---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In our first decade, I interviewed about…"
description: "\"In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand people in pursuit of the talent that would create our future. As our success grew, we became kno..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg"
---

#  In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand…

![“In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand people in pursuit of the talent that would create our future. As our success grew, we became known across the four corners of finance not just for our outstanding returns, but also for our outstanding people.” quote by Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg)

> “In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand people in pursuit of the talent that would create our future. As our success grew, we became known across the four corners of finance not just for our outstanding returns, but also for our outstanding people.”

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker emphasizes that talent discovery and strong people were key to the firm’s reputation and success beyond financial returns.

**In simple terms:** Talent and people drive lasting success.

Key Takeaway

Invest in people, not just profits.

Themes

leadership talent culture finance reputation

Mood

proud optimistic reflective

Type

business inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- recruiting
- team building
- leadership development
- client relations

Key Concepts

human capital organizational behavior strategic growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you identify future‑shaping talent?
- What practices keep top talent engaged?

A Different Perspective

Talent alone cannot guarantee success without execution.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Decade Interviewed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decade-interviewed-4120612/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Four Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four-corners/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Future success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-success/) [Interviewed Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewed-thousand-4120611/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pursuit Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-talent-4120610/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-grew-4120609/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“All the fair brave words spoken about freedom that had been broadcast to the four corners of the earth took seed and grew where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/all-the-fair-brave-words-spoken-about-freedom-that-had-been-broadcast/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [“The white hands of the tenebrous belle deal the hand of destiny. Her fingernails are longer than those of the mandarins of ancient China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/the-white-hands-of-the-tenebrous-belle-deal-the-hand-of-destiny-her/)

[Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/)

> [Since I travel to the four corners of this planet for work, I don't need sun holidays or that kind of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elliot/since-i-travel-to-the-four-corners-of-this-planet-for-work-i-don-t/)

[Ben Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elliot/)

> [“Four corners to my bed      Four angels round my head;      Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,      Bless the bed that I lie on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/four-corners-to-my-bed-four-angels-round-my-head-matthew-mark-luke/)

[Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/)

> [“Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fiction-is-like-a-spider-s-web-attached-ever-so-lightly-perhaps-but/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa's souls from the continent to the four corners of the wind? How could Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/why-did-africa-let-europe-cart-away-millions-of-africa-s-souls-from/)

[Ngugi wa Thiong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngugi-wa-thiong-o/)

> [I think that even though we should always welcome allies within the four corners of the United States, we shouldn't limit our allies to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/i-think-that-even-though-we-should-always-welcome-allies-within-the/)

[Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/)

> [But they know about us, they know, the four corners, and the chairs nearby us. Discerning shadows also know, and even the table keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wislawa-szymborska/but-they-know-about-us-they-know-the-four-corners-and-the-chairs/)

[Wislawa Szymborska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wislawa-szymborska/)

> [Vaudeville could not vouch for the honesty, the integrity, or the mentality of the individuals who collectively made up the horde the medium embraced.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/vaudeville-could-not-vouch-for-the-honesty-the-integrity-or-the/)

[Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/)

> [ I have like 10 actors and 100 aliens in the film \[Valerian\]. And they come from the four corners of the universe. Some of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-besson/i-have-like-10-actors-and-100-aliens-in-the-film-valerian-and-they/)

[Luc Besson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-besson/)

> [We will export death and violence to the four corners of the earth in defense of our great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-export-death-and-violence-to-the-four-corners-of-the-earth-in/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so slightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners. Often the attachment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fiction-is-like-a-spider-s-web-attached-ever-so-slightly-perhaps-but/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [The English playwrights of the '50s and '60s didn't really keep writing or getting produced, while the Irish did. There's encouragement for the younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-hynes/the-english-playwrights-of-the-50s-and-60s-didn-t-really-keep-writing/)

[Garry Hynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-hynes/)

> [When God says YES, nobody can say no. It does not take God 24hrs to change a man's story. Mordecai was a gate man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akaro/when-god-says-yes-nobody-can-say-no-it-does-not-take-god-24hrs-to/)

[Akaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akaro/)

> [“Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fiction-is-like-a-spider-s-web-attached-ever-so-lightly-perhaps-but-2/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

