How to be more innovative | Sam Schillace (Microsoft deputy CTO, creator of Google Docs)

Sam Schillace is deputy CTO and corporate vice president at Microsoft. Prior to working at Microsoft, Sam started a company called Writely, which was acquired by Google and became the foundation of what today is Google Docs. While at Google, Sam helped lead many of Google’s consumer products, including Gmail, Blogger, PageCreator, Picasa, Reader, Groups, and more recently Maps and Google Automotive Services. Sam was also a principal investor at Google Ventures, has founded six startups, and was the SVP of engineering at Box through their IPO. In this episode, we discuss:• The journey of building Google Docs• The importance of taking risks, embracing failure, and finding joy in your work• The importance of asking “what if” questions vs. “why not”• Why convenience always wins• How, and why, Sam stays optimistic• Inside Microsoft’s culture• Why you should solve problems without asking for permission• Early-career advice• Why “pixels are free” and “bots are docs”—Brought to you by Teal—Your personal career growth platform | Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security | Ahrefs—Improve your website’s SEO for free—Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-be-more-innovative-sam-schillace—Where to find Sam Schillace:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schillace/• Newsletter: https://sundaylettersfromsam.substack.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Sam’s background(03:45) The first Google Docs file(06:45) Disruptive innovation(10:11) First-principles thinking(11:00) Recognizing disruptive ideas(13:17) Examples of first-principles thinking(15:46) The power of optimism(19:47) Sam’s motto: Get to the edge of something and f**k around(21:53) User value and laziness(24:31) People are lazy (and what to do about it)(28:36) Building Google Docs(31:06) The evolution of Google Docs(37:15) Finding