#607: Luis von Ahn, Co-Founder and CEO of Duolingo — How to Be (Truly) Mission-Driven, Monetization Experiments, 10x Growth, Org Chart Iterations for Impacting Metrics, The Intricate Path to an IPO, Best Hiring Practices, Catching Exam Cheaters, The Allure of Toto Toilets, The Future of Duolingo, and How to Stand Out in Your Career

In this episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim interviews Luis von Ahn, the co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, about the company's growth, monetization strategies, organizational structure, and future plans. They discuss Duolingo's early struggles with monetization, the shift to a freemium model, and the importance of aligning the company's mission with its long-term business goals. Luis shares insights on building a strong company culture, the transition from micromanagement to managing managers, and the challenges of being a publicly traded company. The conversation also explores Duolingo's expansion into literacy and math education, as well as the Duolingo English Test and its impact on accessible language proficiency assessment. Finally, Luis touches on the corruption in Guatemala and potential policy recommendations for the U.S. government.