Interview with Ivan Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Notion

<p><a href="https://twitter.com/ivanhzhao" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ivan Zhao</a> is the co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.notion.so/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Notion</a>, the all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases. Entrepreneurs rave about it, VCs <a href="https://twitter.com/joshk/status/1094324382778970112?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">chase</a> after it, and we simply cannot stop hearing about it.</p><p>Notion bundles multiple use cases into one tool and helps teams cut down on their number of applications used. For many users, Notion sparks inner joy — it appeals to the Marie Kondo in all of us, helping us clear out the clutter and organize efficient workflows.</p><br><p>On top of being a product that people love to use, Notion is also a company that entrepreneurs admire, especially in the SaaS space. At the beginning of COVID, it hit a $2 billion valuation after raising a $50 million round — with a relatively small team of 40 people. Notion’s approach to company-building has since been distinguished with two main elements: its lean team and its conscientious attitude towards VC funding.</p><br><p>In this episode, we learn more about the Notion journey — where it comes from and where it's going — with its founder, Ivan Zhao.</p><br><p>Topics:</p><p><strong>00:22&nbsp;</strong>— Introduction with Roxanne Varza</p><p><strong>01:03</strong> — Ivan Zhao on the market need for Notion</p><p><strong>02:13</strong> — Notion’s mission to empower people to create their own tools</p><p><strong>03:16</strong> — The 4 main use cases of Notion</p><p><strong>03:58</strong> — How Notion built a product that people love so much</p><p><strong>05:48</strong> — When Notion exploded in 2018</p><p><strong>06:43</strong> — Notion’s approach to building a company: fundraising and team size</p><p><strong>09:20</strong> — Raising $50 million at $2B valuation during COVID</p><p><strong>11:08</strong> — New offices in Europe and Japan</p><p><stron