--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just build things and find out if they…" description: "\"Just build things and find out if they work.\" — Ben Silbermann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png" --- # Just build things and find out if they work. ![“Just build things and find out if they work.” quote by Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png) > “Just build things and find out if they work.” [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Experimentation and iteration are essential; building and testing reveal viability. **In simple terms:** Build and test to see if it works. Key Takeaway Iterate quickly. Themes innovation experimentation learning Mood pragmatic determined Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - startup - software prototyping - hardware hacking Key Concepts product development lean methodology Questions to Reflect On - What is your next experiment? - How do you decide when to pivot? A Different Perspective Not all experiments succeed; resources can be wasted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-things-231034/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Just Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-build-485917/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting a business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-a-business/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-entrepreneurs/) [Things Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-work/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Don't take too much advice. Most people who have a lot of advice to give ~ with a few exceptions ~ generalize whatever they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/don-t-take-too-much-advice-most-people-who-have-a-lot-of-advice-to/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I'm going to do what I do and be aggressive and try to help the team in any area I can. And just build.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-m-going-to-do-what-i-do-and-be-aggressive-and-try-to-help-the-team/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [“Mix a little time with some space, and suddenly good things fall right into place. No worries, don't doubt it - just build!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/mix-a-little-time-with-some-space-and-suddenly-good-things-fall-right/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [I knew that if I failed I wouldn't regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-knew-that-if-i-failed-i-wouldn-t-regret-that-but-i-knew-the-one/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-complaining-customer-represents-a-huge-opportunity-for-more/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-aiken/don-t-worry-about-people-stealing-your-ideas/) [Howard Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-aiken/) > [We are really competing against ourselves, we have no control over how other people perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-cashmore/we-are-really-competing-against-ourselves-we-have-no-control-over-how/) [Pete Cashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-cashmore/) > [Embrace what you don't know, especially in the beginning, because what you don't know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/embrace-what-you-don-t-know-especially-in-the-beginning-because-what/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [You can go as far as your mind lets you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/you-can-go-as-far-as-your-mind-lets-you/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Embrace what you don't know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/embrace-what-you-don-t-know/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-lot-of-people-have-ideas-but-there-are-few-who-decide-to-do/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbi-fields/the-important-thing-is-not-being-afraid-to-take-a-chance/) [Debbi Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbi-fields/) > [Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbi-fields/once-you-find-something-you-love-to-do-be-the-best-at-doing-it/) [Debbi Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbi-fields/) > [If you're going to be thinking anyway, think big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-re-going-to-be-thinking-anyway-think-big/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The biggest risk is not taking any risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/the-biggest-risk-is-not-taking-any-risk/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) ## More by Ben Silbermann > [We're trying to do something so that when the average person uses Pinterest, it has to make the service better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-re-trying-to-do-something-so-that-when-the-average-person-uses/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I really think that even though Pinterest isn't a lot of people's idea of hard technology, it helps make everyday things a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-really-think-that-even-though-pinterest-isn-t-a-lot-of-people-s/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [We want the average person to use it and think that it makes the experience of using Pinterest better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-want-the-average-person-to-use-it-and-think-that-it-makes-the/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I hope Pinterest is my last job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-hope-pinterest-is-my-last-job/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I think the thing that I've learned is that really great people, they actually want to work on hard problems,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-think-the-thing-that-i-ve-learned-is-that-really-great-people-they/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [People say doing a startup is like a marathon. It's actually a roadtrip at night with no headlights. You think you're going to Toledo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/people-say-doing-a-startup-is-like-a-marathon-it-s-actually-a/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I always just want to move along to the next step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-always-just-want-to-move-along-to-the-next-step/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [What you collect says so much about who you are,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/what-you-collect-says-so-much-about-who-you-are/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [When you open up Pinterest, you should feel like you've walked into a building full of stuff that only you are interested in. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/when-you-open-up-pinterest-you-should-feel-like-you-ve-walked-into-a/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [The No. 1 challenge is getting people to understand that Pinterest isn't a social network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/the-no-1-challenge-is-getting-people-to-understand-that-pinterest-isn/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I kind of think of engineering like the chefs at a restaurant. Nobody's going to deny chefs are integrally important, but there's also so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-kind-of-think-of-engineering-like-the-chefs-at-a-restaurant-nobody/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I think there are a lot more people that don't use Pinterest in the world than do use it, so for most people, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-think-there-are-a-lot-more-people-that-don-t-use-pinterest-in-the/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I used to wake up and look at our analytics and think, 'What if yesterday was the last day anyone used Pinterest?' Like, everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-used-to-wake-up-and-look-at-our-analytics-and-think-what-if/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [Don't take too much advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/don-t-take-too-much-advice/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) > [I'd never managed anyone before, so I don't have a lot of experience. But I'm lucky - I have a lot of team members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-d-never-managed-anyone-before-so-i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-experience/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) [Explore all 49 Ben Silbermann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) ## More Build quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [The way you get wickets is, you've got to build pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-arthur/the-way-you-get-wickets-is-you-ve-got-to-build-pressure/) [Mickey Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-arthur/) > [For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/for-rich-children-it-d-be-very-easy-and-convenient-never-to-take-any/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [You have to build what the market needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-s-miller/you-have-to-build-what-the-market-needs/) [Jamie S. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-s-miller/) > [I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/i-oppose-any-proposal-for-the-federal-government-to-build-and-operate/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Since, however, it is immaterial whether the work is done by assistants or a machine, I decided to build a machine equivalent to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-however-it-is-immaterial-whether-the-work-is-done-by-assistants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For 'Inhuman,' it's a 'chess game' series. You have a lot of pieces moving different ways at once, and it's about what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/for-inhuman-it-s-a-chess-game-series-you-have-a-lot-of-pieces-moving/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) > [What we need to make sure we do as a team is build the quickest car on the grid - if we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/what-we-need-to-make-sure-we-do-as-a-team-is-build-the-quickest-car/) [Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/) > [Always build. If you start at fever pitch, there's nowhere to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/always-build-if-you-start-at-fever-pitch-there-s-nowhere-to-go/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [I have spent my career helping to build and grow businesses, and if I've learned one thing, it's that being pro-business and pro-consumer are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/i-have-spent-my-career-helping-to-build-and-grow-businesses-and-if-i/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [If you can build it, you can unbuild it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-pitts/if-you-can-build-it-you-can-unbuild-it/) [Jake Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-pitts/) > [You don't build your character by doing what everybody else is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ghosn/you-don-t-build-your-character-by-doing-what-everybody-else-is-doing/) [Carlos Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ghosn/) [Browse all 1,564 Build quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Just build things and find out if they work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Silbermann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-work/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Build" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-work/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/ben-silbermann-13835_build_just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-w_2261787.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just build things and find out if they work.” — Ben Silbermann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Silbermann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Just build things and find out...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-work/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-work/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```