Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built. Order the How I Built This book at https://www.guyraz.com/
(July 2021) Ben Chestnut: From Side Business to $12 Billion – The Accidental Triumph of Mailchimp
In 2001, three web designers built a quirky email tool called Mailchimp.
It wasn’t their main business.
It wasn’t even meant to make real money.
For years, Ben Chestnut and his partners survived on web-design gigs, while Mailchimp earned just enough to cover lunch.
Then…one surprising spreadsheet changed everything.
In this episode, Ben reveals:
- The decision that tripled their revenue overnight
- How a mispronunciation on the world's biggest podcast turned into a marketing masterstroke
- How a painful wake-up call about leadership reshaped the company’s culture
Listen now to hear how guerrilla billboards, a monkey logo, and a string of improbable breaks built one of the most recognizable names in tech.
Follow How I Built This:
Instagram → @howibuiltthis
X → @HowIBuiltThis
Facebook → How I Built This
Follow Guy Raz:
Instagram → @guy.raz
X → @guyraz
Substack → guyraz.substack.com
Website → guyraz.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.