites & Articles (General Information & Updates):

Wikipedia:

"PayPal Mafia" (for list of members, their subsequent ventures, and general overview).

"PayPal" (for early company history, mergers, IPO, and acquisition details).

"Elon Musk (Isaacson book)" (for publication details and critical reception of the biography).

"Zero to One" (for publication details and context of the book).

"Reid Hoffman" (for biographical details, LinkedIn founding, and investments).

Newcastle Advisors: "The PayPal Mafia: Lessons from Tech's Most Influential Network" (for high-level overviews of members' contributions and key lessons).

Quartr: "The PayPal Story: Online Payment Pioneers" (for context on PayPal's founding and dot-com boom).

Surgegraph.io: "Who Is the Real Founder of YouTube? The Story You Don't Know" (for YouTube founders' background and early history).

Medium (Call me V): "The Founding of YouTube: The Story of Three Friends and a Vision" (additional details on YouTube's founding).

Reddit (r/startups): "How Yelp Got Their First Users" (for Yelp's early growth hacks and social focus).

Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Illinois: "Like YouTube, PayPal, Yelp Has Illinois Root" (for Yelp founders' background and connection to Max Levchin's incubator).Simon & Schuster: Official publisher page for Walter Isaacson's Elon Musk (for book details and author information)

Seven Stories Press: Official publisher page for Darryl Cunningham's Elon Musk: American Oligarch (additional biographical context for Musk).https://x.com/xai/status/1943158495588815072

EBSCO Research Starters: "Reid Hoffman" (for biographical details and early career).Opportunity@Work: "Reid Hoffman | LinkedIn Co-Founder; Partner at Greylock" (for career details and investment focus).PenguinRandomHouse.com: Official publisher page for Zero to One (for publication details).Porchlight Book Company: "Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future" (for publication details).Goodreads: "Editions of Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel" (for publication details).https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mind-bending-conversation-with-peter-thiel/id1438024613?i=1000714636858

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