Microfinance initiatives are very high-touch models. The loan officer meets with local groups of borrowers every week, they share tips and techniques. There's a lot of training and learning that goes on, which adds to the cost of the model. Pierre Omidyar addborrowercost share on social
In February of 1996, about six months after I created eBay, I started receiving a spate of complaints. Everyone was complaining about each other. I felt very much like I was a parent who had to adjudicate the brothers beating each other up. Pierre Omidyar adjudicatebeatbrother share on social
When you have mass surveillance, it's impossible to meet the intent of the First Amendment because reporters can't talk to sources because sources are afraid to talk. Pierre Omidyar afraidamendmentimpossible Change image and share on social
A lot of people don't just go ahead and try things. Pierre Omidyar aheadlotpeople Change image and share on social
In 1991, I co-founded my first start-up, Ink Development, which made software for an early tablet computer. Pierre Omidyar computerdevelopmentearly Change image and share on social
I had always been interested in markets - specifically, the theory that in financial markets, goods will trade at a fair value only when everyone has access to the same information. Pierre Omidyar accessfairfinancial Change image and share on social
I had the notion that, OK, so now we have all of this wealth, we could buy not only one expensive car, we could buy all of them. As soon as you realize that you could buy all of them, then none of them are particularly interesting or satisfying. Pierre Omidyar buycarexpensive share on social
I have always been of the opinion that the right kind of journalism is a critical part of our democracy. Pierre Omidyar criticaldemocracyjournalism Change image and share on social
News organisations that have been around a while have a lot of traditions and ways of doing things that may have served them for many years but perhaps make them less flexible in the digital era. As an entrepreneur, it just makes more sense to start something new. Pierre Omidyar digitalentrepreneurera share on social
Advertisers don't want to put their ads next to the investigative story; it's extremely difficult to do that. And very few people today actually read those serious news stories on the Web now. Pierre Omidyar advertiserdifficultextremely Change image and share on social