# Minted: Mariam Naficy (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-12-09
- Length: 49m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018

## Summary

Mariam Naficy, founder of Minted, recounts her journey from selling Eve.com for $110 million to launching Minted, which initially failed with zero sales before pivoting to a crowdsourced design model. She details the early struggles of validating the stationery business, raising angel and venture capital despite skepticism, and executing a critical pivot to focus entirely on artist competitions. The episode also covers Minted's survival against a competitor's hostile acquisition attempt by rapidly switching printing partners, and includes a brief segment on Christopher Rannefors and his company BatBnB.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=0) Introduction: Mariam Naficy and Minted
- [4:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=265) Mariam's Background and Eve.com
- [24:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=1474) Founding Minted and Initial Failure
- [32:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=1926) Pivoting to Crowdsourcing and Holiday Cards
- [39:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=2374) Competitor Hostile Takeover Attempt
- [46:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-12-09-minted-mariam-naficy-2018#t=2800) How You Built That: BatBnB

## Topics

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

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Eve.com (product)
- Minted (company)
- Goldman Sachs (company)
- Stanford (other)
- Idea Lab (company)
- Tech Crunch (other)
- IDG (company)
- BatBnB (company)
- Shark Tank (other)
- Indiegogo (other)

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- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 20 - Ti Chang, 'Women in Industrial Design' Show Organizer (06/12)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2014-06-12-afterschool-podcast-episode-20-ti-chang-women-in-industrial-design-show-organize) (Core77 Podcast)
- [085: Scaling Your Product Up After Crowdfunding](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-07-21-085-scaling-your-product-up-after-crowdfunding) (Product Startup)
- [Turning Customers Into Investors: A Popcorn Brand's Crowdfunding Playbook](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-09-05-turning-customers-into-investors-a-popcorn-brands-crowdfunding-playbook) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [033: Top Crowdfunding Mistakes with Khierstyn Ross of Crowdfunding Uncut](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-27-033-top-crowdfunding-mistakes-with-khierstyn-ross-of-crowdfunding-uncut) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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