Brian Acton Quotes

Powerful Brian Acton for Daily Growth

About Brian Acton

Brian Acton, co-founder of WhatsApp, was born on February 17, 1971, in California, USA. Acton's upbringing played a significant role in shaping his innovative spirit. He grew up in Stanford, a hub of technological advancement, which provided him with an early exposure to the world of technology. After completing his high school education, Acton enrolled at the University of Stanford but did not complete his degree. Instead, he honed his technical skills by working as a web developer for companies such as Apple Inc., IBM, and Grace Hopper Productions. In 2009, Acton co-founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum, a mobile messaging app that revolutionized global communication. Acton's role in the company was instrumental; he oversaw business operations and served as the chief marketing officer. In 2014, Facebook Inc. acquired WhatsApp for a staggering $19 billion, marking one of the largest tech acquisitions in history. Acton is known for his philosophical quotes that often reflect his thoughts on innovation, privacy, and entrepreneurship. Some of his famous quotes include "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with," and "Be undeniably good. It's the only way to be truly great." Post-acquisition, Acton stepped down from WhatsApp in 2017. Today, he continues to invest in startups, focusing on privacy-focused projects, reflecting his commitment to protecting user data, a principle deeply ingrained during his time at WhatsApp. His life and work serve as an inspiration for tech entrepreneurs worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."

This quote by Brian Acton, co-founder of WhatsApp, suggests that innovation often arises from solving problems in ways people haven't explicitly asked for. If someone had merely asked for "faster horses," the revolutionary invention of automobiles would not have been envisioned. It underscores the importance of thinking beyond conventional requests and finding creative solutions to existing issues.


"You are more capable than some days you feel."

This quote serves as a reminder that our capabilities often surpass our feelings of inadequacy on certain days. It encourages individuals to acknowledge their inherent potential, even when they may not feel up to the task at hand. Essentially, it is a call to persevere and trust in one's abilities, despite the occasional moments of self-doubt or weakness that we all experience.


"Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff so you can't move fast."

This quote by Brian Acton, co-founder of WhatsApp, emphasizes the importance of innovation and swift action in business, especially in the tech industry. The phrase "Move fast and break things" encourages a mindset that values speed and agility over conventional norms or established structures. However, it also cautions that such a mindset should not lead to destruction or irreparable damage that hinders progress, as suggested by the second part of the quote: "unless you are breaking stuff so you can't move fast." In essence, Acton is reminding us that while it's essential to disrupt and challenge the status quo, we must ensure our actions don't hinder our ability to continue innovating and moving forward.


"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

This quote by Brian Acton suggests that one should remember the joy and positive experiences from past events, rather than dwelling on their end or any potential sadness they may bring. It encourages a mindset of gratitude and happiness for the moments that have passed in life, rather than focusing on regret or loss.


"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

This quote by Brian Acton emphasizes the importance of proactive action in shaping one's future. It suggests that instead of passively waiting for things to happen, we should take charge and create the outcomes we desire. In other words, our future is not predetermined, but is rather malleable through our choices, decisions, and actions today. This perspective encourages a mindset of personal responsibility, ambition, and perseverance in pursuing our goals.


Your insurance broker has your telephone number, but your insurance broker doesn't have your Facebook ID. I think they are very different modes of communication. Commingling them can come with risk and peril.

- Brian Acton

Insurance, Think, Very, Modes

Dealing with ads is depressing. You don't make anyone's life better by making advertisements work better.

- Brian Acton

Better, Making, Dealing, Ads

Going public is 18-month process, while an acquisition is a 6-month process. Going public means going under so much scrutiny, regulatory approval, auditing, magnified 10 times. Having the stomach to do that isn't necessarily in my DNA. My DNA is building a product and a service.

- Brian Acton

Regulatory, Stomach, While, Magnified

The phone is one hundred, one hundred and ten years old. There was a middle period where the government had a broad ability to surveil, but if you look at human history in total, people evolved and civilizations evolved with private conversations and private speech.