## More by Kenneth C. Griffin

> [If I could wave a magic wand, I'd break up the banking system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/if-i-could-wave-a-magic-wand-i-d-break-up-the-banking-system/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [It's important for me to be No. 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/it-s-important-for-me-to-be-no-1/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Don't act like a bank unless you are a bank. That was a really big lesson learned from 2008.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/don-t-act-like-a-bank-unless-you-are-a-bank-that-was-a-really-big/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [I've often thought of successful entrepreneurs as individuals who have just the right expertise - at just the right moment - to solve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/i-ve-often-thought-of-successful-entrepreneurs-as-individuals-who/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Risk is what you make of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/risk-is-what-you-make-of-it/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [In our firm's earliest days, our understanding of the power of great software engineering and quantitative analytics helped Citadel stand out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/in-our-firm-s-earliest-days-our-understanding-of-the-power-of-great/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [When you read that UBS did not even view parts of its mortgage portfolio as having market risk, it becomes very obvious that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/when-you-read-that-ubs-did-not-even-view-parts-of-its-mortgage/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [It is incredible to come to work every day surrounded by individuals whose insights and efforts place us at the forefront of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/it-is-incredible-to-come-to-work-every-day-surrounded-by-individuals/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Should we think about separating the investment banks from the commercial banks, a new Glass-Steagall? I would be really excited to see that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/should-we-think-about-separating-the-investment-banks-from-the/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Let me be clear: All I really care about is my kids know that their parents love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/let-me-be-clear-all-i-really-care-about-is-my-kids-know-that-their/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [There will come a time and place it will be appropriate for us to consider going public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/there-will-come-a-time-and-place-it-will-be-appropriate-for-us-to/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Our financial markets work best when they are competitive, fair, and transparent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/our-financial-markets-work-best-when-they-are-competitive-fair-and/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [It is my hope that visitors, artists, and students from around the world will experience all that MoMA has to offer for generations to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/it-is-my-hope-that-visitors-artists-and-students-from-around-the/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [As Americans, I think we really believe that with the meritocracy that exists in our country, the equality of opportunity is so important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/as-americans-i-think-we-really-believe-that-with-the-meritocracy-that/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

> [Speaker Ryan's vision for a confident America, both at home and abroad, reflects his thoughtful leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/speaker-ryan-s-vision-for-a-confident-america-both-at-home-and-abroad/)

[Kenneth C. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

[Explore all 72 Kenneth C. Griffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/)

## More Create quotes

> [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/)

[Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/)

[Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/)

> [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/)

[Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [I'm proud to stand with U.S. Impact Team in their initiative to create harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/i-m-proud-to-stand-with-u-s-impact-team-in-their-initiative-to-create/)

[Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/)

> [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/)

[Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/)

> [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/)

[Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/)

> [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/)

[Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/)

> [United Way works to create a safe and healthy home for everyone in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steward/united-way-works-to-create-a-safe-and-healthy-home-for-everyone-in/)

[David Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steward/)

> [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/)

[Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/)

> [“If I can create something unique in the world, so can you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scifurz/if-i-can-create-something-unique-in-the-world-so-can-you/)

[SciFurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scifurz/)

> [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [For a long time at Blackburn and at Fulham last season, I was playing on the right wing. I've never seen myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cairney/for-a-long-time-at-blackburn-and-at-fulham-last-season-i-was-playing/)

[Tom Cairney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cairney/)

> [We've got to get back to a country that can get things done. And my whole career has been marching and charging at and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-ve-got-to-get-back-to-a-country-that-can-get-things-done-and-my/)

[Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/)

[Browse all 5,654 Create quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand people in pursuit of the talent that would create our future. As our success grew, we became known across the four corners of finance not just for our outstanding returns, but also for our outstanding people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kenneth C. Griffin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about-five-thousand-people-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Create"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about-five-thousand-people-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afc/kenneth-c-griffin-9524_create_in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about_1278232.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In our first decade, I interviewed about five thousand people in pursuit of the talent that would create our…” — Kenneth C. Griffin",
                "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": "Kenneth C. Griffin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-griffin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In our first decade, I interviewed...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about-five-thousand-people-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-griffin/in-our-first-decade-i-interviewed-about-five-thousand-people-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
