Reid Hoffman

Did you know there's a website that helps millions of people find jobs and meet other professionals? The person who helped create it is Reid Hoffman. Reid Hoffman is an American entrepreneur from the modern tech era. The single most important thing about him is that he co-founded LinkedIn, the online network for people's work lives. LinkedIn changed how adults look for jobs, show their skills, and connect with coworkers.

Early in his career Reid worked at PayPal. In 2002 he and a small team started LinkedIn, and he became its first CEO. Under his leadership the site grew into a big place where companies post jobs and people build careers. In 2016 Microsoft bought LinkedIn for about $26.2 billion — a sign of how important the idea became.

Beyond LinkedIn, Reid became a venture investor and helped many tech companies grow. He co-wrote books like The Start-up of You and Blitzscaling, and hosts the Masters of Scale podcast where founders share how they built their companies. Why it matters: Reid helped build tools that let people meet, learn, and find work around the world. Imagine a giant, friendly phonebook for grown-ups' jobs — that's part of what he helped create. His work shows how one idea can help millions of people connect.