--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we think about how long Google spent…" description: "\"If we think about how long Google spent searching - I think they came around in '98? And, OK, Gmail came in 2004, but it was literally built by one eng..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg" --- # If we think about how long Google spent searching - I… ![“If we think about how long Google spent searching - I think they came around in '98? And, OK, Gmail came in 2004, but it was literally built by one engineer as a 20%-time project. It was probably 10 years before Google started diversifying.” quote by Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg) > “If we think about how long Google spent searching - I think they came around in '98? And, OK, Gmail came in 2004, but it was literally built by one engineer as a 20%-time project. It was probably 10 years before Google started diversifying.” [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early Google projects often began as small, low‑risk experiments that later became major products. **In simple terms:** Big ideas can start as side projects. Key Takeaway Embrace low‑risk experiments. Themes innovation risk product development Mood inspirational practical Type advice case study When to use this quote - startup culture - product launches - team building - resource constraints Key Concepts incremental innovation skunkworks resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - How can you protect a side project from being ignored? - What resources are essential for scaling a small experiment? A Different Perspective Side projects may lack resources and visibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) ## Related quotes > [When we started Skype, if you look at analyst reports, no one forecasted it as a big business. Also when Google started, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/when-we-started-skype-if-you-look-at-analyst-reports-no-one/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Google started as a free search engine. It's still free, but now it's making a lot of money on ads, right? A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gross/google-started-as-a-free-search-engine-it-s-still-free-but-now-it-s/) [Terry Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gross/) > [I've been around long enough to know that empires come and empires go, and I can't tell how long the Google empire is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/i-ve-been-around-long-enough-to-know-that-empires-come-and-empires-go/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“In 1998, Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page approached Yahoo! and suggested a merger. Yahoo! could have snapped up the company for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/in-1998-google-cofounders-sergey-brin-and-larry-page-approached-yahoo/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [Google started out when the dot-com boom was happening. It grew under the radar of big companies that were competing in but basically ignoring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-williams/google-started-out-when-the-dot-com-boom-was-happening-it-grew-under/) [Evan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-williams/) > [Your name must be google.. you have all the things I'm searching for ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaypee/your-name-must-be-google-you-have-all-the-things-i-m-searching-for/) [Jaypee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaypee/) > [“At least I find solace in searching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/at-least-i-find-solace-in-searching/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [When the woodpecker is searching for food, or laying siege to some hidden grub, the sound of his hammer is dead or muffled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-the-woodpecker-is-searching-for-food-or-laying-siege-to-some/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I often feel that when people have affairs, it has more to do with something they're searching for in themselves than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-robins/i-often-feel-that-when-people-have-affairs-it-has-more-to-do-with/) [Laila Robins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-robins/) > [I wasted so many years just traveling and sitting in hotels, searching for things, not knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-wasted-so-many-years-just-traveling-and-sitting-in-hotels-searching/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I feel like I’m always searching for someone, or something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makoto-shinkai/i-feel-like-i-m-always-searching-for-someone-or-something/) [Makoto Shinkai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/makoto-shinkai/) > [My musical tastes - I'm always searching for new things. I know a lot of people say they listen to everything, but I kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/my-musical-tastes-i-m-always-searching-for-new-things-i-know-a-lot-of/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [“Cops aren't really your friends, they are trying to be your friends but they are not… - They are searching evidence to PIN YOU.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/cops-aren-t-really-your-friends-they-are-trying-to-be-your-friends/) Deyth Banger > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) ## More by Taavet Hinrikus > [When a new hire is afraid to roll up their sleeves and get things done, it's a clear sign it's not going to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/when-a-new-hire-is-afraid-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-and-get-things/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [There are so many instances in banking where 'free' simply doesn't mean free, whether it's opaque overdraft charges or credit card providers that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-are-so-many-instances-in-banking-where-free-simply-doesn-t-mean/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. I don't believe it when people tell me they've been working 80-hour weeks for five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/building-a-business-is-a-marathon-not-a-sprint-i-don-t-believe-it/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [In 2011, when we launched TransferWise, it was our frustration with banks not giving us what we wanted or needed as customers. The motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/in-2011-when-we-launched-transferwise-it-was-our-frustration-with/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Scaling a business at speed can feel like an out of control roller-coaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/scaling-a-business-at-speed-can-feel-like-an-out-of-control-roller/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The financial crisis of 2008 created a seismic shift in the dynamics of trust in financial services. FinTech would have happened without the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-financial-crisis-of-2008-created-a-seismic-shift-in-the-dynamics/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Costs should always be presented up front so that consumers can make informed choices and get a fairer deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/costs-should-always-be-presented-up-front-so-that-consumers-can-make/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Securing and attracting the best talent is an obsession in the tech industry for good reason. It's your main asset; it's your edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/securing-and-attracting-the-best-talent-is-an-obsession-in-the-tech/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Historically, people have flocked to Silicon Valley because of the belief that that's where the latest innovation is happening. It's a snowball effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/historically-people-have-flocked-to-silicon-valley-because-of-the/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Sometimes, companies are better placed than politicians and governments to make change happen. That doesn't mean that they should not be held to account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/sometimes-companies-are-better-placed-than-politicians-and/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [A preoccupation with job title is an immediate giveaway that someone's priorities are not in line with the company's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/a-preoccupation-with-job-title-is-an-immediate-giveaway-that-someone/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The growth of FinTech has been driven by adoption across age groups, but the demand from the millennial generation to innovate and think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-growth-of-fintech-has-been-driven-by-adoption-across-age-groups/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [As consumers in general, and with Millennials in particular, we're getting used to everything being cheaper, faster, better - and banks aren't keeping up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/as-consumers-in-general-and-with-millennials-in-particular-we-re/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [There's always been a lot of interest in the tech community about how to foster innovation and creativity - both within a company but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-s-always-been-a-lot-of-interest-in-the-tech-community-about-how/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Traditional consumer finance has been unfair for decades. Banks have had a monopoly on financial services and have been able to overcharge and underserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/traditional-consumer-finance-has-been-unfair-for-decades-banks-have/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) [Explore all 75 Taavet Hinrikus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) ## More Around quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [I can look around a room and tell you if there are hidden cameras or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ash/i-can-look-around-a-room-and-tell-you-if-there-are-hidden-cameras-or/) [Lauren Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ash/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [I drink maple syrup. Then I'm hyper so I just run around like crazy and work it all off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-drink-maple-syrup-then-i-m-hyper-so-i-just-run-around-like-crazy/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [Music is almost like a therapy for me. It helps keep me centered and think straight. Before I discovered it, I was walking around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/music-is-almost-like-a-therapy-for-me-it-helps-keep-me-centered-and/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I became an MP in 2017 and have been around to watch Liberal Democrat party membership soar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-moran/i-became-an-mp-in-2017-and-have-been-around-to-watch-liberal-democrat/) [Layla Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layla-moran/) Browse all 7,275 Around quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we think about how long Google spent searching - I think they came around in '98? And, OK, Gmail came in 2004, but it was literally built by one engineer as a 20%-time project. It was probably 10 years before Google started diversifying.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Taavet Hinrikus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent-searching-i-think-they-came/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent-searching-i-think-they-came/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b26/taavet-hinrikus-9070_around_if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent_2162386.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we think about how long Google spent searching - I think they came around in '98? And, OK, Gmail came in…” — Taavet Hinrikus", "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": "Taavet Hinrikus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we think about how long...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent-searching-i-think-they-came/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/if-we-think-about-how-long-google-spent-searching-i-think-they-came/#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 } } ] } ```