In Depth Starting an education giant in a “bad market” | ClassDojo’s story | Sam Chaudhary (Co-founder and CEO)
28 snips
Sep 3, 2025 
Sam Chaudhary, co-founder and CEO of ClassDojo, dives into the fascinating journey of building a communication platform embraced by millions. He discusses why focusing on consumers—teachers, students, and parents—was pivotal for success. Sam shares insights on growing the platform through word-of-mouth and the importance of a founder's mindset. He emphasizes relentless resourcefulness as key to navigating challenges, highlights the evolution of their products, and explores unique innovations like a safe online space for children.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Consumer-First Strategy Wins
- Building for the consumer, not schools, unlocked a larger path to impact in education.
- Serving parents and kids aligns incentives to do what's best for learners rather than procurement buyers.
Getting Into Classrooms To Learn
- Sam cold-called and taught summer school to interview hundreds of teachers about their worst pain points.
- Those conversations revealed classroom management and parent communication as the real opportunities.
Positive Loops Beat Punishment
- Positive feedback mechanics replaced punishment and created a delightful classroom loop.
- Small joyful interactions became the seed for broader teacher, student, and parent engagement.
