# Evite: Selina Tobaccowala

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-11-11
- Length: 1h 03m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala

## Summary

Selina Tobaccowala, co-founder of Evite, explains how she and Al Lieb pivoted from failed B2B prototypes like Collage to building a viral online invitation platform that attracted $37 million in funding during the dot-com boom. She details the painful decision to lay off 45 employees after the bubble burst, the strategic sale to Ticketmaster City Search, and her subsequent leadership roles at Ticketmaster and SurveyMonkey. Tobaccowala also discusses her return to entrepreneurship with Gixo, a live group fitness app, emphasizing the importance of privilege and validating product-market fit before raising capital.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=0) Introduction: Selina Tobaccowala and Evite
- [3:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=211) Early Life, Stanford, and the Dot-Com Boom
- [9:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=591) Failed Prototypes: Oodleworks and Collage
- [17:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=1037) Pivoting to Evite and Viral Growth
- [28:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=1724) Raising $37 Million and the Dot-Com Bubble Burst
- [38:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=2319) Layoffs, Sale to Ticketmaster, and Corporate Life
- [49:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=2947) SurveyMonkey, Dave Goldberg, and Leadership
- [53:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-11-evite-selina-tobaccowala#t=3191) Returning to Startups with Gixo and Open Fit

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Evite (product)
- Excite (company)
- Ticketmaster (company)
- SurveyMonkey (company)
- Gixo (product)
- Open Fit (company)
- Yahoo (company)
- Netscape (product)
- Pets.com (company)
- Stamps.com (company)
- Blendz (product)

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- [From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez (2023)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-10-17-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with-san) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Daniela Suarez of iCalm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-01-founder-feature-daniela-suarez-of-icalm) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-07-11-oddballs-path-from-idea-to-funding-a-nationwide-target-launch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-21-80-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder + Funder: Fundraising, Founder-Investor Fit, and Building the Next Big Breakfast Brand with Emily Groden of Evergreen and Brian Bernstein of Rich Products Ventures](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-20-founder-funder-fundraising-founder-investor-fit-and-building-the-next-big-breakf) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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