--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very first company I started failed…" description: "\"The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third one, you know, proper f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/max-levchin-18118_bangs_the-very-first-company-i-started-failed_10788.jpg" --- # The very first company I started failed with a great bang… ![“The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third one, you know, proper failed, but it was kind of okay. I recovered quickly. Number four almost didn't fail. It still didn't really feel great, but it did okay. Number…” quote by Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/max-levchin-18118_bangs_the-very-first-company-i-started-failed_10788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/max-levchin-18118_bangs_the-very-first-company-i-started-failed_10788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/max-levchin-18118_bangs_the-very-first-company-i-started-failed_10788.jpg) > “The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third one, you know, proper failed, but it was kind of okay. I recovered quickly. Number four almost didn't fail. It still didn't really feel great, but it did okay. Number five was PayPal.” [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Iterative entrepreneurship teaches that early failures are learning steps, and persistence eventually leads to breakthrough success. **In simple terms:** Failure is a stepping stone to success. Key Takeaway Persistence yields payoff. Themes Resilience Learning from failure Iterative improvement Entrepreneurial mindset Growth Mood Determined Reflective Optimistic Type Anecdotal Motivational When to use this quote - Launching a startup - Facing a product flop - Recovering from a setback - Scaling a new venture - Achieving a breakthrough Key Concepts Failure Persistence Learning Success Practical Applications - Mentoring new founders - Designing entrepreneurship curricula Questions to Reflect On - What patterns emerge from repeated failures? - How does resilience shape future decisions? A Different Perspective Success can also arise from luck or timing, not solely persistence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bangs/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Didn Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-fail-259481/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failed/) [Failed Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failed-great-366443/) [Failed Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failed-little-366444/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Paypal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paypal/) [Second Failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-failed-366442/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) ## Related quotes > [At last, after completing year 12, I failed the great final examination, repeated the following year and failed again even more dismally than before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/at-last-after-completing-year-12-i-failed-the-great-final-examination/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [PayPal once rejected a candidate who aced all the engineering tests because for fun, the guy said that he liked to play hoops. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/paypal-once-rejected-a-candidate-who-aced-all-the-engineering-tests/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [You can't get married to any one particular plan. That is the biggest lesson I learned at PayPal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/you-can-t-get-married-to-any-one-particular-plan-that-is-the-biggest/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Technology has come a long way since PayPal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/technology-has-come-a-long-way-since-paypal/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Pink Friday Eminem 8 Mile It must hurt to sell your album on Paypal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/pink-friday-eminem-8-mile-it-must-hurt-to-sell-your-album-on-paypal/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [Of the six people who started PayPal, four had built bombs in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/of-the-six-people-who-started-paypal-four-had-built-bombs-in-high/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [In 2013 I sold my payments company, Braintree Venmo, to PayPal for $800 million, reaching a goal I set when 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-johnson/in-2013-i-sold-my-payments-company-braintree-venmo-to-paypal-for-800/) [Bryan Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-johnson/) > [Going from PayPal, I thought: 'Well, what are some of the other problems that are likely to most affect the future of humanity?' Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/going-from-paypal-i-thought-well-what-are-some-of-the-other-problems/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [For me, the international expansion of eBay was the best idea. We are now in 35 countries, and have a huge global network. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/for-me-the-international-expansion-of-ebay-was-the-best-idea-we-are/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [I've got a number of stories written so far in that mythos, more lined up to be written, and a narrative arc taking shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/i-ve-got-a-number-of-stories-written-so-far-in-that-mythos-more-lined/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [PayPal is a business that will be bigger than eBay,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donahoe/paypal-is-a-business-that-will-be-bigger-than-ebay/) [John Donahoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donahoe/) > [Venmo is one of the jewels of Paypal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/venmo-is-one-of-the-jewels-of-paypal/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [A lot of hackers set up scam sites. They can impersonate a site like PayPal, for instance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-demon-calce/a-lot-of-hackers-set-up-scam-sites-they-can-impersonate-a-site-like/) [Michael Demon Calce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-demon-calce/) > [We're really thinking how do we re-imagine PayPal almost as a service. PayPal as a SaaS platform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/we-re-really-thinking-how-do-we-re-imagine-paypal-almost-as-a-service/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Nowadays people talk about PayPal's founders as prescient geniuses who would inevitably change the world. It was, however, not so obvious that PayPal would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/nowadays-people-talk-about-paypal-s-founders-as-prescient-geniuses/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## More by Max Levchin > [Being an entrepreneur is not about being in love with an idea, it's about being in love with running a company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/being-an-entrepreneur-is-not-about-being-in-love-with-an-idea-it-s/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [You can have successful teams where people hate but deeply respect each other; the opposite (love but not respect among team members) is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/you-can-have-successful-teams-where-people-hate-but-deeply-respect/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Mobile is the perfect example of what is enabling economic growth in the technology sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/mobile-is-the-perfect-example-of-what-is-enabling-economic-growth-in/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Having a highly homogeneous background, education, values, preferences, etc, in the very early team is better than not - cuts down on time-wasting arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/having-a-highly-homogeneous-background-education-values-preferences/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [You're going to pull out your phone and try to use whatever is the most appropriate app on your iPhone or your Android device.