Behind the founder: Drew Houston (Dropbox)

Key takeaways

1. Keep your learning curve ahead of the company's: work out what you'll need to know in 1, 2 and 5 years, and run toward discomfort rather than away from it.
2. Build a peer community at different stages: founders at your stage, 2 years ahead, 5 years ahead and 20 years ahead.
3. Avoid burnout by stepping out of firefighting mode. Schedule think weeks or personal retreats to reflect on the bigger picture, and check that busywork isn't crowding out what matters.
4. Take 100% responsibility, even when it's uncomfortable. Don't rationalize mistakes. Ask what you could have done differently so you don't repeat them.
5. To get attention, work out who needs to notice you and work backward. Houston's viral YC video came from reverse engineering Paul Graham's habit of refreshing Hacker News.
6. Watch for a seniority gap as you scale: fast internal promotions without experienced leaders mean teams learn known lessons by trial and error.