The 1 key thing star founders and CEOs say catapulted their startups into major success

For startups on the path to success, there's often one key moment or decision that catapults them from obscurity to the big leagues.

This year on Business Insider's podcast, "Success! How I Did It," founders of companies such as PayPal, Lyft, and Dropbox shared how they built their companies into massive successes. And while a lot goes into building a company, the leaders we've interviewed all had surprising stories.

Sometimes it's an inspired decision that leads to success; other times it's luck and timing.

Listen and read below for the key moments that turned Zillow, Tinder, Warby Parker, and others into household names.

If you're hunting for more career advice, inspiration, and stories of getting to the top, subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Radio Public, or wherever you listen.

Here's the master class episode in which top founders talk about the moments that changed everything for their companies:

The following interview excerpts have been edited for clarity.