Craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark: How I Transformed a Simple Email List Into a Billion-Dollar Business | E78

After Craig Newmark moved to San Franciso in 1995, he had a simple idea: a mailing list to share local events with friends. It wasn’t fancy and certainly wasn’t meant to change the world. However, as the list grew, people began calling it “Craigslist,” unknowingly naming what would become a billion-dollar digital marketplace. In this episode, Craig joins Ilana to share his journey, from creating Craigslist without VC funding to stepping down as CEO to focus on customer service. He also discusses how his moral compass continues to shape his work, including his mission in cybersecurity and his support for veterans and military families.

Craig Newmark is an internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of Craigslist, the online classified ads platform that transformed how people buy, sell, and connect. As a philanthropist, he supports causes related to veterans, journalism, tech ethics, and cybersecurity. 

In this episode, Ilana and Craig will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction 

(02:01) The People and Moments That Shaped His Values

(03:30) Navigating Social Skills as a Nerd

(05:05) How a Simple Mailing List Led to Craigslist

(08:23) Why Craig Rejected Billion-Dollar VC Funding

(11:07) The Surprising Story Behind the Name Craigslist

(12:46) His Slow but Steady Approach to Scaling

(14:31) Fighting Fraud, and Dirty Tricks in Business

(16:37) The Strategy Behind Growing Without Funding

(19:02) Craig’s Pivot from CEO to Customer Service Rep

(22:36) How Veterans Inspired His Cybersecurity Focus

(29:51) His Pigeon Rescue Mission

Craig Newmark is an internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of Craigslist, the online classified ads platform that transformed how people buy, sell, and connect. As a philanthropist, he supports causes related to veterans, journalism, tech ethics, and cybersecurity. Craig also serves on the boards of several nonprofits and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Connect with Craig:

Craig’s Website: craignewmarkphilanthropies.org 

Craig’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/craignewmark 

Resources Mentioned:

Craigslist Website: craigslist.org

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