The Tim Ferriss Show #316: Whitney Wolfe Herd — Founder and CEO of Bumble
Origin Story And Name Choice
- Whitney Wolfe Herd started Bumble after experiencing severe online abuse and wanted a kinder social network where women make the first move.
- She pivoted from a female-only social network concept to a dating app after discussing the idea with a dating-industry executive.
Design To Reduce Signal‑to‑Noise
- Flipping who initiates interactions can dramatically improve signal-to-noise in dating and reduce wasted outreach.
- Designing for inbound attention creates more genuine, higher-quality matches.
Media Attack And Panic Attack
- Whitney described a damaging 2014 media piece that left her feeling exposed, physically ill, and panic-attacked.
- That experience motivated her to build a product addressing online abuse and accountability.
Whitney Wolfe Herd (@whitwolfeherd) is the founder and CEO of Bumble, one of the fastest-growing social networking apps in the world. She launched Bumble in 2014 as the only dating platform where women make the first move, and in three years, her vision has led to Bumble's growth to more than 28 million users worldwide in 144 countries.
Bumble launched Bumble BFF in 2016 as a friend-finding feature and Bumble Bizz for professional networking in 2017. Whitney was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list and has recently been on the covers of not just Fast Company, but also Forbes and Wired.
Please enjoy!
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