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Mark Zuckerberg: The Best Advice Peter Thiel Ever Gave Him

By Mark Zuckerberg · Startup Growth · 1 min read

Thiel told Zuckerberg one thing early on that shaped every major decision at Facebook.

Key Points

Thiel told Zuckerberg: the biggest risk is not taking enough risk
Playing it safe at a startup is the most dangerous strategy
Facebook's aggressive growth moves — including turning down Yahoo's $1B offer — came from this advice

The biggest risk is not taking enough risk. In a world that is changing quickly, the only strategy guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.

The Advice

Peter Thiel was Facebook's first outside investor.

His advice to Zuckerberg was simple: the biggest risk is not taking enough risk.

In a fast-changing world, playing it safe guarantees failure.

The Yahoo Decision

Yahoo offered $1 billion for Facebook. The board pressured Zuckerberg to sell.

Thiel's advice echoed: the biggest risk is not taking the risk.

Zuckerberg turned down $1 billion. Facebook is now worth over $1 trillion.

The biggest risk is not taking enough risk.