Nate’s Notes 197: Technologist Bob Goodson | What Is the Most Important Problem in My Field?

What a great question Bob asks himself that we can all ask ourselves: What is the most important problem in my field and am I working on it? Asking that question led Bob to leave the UK and move to San Francisco where he became the first employee at Yelp and later founded and now runs the AI company Quid.

And then I love Bob’s advice to put ourselves in the furnace. It’s nearly impossible to make meaningful contributions to important fields from the outside. But by placing ourselves in the heat and discomfort of the furnace, we give ourselves the chance to do our most important work.

In summary, strive to work on the most important problem in your field. It’s a simple idea. Please take it seriously.

Bob Goodson Bio:

Bob Goodson is President and Founder of Quid, a Silicon Valley–based company whose AI models are used by a third of the Fortune 50. Before starting Quid, Bob was the first employee at Yelp, where he played a role in the genesis of the Like Button.

Bob is also a co-author of a new book on the origins of the Like Button in social media.