Some business leaders approach competition aggressively; like modern Machiavellis. While Affirm (AFRM) CEO Max Levchin has a more Zen approach. “I think one lesson I learned over the years is you gotta focus on yourself,” he told Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi on Opening Bid. With Apple’s (AAPL) new announcement of an integration between Apple Pay and Affirm’s payment plan product, this collaboration positions Affirm to compete with the current household name, Klarna. Although Levchin says he’s a huge fan of competition, at the end of the day “you’re ultimately competing with yourself.”
Watch the full episode Opening Bid here and listen on your favorite podcast platform.
Video Transcript
What does this announcement with Apple mean for Klarna?
And I don’t mean to giggle but like I, you, you’re going to battle with Clara.
I mean, look, let’s call a spade, a spade.
I mean, this is a big win for your company.
II I it’s unclear to me what Klarna is doing over there.
I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with the name.
I mean, you don’t have to say it.
I mean, you compete with them.
I mean, this has to like, I mean, they, they’re probably not having a good day at Clarins headquarters.
I come on, I think one lesson I learned over the years is you gotta focus on yourself.
You can’t uh on the day when you’re having a good day and you’re thinking, oh those guys over there wherever they are, they, they are really hurting now.
I I got where it hurts.
It’s just about to flip and you’re gonna be the one going.
Oh my God, they did.
What?
And like how did I miss this one?
So it, it is just good karma behavior to not too many, but it’s been any cycles thinking and ultimately I, I’m a huge fan of competition.
You, you’re totally right.
Like I, I, uh, I, I turn myself inside out on the bike as often as I possibly can.
But it’s, you’re also really competing with yourself.
You’re, you’re never really trying to show up someone else.
You’re just trying to go faster.
Source: Affirm CEO shares thoughts on competition with Klarna