- Brian Acton

Private, Hundred, Evolved, Human History

For me specifically, it was important to graduate. In my family, I was one of the first graduates. My mom did not have a college degree. My dad did not have a college degree.

- Brian Acton

College, Graduates, Dad, Specifically

There's a certain degree of speculation that goes into valuations. In so far as the market supports a valuation, everyone who gets a great one deserves it, but they should also be cautious because that speculation is temporary. I saw Yahoo go from $100 billion to $10 billion. It's not a long-term measure.

- Brian Acton

Temporary, Deserves, Supports

The best part of working with Facebook has been the cross-fertilization of ideas, people, and technology.

- Brian Acton

Facebook, Been, Part, Best Part

I myself saw Yahoo become a $100 billion company and then become a $10 billion company, so you always have to look at valuations with a grain of salt and understand it is a point-in-time measure.

- Brian Acton

Myself, Salt, Always, Grain

People want chat histories. They're a permanent testimony of a relationship.

- Brian Acton

Want, Permanent, Chat, Testimony

I don't really want to be in the business of observing conversations.

- Brian Acton

Business, Want, Observing

When I worked at Yahoo, I saw a lot of acquisitions. Some succeeded, and some failed. I think I have learned from that.

- Brian Acton

Think, Some, I Think, I Have Learned

You never want to be in a position where you can't make payroll.

- Brian Acton

Never, Want, Where, Payroll

I think every acquisition is unique and different. The best strategy is to listen to the founders and follow their lead.

- Brian Acton

Best, Think, I Think, Strategy

It's not 100 per cent clear to me what's working about Snapchat.

- Brian Acton

Me, Clear, Cent, Snapchat

WhatsApp provides phone-number-based messaging, and people asked, 'Isn't that what SMS is?' Yes, but SMS is expensive, antiquated, and what WhatsApp did was modernize and level that playing field. For example, in Europe, if France wants to talk to Belgium, it's extraordinary costly because of border and telecom charges.

- Brian Acton

Example, Asked, WhatsApp, Costly

'WhatsApp' provides phone number-based messaging, and people asked, 'Isn't that what SMS is?' Yes, but SMS is expensive, antiquated, and what WhatsApp did was modernize and level that playing field.

- Brian Acton

Yes, Level, WhatsApp, Playing Field

WhatsApp will bring Facebook another billion users. We will be a billion-user product. Whether there is a direct valuation or an indirect valuation, there is value, and Facebook understands that well.

- Brian Acton

Product, WhatsApp, Indirect, Understands

In early 2010, we launched our first localized version of 'WhatsApp' for iPhone. It included Spanish and German language translations, to name a couple.

- Brian Acton

WhatsApp, Spanish, German, Included

Yes, I was a big math and computer geek, that's true. I was driven by the scholastic side of things. For me, it was all about what I could do with math and computers.

- Brian Acton

Big, Yes, Side, Geek

My mom started an air-freight company; my grandmother built a golf course. I have a certain degree of entrepreneurial risk-taking in my family history. Maybe that eventually rubbed off on me a little bit.

- Brian Acton

Mom, Maybe, Risk-Taking, Entrepreneurial

Building secure products actually makes for a safer world; many people in law enforcement may not agree with that.

- Brian Acton

Law, May, Safer, Enforcement

My DNA is building a product and a service.

- Brian Acton

Service, Building, Product, DNA

FreeBSD has a nicely tuned network stack and extremely good reliability.

- Brian Acton

Nicely, Stack, Extremely, Network

When I joined 'WhatsApp,' I was 38 years old. Opportunity is available to us in all walks of life and at all ages.

- Brian Acton

Old, Available, Joined, WhatsApp

Companies that have been built and operated for a long time are the most successful companies.

- Brian Acton

Been, Most, Companies, Operated

You have a certain identity that you present to the world on Facebook, and you have a certain identity that you present with the telephone, and they are different.

- Brian Acton

Identity, World, Facebook, Telephone

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