Tech Removes Friction

Ev Williams (Twitter, Blogger, Medium founder) shares his framework for building billion-dollar internet companies by focusing on fundamental human desires and making them easier to fulfill.

Core Recipe Components

• Take a human desire that has existed for hundreds of years
• Use modern technology to remove steps/friction from fulfilling that desire
• Focus on simplifying the process, not reinventing the desire

Real World Example: Twitter

• Built on humans' basic desire to communicate and share information
• Removed multiple steps from traditional communication methods
• Simplified the sharing process to make it more accessible

Example Application: Squared Away (Virtual Assistant Company)

• Identified core human need: reliable administrative help
• Target market innovation: Military spouses as virtual assistants
• Key differentiators:
  • Leverages positive stereotypes (loyal, organized, trustworthy)
  • Higher-touch service compared to traditional outsourcing
  • Premium positioning ($200 for 5 hours)
  • Appeals to American market preferences

Framework Success Factors

• Focus on longstanding human needs rather than creating new ones
• Look for opportunities to remove friction from existing processes
• Use technology as an enabler, not the core value proposition
• Find unique ways to deliver traditional services more effectively

The key insight is that successful internet companies don't necessarily create new desires - they just make it dramatically easier for people to fulfill existing ones through technology.