Recode published an extensive profile of Snapchat founder and CEO Evan Spiegel on Monday.
One of the most interesting details though is that the several sources who interviewed for the story casually — and apparently independently — compared him to the great 20th Century experimental painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso:
Admirers say Spiegel is as good at building products as Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs. And if you think that’s hyperbole, you should talk to several of the sources we spoke to for this story, who casually likened him to Picasso.
As you can probably tell from that quote, the comparison stems less from his skill with a brush or chisel than his ability to create world-changing products. As the author notes, Snapchat evolved in four years from being the butt of sexting jokes to a space for the president of the United States to promote healthcare policy.
Here's Recode's smart take on what sets Spiegel's app design apart from similar products:
Unlike Zuckerberg, Spiegel knows little code. He leaves his impact through vision and design. And that speaks again to what makes Spiegel different. Many of his ideas — most of which are raw and unorthodox — probably wouldn’t pass the smell test at larger companies like Facebook or Google.
When you open the Snapchat app, for example, you land directly in the app’s camera without anything to read or watch. It’s a nudge to create content, not simply consume it. Snapchat was the first to hone in on vertical video, because that’s how people naturally hold their phones. It was counter to the horizontal way video was supposed to be filmed.
And that genius has landed the 25-year-old a billionaire's lifestyle.
As Recode writes, "He owns a Ferrari; he’s a licensed helicopter pilot; his girlfriend is a former Victoria’s Secret model."
You can read the full Recode story here.
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