How David Lieb Turned A Failed Startup Into Google Photos | Backstory
Y Combinator Startup Podcast
Deep Dive
Why did David Lieb decide to drop out of his PhD program?
He didn't feel at home among PhD researchers and was inspired by the success of YouTube founders, realizing he could pursue a different path.
What was the initial idea behind the Bump app?
The idea was to share contact information by physically bumping two phones together, inspired by the inconvenience of manually entering phone numbers.
How did Bump initially gain popularity?
It gained popularity through word of mouth and minimal promotion, with users discovering it organically on the App Store.
What was the main issue with Bump's business model?
The app had low frequency of use and low value per interaction, placing it in a problematic quadrant for sustainable business.
How did David Lieb and his team pivot after Bump's challenges?
They developed Flock, a photo-sharing app that automatically shared photos with friends based on geolocation and social graph data.
Why did David Lieb decide to build Google Photos despite being assigned to work on Google Plus?
He believed Google Photos had the potential to be a billion-user product and was determined to see it through, despite resistance from his bosses.
What was the core idea behind Google Photos?
It was designed as a home for all life's memories, using AI to make photos searchable, organized, and editable, aiming to be a photo assistant for everyone.
How did David Lieb's health crisis influence his career decisions?
After surviving leukemia, he decided to leave Google and join YC to work with founders building the future, shifting from being a player to a coach.
- Bump reached 150 million users.
- The app's low frequency of use hindered its sustainability.
- They made classic startup mistakes, such as raising too much money too quickly and not having a clear business model.
- They lacked a deep understanding of user behavior and needs.
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