# Yelp: Jeremy Stoppelman

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-06-24
- Length: 59m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman

## Summary

Jeremy Stoppelman, co-founder of Yelp, explains how the platform evolved from a failed friend-recommendation service into a public company valued at $2.5 billion. He details the pivotal decision to allow public reviews, the rejection by VCs due to 'dot-com PTSD,' and the strategic choice to remain independent despite a $500 million offer from Google. Stoppelman also discusses the early adoption of the iPhone App Store and the cultural shift from technical founders to public company leadership.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=0) Introduction: Jeremy Stoppelman and Yelp's Origin
- [6:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=372) Early Career at X.com and PayPal Merger
- [15:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=911) Max Levchin's Incubator and Initial Idea
- [26:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=1614) Failed Fundraising and October 2004 Launch
- [32:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=1950) The Pivot to Public Reviews and Relaunch
- [40:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=2437) Business Model, Google Offer, and Independence
- [44:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=2668) Mobile Strategy and iPhone App Launch
- [56:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman#t=3370) Postscript: Liz Bales and Cat Theater

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Yelp (product)
- PayPal (company)
- X.com (company)
- Max Levchin (other)
- Elon Musk (other)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Google (company)
- Cat Theater (product)
- Doc and Phoebe's Cat Company (company)

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- [Jeri Ellsworth and the demise of CastAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-29-jeri-ellsworth-and-the-demise-of-castar) (The Amp Hour)
- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
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- [A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-06-24-yelp-jeremy-stoppelman. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.