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/you-re-going-to-pull-out-your-phone-and-try-to-use-whatever-is-the/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [I've been developing mobile for years before anybody else really thought it was that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/i-ve-been-developing-mobile-for-years-before-anybody-else-really/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Technology has come a long way since PayPal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/technology-has-come-a-long-way-since-paypal/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Right now, nearly all the apps on Facebook take a week to build. No more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/right-now-nearly-all-the-apps-on-facebook-take-a-week-to-build-no-more/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [The world is now awash in data and we can see consumers in a lot clearer ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/the-world-is-now-awash-in-data-and-we-can-see-consumers-in-a-lot/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [I actually think Facebook made it their business to be close with all of the app developers. They couldn't have done more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/i-actually-think-facebook-made-it-their-business-to-be-close-with-all/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [Facebook is so ubiquitous now that it's like another manifestation of the web itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/facebook-is-so-ubiquitous-now-that-it-s-like-another-manifestation-of/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [You are not designing for yourself, and shouldn't be. Most people using the Web don't understand (most of) what makes it work and don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/you-are-not-designing-for-yourself-and-shouldn-t-be-most-people-using/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [We're becoming slaves to our social networks - and that's not a bad thing. You like your favorite networks, so do you friends, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/we-re-becoming-slaves-to-our-social-networks-and-that-s-not-a-bad/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [I have this massive notebook called IDEAS and another one called PERSONAL IDEAS and another one called CRAZY IDEAS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/i-have-this-massive-notebook-called-ideas-and-another-one-called/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [We're all put on Earth for a limited amount of time. Am I using in a way that is great, or good enough, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/we-re-all-put-on-earth-for-a-limited-amount-of-time-am-i-using-in-a/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) [Explore all 35 Max Levchin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) ## More Bangs quotes > [Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the Shadow For Thine is the Kingdom Between the conception And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-between-the-motion-and-the-act-falls/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. Only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/and-you-ve-actually-watched-it-yourself-i-asked-willingly-sure-i-had/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [He owned an expensive camera that required thought before you pressed the shutter, and I quickly became his favorite subject, round-faced, missing teeth, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/he-owned-an-expensive-camera-that-required-thought-before-you-pressed/) [Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/) > [Tune your television to any channel it doesn't receive and about 1 percent of the dancing static you see is accounted for by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/tune-your-television-to-any-channel-it-doesn-t-receive-and-about-1/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Insect politics, indifferent universe. Bang your head against the wall, but apathy is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/insect-politics-indifferent-universe-bang-your-head-against-the-wall/) [Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/) > [When people can't abide things as they are, when they can't abide the present, they do one of two things ... either they ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-can-t-abide-things-as-they-are-when-they-can-t-abide-the/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I give money to Unicef because I like the 'bang for your buck' aspect. Here's $10, go and save 1,000 kids from blindness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-give-money-to-unicef-because-i-like-the-bang-for-your-buck-aspect/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [how can he love me then not? He went,he ran. And I cannot bring him back. Yet I left the door metaphorically wide open,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-north/how-can-he-love-me-then-not-he-went-he-ran-and-i-cannot-bring-him/) [Freya North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-north/) > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [Working on television is like being shot out of a cannon. They cram you all up with rehearsals, then someone lights a fuse and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/working-on-television-is-like-being-shot-out-of-a-cannon-they-cram/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [Everybody was going along thinking that it was a day like any other day, and bang, down went the Twin Towers. Changed everything. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/everybody-was-going-along-thinking-that-it-was-a-day-like-any-other/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I don't trust anyone who hasn't been self-destructiv e in some way, and who hasn't gone through some sort of bout of self-loathing. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/i-don-t-trust-anyone-who-hasn-t-been-self-destructiv-e-in-some-way/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [She folded her arms and then shouted, "Right you thieving scunners! How dare you steal Miss Treason's funeral meats!" "Oh, waily, waily, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/she-folded-her-arms-and-then-shouted-right-you-thieving-scunners-how/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I think that the insane desire one has sometimes to bang and kick grumblers and peevish persons is a Divine instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hugh-benson/i-think-that-the-insane-desire-one-has-sometimes-to-bang-and-kick/) [Robert Hugh Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hugh-benson/) [Browse all 462 Bangs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bangs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third one, you know, proper failed, but it was kind of okay. I recovered quickly. Number four almost didn't fail. It still didn't really feel great, but it did okay. 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