So probably from when I was 12, I knew I was going to start a company eventually.

When you're in a startup, the first ten people will determine whether the company succeeds or not.

It wasn't until we got our first office in Palo Alto where things became more like a company. We never went into this wanting to build a company.

I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people, and I had a brilliant boss who I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park,listened carefully to me, and finally said, "That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn't already have a good job."

Almost any mistake you can make in running a company, I've probably made.

As much as possible, avoid hiring MBAs. MBA programs don't teach people how to create companies.