# Patreon: Jack Conte and Sam Yam

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-01-11
- Length: 1h 25m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam

## Summary

Jack Conte, co-founder of Patreon, explains how his frustration with the music industry's shift from iTunes sales to low-paying streaming services led him to create a platform for recurring creator funding. He recruited his college roommate and former startup founder Sam Yam to build the technical infrastructure, launching the site with just three creators in 2013. The episode details their early struggles, including rejecting harmful content from 8chan, navigating investor relations, and evolving their business model to support over 200,000 creators.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=0) Introduction: Jack Conte and Sam Yam
- [4:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=247) Pomplamoose's YouTube Success and iTunes Revenue
- [27:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=1627) The Streaming Crisis and Revenue Collapse
- [37:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=2253) Conceiving Patreon and Recruiting Sam Yam
- [51:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=3097) Launch Strategy and Initial Growth
- [1:04:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=3893) Content Policy and the 8chan Controversy
- [1:16:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam#t=4616) Product Rollback and Business Model Evolution

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Patreon (product)
- Pomplamoose (product)
- YouTube (product)
- iTunes (product)
- Spotify (product)
- Kickstarter (product)
- 8chan (product)
- Stripe (product)
- AEG (company)
- Live Nation (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 029: How to be a sellout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-07-23-episode-029-how-to-be-a-sellout) (Making It)
- [Episode 148: It’s not enough to kill you…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-12-15-episode-148-its-not-enough-to-kill-you) (Making It)
- [376: This one only has four utters](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-11-04-376-this-one-only-has-four-utters) (Making It)
- [Episode 112: Not even wearing pants…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-03-24-episode-112-not-even-wearing-pants) (Making It)
- [416: Ichabod’s Big Boy Pants](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2023-10-27-416-ichabods-big-boy-pants) (Making It)

## 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/2021-01-11-patreon-jack-conte-and-sam-yam. 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.