These 2 founders fired their entire team.
Moved to Japan. Coded 18 hours a day on the brink of bankruptcy.
3 years later, they built a $10 BILLION empire that changed how millions work.
This is how Notion went from near-death to Silicon Valley royalty: 🧵 https://t.co/cqC8jW5bXV
In 2015, Ivan Zhao and Simon Last were out of options.
Their startup Notion had burned through 3 years and most of their funding. The product wasn't working. Users weren't coming.
They made a decision that would've killed most startups...
They fired all 4 employees.
Scrapped their entire codebase.
And did something insane:
They moved from San Francisco to Kyoto, Japan to stretch their last dollars. https://t.co/zyH4G6gtnk
"We were just, code, code, code," Ivan recalled.
18-hour days in a tiny two-story house.
No cleaning. No dressing. Just noodles and keyboards.
They couldn't even read Japanese menus—Ivan used his Chinese to guess "beef" or "chicken." https://t.co/78uP3MEivg
Why Japan?
It was less than half the cost of San Francisco.
They needed every penny to survive while rebuilding from zero.
Most founders would've given up.
But Ivan had spotted something everyone else missed...
Their first version of Notion failed because they misunderstood human nature.
"People don't want to build apps," Ivan realized.
They want to solve problems—quickly, simply, without thinking about code.
This insight changed everything. https://t.co/F6N23WtYM4
March 2016: Notion 1.0 launched.
It exploded on Product Hunt:
• Product of the Day
• Product of the Week
• Product of the Month
The same product that nearly died was suddenly Silicon Valley's hottest tool.
But here's where Ivan did something different...
While other startups rushed to raise money, Notion stayed bootstrapped.
They focused obsessively on users, not investors.
Ivan personally replied to every tweet. Every complaint. Every suggestion.
The strategy worked:
2019: First funding—$10M at $800M valuation
2020: Pandemic hit—users QUINTUPLED
2020: $50M Series B at $2B valuation
2021: $275M Series C at $10 BILLION valuation
From near-death to decacorn in 5 years. https://t.co/Nm8pDOkJMZ
The numbers are staggering:
• 100M+ users by 2024
• Revenue: $3M (2019) → $300M (2024)
• 50% of Fortune 500 companies use it
• Creators earning $1M+ selling Notion templates
All from two guys coding in a Kyoto basement. https://t.co/XrrrmUG5fX
What made Notion different?
They didn't just build another app.
They built a platform where users create their own solutions.
Like giving people LEGOs instead of a finished toy.
The same pattern that built every tech empire...
Think about it:
• Microsoft: Gave people tools to create documents
• Apple: Gave people tools to create apps
• Notion: Gave people tools to create workflows
The pattern? Platforms that empower users always win. https://t.co/4YAx16mcYh
Here's what most miss:
Every generational wealth opportunity follows this pattern—
Take something complex, make it accessible to everyone.
Railroads did it for transportation.
Electricity did it for power.
The internet did it for information.
The founders who recognize these shifts early don't just build companies.
They build empires.
They create entirely new markets where none existed before.
And right now, the same pattern is emerging in another industry... https://t.co/08GKk744Qc
Hi, I'm Ken Berenger.
I've spent 35 years as an entrepreneur, elite sales trainer, and risk-taker who's had to rebuild from nothing—twice.
My mission on X is simple:
Share the formula for asymmetric wealth that cost me years, so you don't need to make the same mistakes. https://t.co/7dtupfyCHh
Just like Notion redefined software, Water On Demand is pioneering a way for YOU to help restore the world’s water.
Be a founder. Spot the pattern. Create markets where none existed.
A $1.26T shift is happening and the best part? It helps all life on Earth.
Imagine every $1,000 you invest restores 14,000 gallons of water every year for life.
Now imagine getting paid to do it.
I’ve built a way for you to start now before the big asset investors come in for decades of tax-advantaged income.
Intrigued? DM me.
My mission is to share wisdom from the greatest wealth builders and spotlight once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that everyday people can access.
Follow me @kenberenger and let's debunk the secrets of wealth.
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