On with Kara Swisher Reddit CEO Steve Huffman on the IPO
6 snips
Mar 21, 2024 
Steve Huffman, co-founder and CEO of Reddit, takes center stage as he discusses the platform's pivotal IPO after 19 years. He shares insights on community sentiment and the impact of TikTok and ad strategies on Reddit's growth. Huffman reveals how the journey to going public was shaped by market conditions and internal decisions. He also touches on content moderation, the balance between user experience and ads, and Reddit's data partnerships with tech giants, offering a glimpse into the challenges and future of the platform.
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Postponed IPO
- Reddit prepared for an IPO in 2021 but postponed due to market volatility caused by the war in Ukraine and rising interest rates.
- Steve Huffman, Reddit's CEO, stated that they were ready to go public but the market conditions were too uncertain even for them.
Preparation Time
- The two years Reddit spent preparing for their IPO proved beneficial, allowing them to operate like a public company without public scrutiny.
- This period helped Reddit learn how to run and grow their company under challenging market conditions, according to Huffman.
Focus on Building
- Focus on what you can control, like building a good product and running your business efficiently.
- You can't control the stock market, so focus on things within your control, advises Huffman.
