Eric Simons
Co-founder and CEO at StackBlitz (Bolt)
Co-founder and CEO of StackBlitz, makers of Bolt, the number one most popular web AI code app with over three million users that went from zero to 20 million ARR in two months after launching, an overnight success seven years in the making.
Dimension Profile
Key Themes
Episode Summary
Eric Simons shares the extraordinary story of Bolt, which went from zero to 20 million ARR in two months after StackBlitz was on the verge of shutting down. The key was seven years of investment in WebContainer technology that turned out to be perfectly suited for browser-based AI coding. The conversation covers the cutting edge of AI coding apps, how a small team with deep conviction and long-term technical investment can create explosive product-market fit, and where AI product building is heading.
Leadership Principles
- → There are periods where you have to make judgment calls that are not the consensus view — you must have confidence in your convictions
- → The most important factor in explosive growth is the people — a core group that has been together for years is rare and powerful
- → Building technology first and looking for problems later can work if you have deep conviction about where the world is heading
Notable Quotes
"The company was on the verge of going under when we launched Bolt, and what ended up happening is, in the first two months it went from zero to 20 million of ARR."
— On the dramatic turnaround from near-death to explosive growth
"It was kind of like, Bolt's this overnight success, seven years in the making."
— On how years of building WebContainer technology created the foundation for instant product-market fit
"I think that's the hard thing about being an entrepreneur. There are periods of time where you have to make judgment calls that are not going to be the consensus view."
— On the courage required to keep investing in technology before finding the right problem
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