My First Million #4 - How Product Hunt's Ryan Hoover Built A $20M Community From Scratch
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Jul 16, 2019 In this engaging discussion, Ryan Hoover, Founder of Product Hunt and investor at Weekend Fund, shares his journey from job rejection to building a thriving platform worth $20M. He dives into the power of networking and the importance of authentic community engagement that fueled Product Hunt’s growth. Ryan recounts his scrappy beginnings, including the hustle of reaching out to users one-by-one. He also highlights the role of experimentation in entrepreneurship and offers practical advice for aspiring creators looking to make their first million.
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Rejection and Reflection
- Ryan Hoover was rejected from a job at Monkey Inferno after an interview process with Sean Ellis.
- He was told he was too passive and lacked decisiveness, feedback he now agrees with.
The Value of Honest Feedback
- Give honest feedback, even in rejection. It helps both sides learn and grow, fostering trust and future collaboration.
Going the Extra Mile
- When interviewing for Monkey Inferno, Ryan showed initiative by talking to more users than the product's builders had.
- He presented user feedback alongside his ideas for improvement, impressing Sean.