The Idea That Became Notion

Key Concepts

• Notion
• Appliance Software
• Building Block Software
• Customized Software
• Lego Analogy
• Seed Investment

Origin of Notion and Initial Investment

The speaker recounts that Notion was their very first investment. This occurred after LinkedIn acquired Pulse in 2013. Ivan, a designer whom the speaker had previously attempted to hire at Pulse, approached the speaker for seed funding for his new venture, which would become Notion.

The "Appliance Software" Problem

During his pitch for Notion, Ivan presented a critical perspective on the prevailing state of software. He argued that much of existing software functions like an "appliance." He famously stated, "everything is like an appliance. It's like a toaster. The only thing you can do with this software is like toast your bread." This analogy highlights the rigidity and single-purpose nature of many software applications, implying they offer limited functionality beyond their intended, narrow use case. The underlying premise was that while software appears diverse, "all of the software is built off of the same building blocks."

Ivan's Vision: "Building Block" Software

Ivan's core argument and the foundational idea behind Notion was to empower users by providing them with these fundamental "building blocks" of software. His vision was articulated as, "Hey, why don't we just give people these building blocks and then people can build like their own customized software the way that their brain works." This approach aimed to move beyond pre-defined, rigid applications, allowing users to construct tools and workflows that perfectly align with their individual thought processes and needs.

The Lego Analogy

To further illustrate this concept, Ivan drew inspiration from Lego. He explained, "It's like the inspiration came from Lego. If I give you a bucket of Lego blocks, we could have the same thing and we could build different things with..." The analogy emphasizes that from a common set of basic components, users can create an infinite variety of unique and personalized structures or, in Notion's case, software applications. This highlights the power of modularity and user-driven customization.

Conclusion: Empowering Customization through Modularity

The genesis of Notion, as described, stems from a fundamental critique of conventional, single-purpose software. Ivan's vision, which secured the speaker's first investment, was to democratize software creation by providing users with versatile "building blocks." This allows individuals to design and customize their own digital tools, much like building diverse structures with Lego bricks, thereby enabling software to adapt to the user's unique way of thinking rather than forcing the user to adapt to the software. This foundational principle of user-driven, modular customization remains central to Notion's appeal and functionality.