Part 2/12:
After surviving the tumultuous internet bust, PayPal went public in 2002—the first tech company to do so post-bust—signaling a significant comeback for the internet sector. Subsequently, eBay acquired PayPal, but Sax observes that eBay didn’t quite recognize or prioritize the unique talent and spirit of the PayPal team. Instead, he characterizes eBay’s management as neglectful of the culture that had driven PayPal’s success, perceiving the team as difficult to manage—a kind of "diaspora" forced out of their metaphorical homeland. This dispersal led to numerous team members founding or investing in new ventures, further fueling Silicon Valley’s innovation engine.