By now, the story is legend.

When Drew Houston boarded a bus from Boston to New York and discovered that he had—yet again—forgotten to bring his thumb drive, he was frustrated. So frustrated that he sat down and began writing the first lines of code of what would eventually become Dropbox.

After over a decade of changing the way files are stored, synced, and shared, Houston is changing the way people work, once again. This time, to solve a problem that likely plagues every single knowledge worker today: our fragmented, overcomplicated workspaces.

In this episode, you’ll learn more about Houston’s journey—from ideation to launch—with Dropbox Spaces, as well as the most important lessons he’s collected while building a multibillion-dollar company.

Listen to Nathan and Drew discuss:

The relatable experience that inspired Houston to come up with the idea for Dropbox

Why Houston doesn’t believe there’s any “magic” involved in building a multibillion-dollar company

The importance of decision making and learning continuously on the job

How a conversation with a SpaceX engineer sparked the vision behind Dropbox Spaces

Houston’s advice on “harvesting” versus “planting” when it comes to your business

Why Houston is such a huge believer in intentionally designing your environment—at work and with your personal relationships

Click here to start your business for $1. You’ll get all-access foundr+, where you’ll find more in-depth, proven strategies from founders like our guest today and support and advice from our global community of 30,000 founders.

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