Alan Schaaf Quotes

Alan Schaaf

Profession : Businessman

Birth : October 21, 1987

Let's get real: the .GIF format is outdated and is not really that great for the modern web anymore. It was created in 1989, and it wasn't even created for the purpose of animation.

Alan Schaaf

We want people on the Internet to go to Imgur for their viral image fix. And what's so awesome about images vs. videos is that instant gratification.

Alan Schaaf

Imgur is all about images, some of which may be photos but don't have to be.

Alan Schaaf

My favorite interview question is, 'If you could have a superpower, what would it be?'

Alan Schaaf

On Imgur, introverts can be extroverts. They don't have to worry about curating their own brand and are able to express themselves more authentically. They can go on Imgur and be themselves.

Alan Schaaf

In the early days, it was enough for Imgur to have a team that was focused on building product and engineering. But I realized early on if we were going to be successful, we needed someone who would be a bridge between the company and community.

Alan Schaaf

One of my favorite sci-fi books is 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card. I would recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi. It's a perfect intro to sci-fi.

Alan Schaaf

Entrepreneurship, to me, means that you're a psychopath. The world doesn't work in the way you want it to, and you have a vision for how it should work. Unlike everyone else, this isn't OK with you. You have to go out, against every possible odd, and do something about it. That's what makes you crazy.

Alan Schaaf

I think it's interesting to know that being a geek isn't the negative thing that it used to be.

Alan Schaaf

We want to become the best place on the Internet for self-expression and entertainment. If we have to raise money to achieve that goal and maybe move faster, we'll do it.

Alan Schaaf

The office has a really fun 'community' feel, kind of like Imgur itself. The things that you see that are on the walls and on our desks came directly from our users.

Alan Schaaf

For millennials, being a geek is a positive thing, and we see people proudly self-identifying themselves as geeks.

Alan Schaaf

Geek culture is all about being super passionate about your interests and not afraid to express them, even if your interests are unpopular.

Alan Schaaf

I've found that instability from growth comes in waves.

Alan Schaaf

When I come into the office, the first thing I do is I plan out what I want to accomplish that day. I write it down in my notebook and make sure I accomplish it before I leave that day.

Alan Schaaf

Imgur is a data-driven company, and our community is our most important signal. But you can't perfectly plot humans neatly into a chart. It takes someone with instincts and empathy to truly understand the community and represent them in all of the company decisions.

Alan Schaaf

I'm probably most proud of the fact that we are bootstrapped and that we are able to do not just the typical Silicon Valley startup thing. We are basically throwing away all the typical conventions of other startups.

Alan Schaaf

When I was a student, I was working at the technology call center, where students call in if they can't get their email to work or something. A minimum-wage kind of job.

Alan Schaaf

I'm the type of manager who doesn't really like the word 'manage.' Nor do I really like the word 'boss.' I like to look at myself as more as a leader.

Alan Schaaf

Honestly, I could care less about business development.

Alan Schaaf