Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, is a great thinker of our time. He started a small auction site, AuctionWeb, and turned it into the billion dollar enterprise that we now know as eBay.
The story goes that Pierre’s fiance had a stash of Pez dispensers and he created eBay to help her sell these Pez dispensers online.
This story, however, is a fabrication. The first item sold on eBay was a broken laser printer. Pierre, out of curiosity more than anything, called the purchaser and queried, “Do you know that this laser printer is broken?” The man responded, “I collect broken Laser Printers.”
What sets apart a great thinker is seeing potential in new places. Pierre realized that collectors abound and saw the potential for his auction site.
In 1997, AuctionWeb changed its name to eBay and went public on September 21, 1998. Pierre, a dedicated software engineer, became an instant billionaire.
Below, view interviews with Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, and a great thinker of our time.
eBay 10th Anniversary Video with Pierre Omidyar
Academy of Achievement’s Exclusive Interview Pierre Omidyar
In the video below, Pierre Omidyar talks briefly about his great wealth and the philanthropic necessities of such extraordinary resources.
Pierre Omidyar (founder or ebay) - Iranian entrepreneur
In this video, Pierre talks amiably about his decision to create eBay. He talks about how he, like many other Entrepreneurs, worked nights and weekends while performing his regular job during the day.
23 Minutes with Pierre Omidyar
In this interview, Pierre talks about the founding of eBay, the partial myth of the Pez dispensers, and his billion day company, eBay.
Follow this link to see the video.
Pierre Omidyar, A Great Thinker of our Time: Summary
Pierre Omidyar exemplifies leadership in ideas and philanthropy. He earned billions from a small idea and is making positive changes with his wealth. His dedication, good deeds, and creativity are an inspiration to all!