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Tobias Lütke has not joined FLAPSS and has not endorsed it. This page is a reference record assembled from published interviews and public remarks. Every answer below is a direct quotation with the source and date shown next to it.

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Tobias Lütke

Co-founder and chief executive of Shopify

Canada

Technology

About

Born in Koblenz, Germany, and trained as a computer programmer there before moving to Canada in 2002. Co-founded Shopify in 2006 after building the software for an online snowboard shop, and has led it as chief executive since.

reference

2 answers

Question What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise? Craft & work read 34 other answers →

So, look, I read lots of books, lots of them, you know, especially when I went from programmer to a business, realizing I have to just learn business really quick. I got really dismayed with the quality of business books pretty quickly, because frankly, I think the business books are largely written by the people who have time, who are not the people who actually build companies, frankly.

Recorded David Senra, David Senra's podcast, David Senra (published episode transcript), 2026 source ↗

Question What is the worst advice you received that you followed anyway? Failure & regret read 3 other answers →

So I really tried everything, including, you know, just how to build the team in such a way that I delegate everything, and I have my different business lines, and arrange things. This is sort of after the IPO, and I realized I have to be a very “serious” public company CEO. And so it almost killed the company, honestly.

Recorded David Senra, David Senra's podcast, David Senra (published episode transcript), 2026 source ↗

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