David Vélez

Co-founder and chief executive of Nubank

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
Moving closer to work. I live in São Paulo, Brazil, and I used to spend an hour or more in traffic every day, just sitting in the car getting frustrated and anxious. It was a waste of my time.

questionnaire, Sequoia Capital, 15 August 2018 source ↗

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Tim Cook Chief executive of Apple
No big challenge has ever been solved and no lasting improvement has ever been achieved unless people dare to try something different. Dare to think different.
Recorded Duke University Commencement, Duke Today, 13 May 2018 source ↗
Novak Djokovic Serbian professional tennis player
It was hard at first. I craved the soft, chewy, comforting feel of bread. I craved crunchy pizza dough, sweet rolls, and all the foods that I learned contained wheat—things I had never suspected. For the first 10 days or so, I craved these foods, but I focused each day on staying disciplined; and, fortunately, my family and friends—even though they thought I was crazy—supported me in my quest. But as the days rolled along, I began to feel different. I felt lighter, more energetic. The nighttime stuffiness I had lived with for 15 years suddenly disappeared. By the end of the first week, I no longer wanted rolls and cookies and breads; it was as if a lifelong craving had miraculously abated. Every day I woke up feeling as though I'd had the best night's sleep of my life. I was beginning to believe.
Recorded Adaptation, written by Djokovic, of his book Serve to Win, Men's Journal, 1 August 2013 source ↗
Michael Phelps United States swimmer, 2000–2016
One thing that I went through and I was able to understand is: It's OK to not be OK. Right? Like nobody's perfect.
Recorded CBS News, 25 January 2018 source ↗
Juana Molina Singer, songwriter and former television comedian
Yeah, I remember exactly that—I was in San Francisco, playing at a beautiful venue, and the siren of an ambulance came through, and it fit so well with the song that I started to play more to draw it out. I like to play in more noisy places so that I can take advantage of all the sounds helping me to build new things. But the one I remember the most is that siren in that venue. Sometimes I’ll play in venues where they’ll have coffee machines or milkshake machines—all these noises that I hated maybe five years ago—I love them now.
Recorded Josh Kun, Conducted by telephone, The Believer, Issue 35, 5 April 2006 source ↗

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Question What is the biggest obstacle you have faced professionally? Craft & work
Sí, empezamos desde cero. Pedimos una licencia de financiamiento comercial, pero es difícil comenzar porque la banca se basa en confianza, regulación y escala. Hay barreras regulatorias que dificultan la entrada de nuevos jugadores. Es un sector históricamente cerrado, que favorece a los incumbentes. Aun así, logramos construir una marca fuerte y generar confianza en los consumidores.
Recorded Alejandra Rico Muñoz, interview, La República, 25 March 2026 source ↗
Question What important truth do very few people agree with you on? Values & belief
Pix is probably the most successful payment infrastructure run by a government in history. I think Pix has been what has allowed a country like Brazil to leapfrog developed economies like the U.S. and in Europe, and has positioned Brazil today probably five years ahead of the U.S. I don't think anybody understands that, and probably in the U.S. they didn't really expect that.
Recorded Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, interview, Fortune, 9 October 2023 source ↗
Question What is the worst job you have done? Craft & work
Los diferentes trabajos en los que he estado, después de mi graduación, han sido de 100 y 120 horas a la semana, especialmente empezando con Nubank. Básicamente vivía en el lugar de trabajo. Empezamos la compañía en una casa de dos pisos. Mi cofundador vivía en el segundo piso. Yo básicamente dormía en el primer piso, o pasaba muchas noches en el primer piso. No salimos de esa casa por seis o 12 meses porque trabajábamos como locos.
Recorded Vicky Dávila, interview, Semana, 1 October 2022 source ↗

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