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How Vinod Khosla Attracted Top Talent to Sun Microsystems When Sam Altman asked how Vinod Khosla convinced exceptional engineers like Andy Bechtolsheim, Bill Joy, and Eric Schmidt to join Sun Microsystems in its early days. Vinod emphasized the importance of equity generosity and persistence. The founders kept less than half the company’s shares, offering significant equity to attract talent. For instance, Vinod gave Bill Joy half of his equity because Bill’s reputation attracted others, like Eric Schmidt. This strategy, he explained, built a “magnet effect” to draw top-tier individuals. Vinod also highlighted the need to sell a bold vision and relentlessly pursue great people, even if it takes months. He stressed that early team quality is crucial for long-term success, advising founders to prioritize talent over personal ownership. Follow for more valuable content like this one.