Dara Khosrowshahi

So I had to print out my whole LBO model, bidding model, et cetera.

But the only question in my mind was, when am I going to get fired, right? It's like, this is a disaster. An analyst is not supposed to talk to a CEO. But in hindsight, I've seen this patterning with Barry, which is, He wants to get the real stuff. He doesn't want a version, an edited version of reality, because then it's just an edited version.

But the only question in my mind was, when am I going to get fired, right? It's like, this is a disaster. An analyst is not supposed to talk to a CEO. But in hindsight, I've seen this patterning with Barry, which is, He wants to get the real stuff. He doesn't want a version, an edited version of reality, because then it's just an edited version.

He wants to go to the source, and he wants to know, like, there are these numbers, and I'm making, at the time, one of the business decisions of my professional life based on, like, these pieces of paper. Who's responsible for this? And I want them to explain it to me. So for me, it was like... you know, crazy luck.

He wants to go to the source, and he wants to know, like, there are these numbers, and I'm making, at the time, one of the business decisions of my professional life based on, like, these pieces of paper. Who's responsible for this? And I want them to explain it to me. So for me, it was like... you know, crazy luck.

But it was also, it's part of Barry's process, which is get the unvarnished truth because that helps him make better decisions. But then I met him and I remember thinking, hey, if there's ever a person that I want to work with, like I want to work for that person.

But it was also, it's part of Barry's process, which is get the unvarnished truth because that helps him make better decisions. But then I met him and I remember thinking, hey, if there's ever a person that I want to work with, like I want to work for that person.

Herb was a big believer in betting on people and not hierarchies, etc., I don't know, honestly. I remember the advice that he gave me is bet on people, not on companies. And that was a patterning that he had through his whole career. He was very loyal, found a good person, and then would bet on that person.

Herb was a big believer in betting on people and not hierarchies, etc., I don't know, honestly. I remember the advice that he gave me is bet on people, not on companies. And that was a patterning that he had through his whole career. He was very loyal, found a good person, and then would bet on that person.

And Barry's the same, which is like, he'll throw a young person off the deep end, and you'll either sink or you'll swim. He's selective in who he throws off, you know, what deep end, et cetera. But both of them were willing to give opportunity outside of like regular scope or regular process, et cetera. And it shows. They build incredible loyalty in terms of the people who know them.

And Barry's the same, which is like, he'll throw a young person off the deep end, and you'll either sink or you'll swim. He's selective in who he throws off, you know, what deep end, et cetera. But both of them were willing to give opportunity outside of like regular scope or regular process, et cetera. And it shows. They build incredible loyalty in terms of the people who know them.

It was a very considered decision, which was I studied engineering in school. And I actually had an engineering management job lined up at a paint factory. And then I fell in love with a commodity trader in New York City. And at the time, I'm like, I need a job in New York City. What kind of job can I get? And it was investment banking. My brother worked there. Still works there, right?

It was a very considered decision, which was I studied engineering in school. And I actually had an engineering management job lined up at a paint factory. And then I fell in love with a commodity trader in New York City. And at the time, I'm like, I need a job in New York City. What kind of job can I get? And it was investment banking. My brother worked there. Still works there, right?

Still works there. So I got the job and chased the woman of my dreams and broke up with her six months later. But I got a job at Allen & Company, a pretty cool career.

Still works there. So I got the job and chased the woman of my dreams and broke up with her six months later. But I got a job at Allen & Company, a pretty cool career.

You know, you could be right or I could have just gotten totally lucky by falling into Allen & Company. I really do think it was just things came together. And everyone's career who's successful, it's a combination of luck and opportunity and taking advantage of that opportunity. And I just got lucky.

You know, you could be right or I could have just gotten totally lucky by falling into Allen & Company. I really do think it was just things came together. And everyone's career who's successful, it's a combination of luck and opportunity and taking advantage of that opportunity. And I just got lucky.

I think I always tell people that The most common mistake that I see in young people is that they overplan their career. And like, oh, I want to do X or I want to be vice president or I want to make so much money by a certain time.

I think I always tell people that The most common mistake that I see in young people is that they overplan their career. And like, oh, I want to do X or I want to be vice president or I want to make so much money by a certain time.

And when you overplan your career, you know, there's this human bias, which is to look for signal that agrees with the plan that you have and ignore it, everything else that doesn't agree. With it. So my advice for young people is like, don't over plan. You never know what opportunities are going to come up. I plan to stay at Allen & Company my whole life. It was my place.