Network effects in the Exponential Age

On the latest Exponential View podcast, I speak to James Currier, one of the world’s foremost thinkers on networks and network effects. We take a thorough look at what makes the world’s biggest businesses work, and what that tells us about the next wave of giant, exponential companies.

🔖  (If you'd rather read a transcript of the conversation, you can do so by clicking on the 'Transcript' tab under the audio player).

The big idea

Network effects happen when a company's products and services become more valuable as the number of people using them increases. Many of the world’s biggest companies are powered by that phenomenon, and no-one explains them better than James.

Network effects are at the core of James’ strategy at NFX, the venture capital firm where he’s a partner. NFX has invested in companies including Lyft, DoorDash and Patreon.

[Network effects are] like having another thousand employees at your company... you set up the conditions and then the network grows and then the networ…