Picture this: It’s the late ’90s. The internet is a chaotic mess of blue hyperlinks, painfully slow dial-up, and search engines that might as well be treasure maps written by pirates. Then comes a bespectacled, brainy Stanford student, Sergey Brin, who, along with his buddy Larry Page, decides to fix the web. The result? Google. Fast forward a couple of decades, and Google isn’t just a search engine, it’s practically a verb.
Want to build your own billion-dollar empire? You’re in luck. Here are seven business moves Sergey Brin used to take Google from a dorm room project to a trillion-dollar giant, and how you can apply them to your own hustle.
1. Question Everything (Especially the Status Quo)
Why It Worked:
When Brin and Page started Google, search engines ranked results by how many times a keyword appeared on a page. They asked, “What if we ranked pages based on credibility instead?” Enter PageRank, Google’s secret sauce. The rest is history.
How You Can Use It:
Stop accepting “that’s how it’s done” as an answer. Whether you’re launching a business, building a brand, or choosing your next career move, challenge industry norms.
Recommended Tool: If you’re serious about questioning everything, grab a whiteboard (like this one on Amazon). Map out ideas, brainstorm, and connect the dots like Sergey did.
2. Start Small, Scale Big
Why It Worked:
Google started as a research project, just two guys tinkering with algorithms in a Stanford dorm. They didn’t set out to build an empire. They built something useful, then scaled like crazy.
How You Can Use It:
Start your idea as a side hustle. Sell a service, launch a simple website, or build an MVP (minimum viable product). Then, refine and expand.
3. Automate Everything Humanly Possible
Why It Worked:
Google’s search algorithm is a self-improving monster. Instead of manually ranking websites, Brin and Page built a system that does it for them.
How You Can Use It:
If you’re spending hours doing repetitive tasks, stop. Automate your social media posts, emails, and workflow. Work on your business, not just in it.
Recommended Tool: Check out Zapier, it connects apps to automate your workflow, so you can focus on big-picture thinking.
4. Hire People Smarter Than You
Why It Worked:
Brin knew he wasn’t the best at everything. Instead of micromanaging, he surrounded himself with geniuses who took Google to the next level.
How You Can Use It:
Stop thinking you have to do everything alone. Hire freelancers, outsource tasks, or find a mentor who can fast-track your success.
5. Fail Fast, Fix Faster
Why It Worked:
Remember Google Glass? Exactly. Not every Google product is a hit, but they move fast and learn faster.
How You Can Use It:
Don’t be afraid to launch an imperfect idea. Get feedback, adapt, and improve. The worst thing you can do? Nothing.
6. Make It Ridiculously Easy for People to Use Your Product
Why It Worked:
Ever notice how Google’s homepage is just a logo and a search bar? That’s intentional. Simple = powerful.
How You Can Use It:
Whether it’s a website, app, or service, simplify it. Remove friction. Make the user experience seamless.
Recommended Tool: If you’re building a website, try Wix, drag, drop, and launch a clean, Google-style design.
7. Think 10X, Not 10%
Why It Worked:
Google doesn’t settle for small improvements. Their motto? “10X everything.” Think Google Maps, Gmail, or AI-powered search.
How You Can Use It:
Stop aiming for incremental progress. Instead of making a slightly better product, aim for something 10 times better than the competition.
Recommended Tool: Read The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone, it’ll teach you how to think like a Google-level entrepreneur.
Final Thought: Are You the Next Sergey Brin?
Sergey Brin didn’t have a billion dollars when he started. He had ideas, guts, and execution. You don’t need a tech degree or Silicon Valley connections to build something huge, you just need to take action.
Which of these business moves will you try first? Drop a comment below!