Tony Xu urges entrepreneurs to abandon modest goals and think wildly ambitious

During a recent episode of Uncapped with Jack Altman, DoorDash co-founder and chief executive Tony Xu reflected on his early optimism, when the startup projected roughly $100 million in future sales while still operating out of an apartment. The firm now generates $4 billion in a single quarter, far exceeding that original guess. Xu advised aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace a “greedy algorithm,” meaning they should continuously push for larger opportunities rather than settle for modest targets.

He noted that even modest early traction—about 150 customers and $10,000 in sales—can blossom when founders think big. The discussion broadened to include other founders like Danny Rensch of Chess.com, Andy Dunn of Bonobos, and Mike Repole, all of whom credit a mix of delusion and daring for their success, while Grindr’s George Arison emphasized arrogance and ambition as essential traits.