The ability to make secure, simple payments over the internet is something so embedded in everyday life that we tend to take it for granted. But it wasn’t always that way. What really changed things was the development of PayPal.
The PayPal story features a number of fascinating characters, many of who have gone on to do other amazing things including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Reid Hoffman. What became known as the PayPal mafia would go on to be founders or advise companies such as Tesla, YouTube, SpaceX, Yelp, and LinkedIn, among others.
How PayPal came to be is a fascinating story of engineering, creativity, courage, and a bit of luck. The story is told in a fascinating new book by Jimmy Soni entitled THE FOUNDERS: The story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shaped Silicon Valley.