Jon Stein

Everything Jon Stein said on any show that made the record, most notable first. Each card names its show and opens the statement there.

HOW I BUILT THIS Insight

Stein: People Will Not Make Rational Decisions Left to Their Own Devices

“Despite our best intentions, we're highly likely to make mistakes. We let our emotions get in the way. And in fact, we will not make rational decisions if left to our own devices.”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 6:07 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Opinion

Stein: Finance Initially Seemed Unexciting Because It Just Helps the Rich

“Finance was just like, ah, you know, it's like helping rich people get richer. That doesn't seem that exciting to me.”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 8:00 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Assertion Not checkable as stated

Stein: Banking consultants spent six months developing products without customer input

“I found many times that we were working on projects and we could go six months on a product development and never talk to a customer.”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 9:42 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Assertion Not checkable as stated

Stein: Betterment reached $1M AUM within days of TechCrunch launch

“300 that day, right? Wow. 350. They were just, and we were amazed. We think this is incredible. And they were small deposits at first, right? Nobody put in more than, you know, 10 K or so. But all of a sudden, by, within a few days, we had a million dollars un…”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 32:11 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Assertion Not checkable as stated

Stein: Bessemer offered Betterment $3M when the startup sought $1M

“The first meeting that he set up was with Bessemer Ventures, and we went out and we pitched Rob Stavis, and it was love at first pitch. We said, we're building this Company that is going to help people make the most of their money. And Rob said, this is fascin…”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 34:24 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Prediction Didn’t hold up

Stein: Betterment expected $18B to $20B in AUM by late 2018

“Yeah, we expect to be in the ballpark of 18 to twenty billion by the end of 2018.”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 37:02 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Insight

Stein: Founders should create early co-founder buyout provisions

“One thing that we did right was in the early days we created provisions around buyouts, and I'm so happy we did that, and when people ask for advice, I always tell them to do this”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 38:14 Betterment: Jon Stein

HOW I BUILT THIS Assertion Contradicted

Harden Furniture Was Once America's Largest Family-Owned Furniture Company

“And that became this company, Hardin Furniture, which at a time was the largest family owned furniture company in America.”

Jon Stein Feb 5, 2026 ▶ 22:00 Advice Line with Jon Stein of Betterment

HOW I BUILT THIS Disclosure

Stein: Betterment Was Initially Funded Entirely Out of Co-Founders' Personal Savings

“Eli had saved money as well as a lawyer, and so we funded the business out of our savings.”

Jon Stein Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 22:03 Betterment: Jon Stein

The other half of the tape: Jon Stein's own voice is left out of every number here. 1 statement on the record names them. every mention, with the transcript →

Statements about Jon Stein, by other people (1)

HOW I BUILT THIS Assertion Supported

Raz: Betterment is valued at $800 million

“He's the CEO and founder of Betterment, which at the time of this recording was valued at eight hundred million dollars.”

Guy Raz Oct 29, 2018 ▶ 47:33 Betterment: Jon Stein

One line per show, most statements first. The link opens Jon's full record on that show: the calibration, argument clarity, speaking style and every statement made there.

Show	Role there	Eps	Statements	Record
HOW I BUILT THISLEDGER	Founder & Chairman, Betterment	3	33	71% 5/7	full record on How I Built This →