He could have built a billion-dollar company, but instead, Jimmy Wales built a movement. When the dotcom crash hit and funding vanished, he didn’t sell out or add ads. He doubled down on values, creating Wikipedia, a global temple for the mind that made knowledge free to billions. In this episode, Jimmy joins Ilana to share the story behind that decision, the failures that shaped him, and the community that built the impossible. He breaks down why the best ideas come from doing something interesting, not chasing money.

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of Wikipedia and the founder of the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that supports Wikipedia and its sister projects. He also co-founded Fandom (formerly Wikia), one of the web’s largest community platforms.

In this episode, Ilana and Jimmy discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:31) How Childhood Curiosity Sparked Wikipedia’s Vision

(05:59) Turning Crisis Into Innovation During the Dotcom Crash

(08:08) The Creation of Wikipedia

(14:19) The Power of Community When Capital Runs Out

(20:14) Why Jimmy Refused to Monetize Wikipedia

(29:54) Early Fundraising Efforts for Wikipedia

(34:21) What Makes Someone Truly Notable on Wikipedia

(39:11) AI’s Role in Wikipedia's Future

(46:15) Inside The Seven Rules of Trust

(57:17) Jimmy’s Ultimate Advice to Just Start

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of Wikipedia, the world’s largest free encyclopedia, and Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that supports it. An advocate for open, collaborative knowledge sharing, he has empowered millions to contribute to a global resource of information. Recognized by TIME as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, Jimmy is also the author of The Seven Rules of Trust, where he shares the principles that guided his journey and offers insights on building lasting endeavors.

Connect with Jimmy:

Jimmy’s Twitter: x.com/jimmy_wales

Jimmy’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jimmy-wales-919a8b

Resources Mentioned:

Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org/

Jimmy’s book, The Seven Rules of Trust: A Blueprint for Building Things That Last: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593727460

Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143115766 

LEAP E122 with Nathan Blecharczyk: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nathan-blecharczyk-the-raw-truth-of-scaling-airbnb/id1701718200?i=1000723574008 

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