# Hinge: Justin McLeod

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-03-22
- Length: 1h 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod

## Summary

Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge, explains how a painful breakup with his college girlfriend, Kate, and his struggle with alcoholism inspired him to build a dating app focused on meaningful relationships rather than hookups. He details the company's evolution from a clunky Facebook canvas app to a simplified mobile platform, highlighting the strategic pivot to remove swiping in favor of prompted interactions to encourage thoughtful engagement. McLeod also describes the difficult 2015 relaunch, the subsequent failure of a hard paywall model, and the eventual acquisition by Match Group, which provided the resources to scale the 'designed to be deleted' brand.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=0) Introduction: Justin McLeod and the origins of Hinge
- [4:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=265) McLeod's early life, addiction, and breakup with Kate
- [18:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=1092) The Harvard Business School spark and Secret Agent Cupid
- [27:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=1669) Initial funding, Argentina developers, and the 2013 launch
- [40:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=2413) The pivot to mobile and the 2,500-person launch party
- [51:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=3060) Vanity Fair criticism and the decision to rebuild
- [1:06:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=3960) The 2015 relaunch, hard paywall failure, and new UX
- [1:17:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=4668) Fundraising struggles and acquisition by Match Group
- [1:24:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod#t=5042) Pandemic growth, video dates, and scaling the company

## 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)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Hinge (product)
- Match Group (company)
- Tinder (product)
- Match.com (product)
- Facebook (product)
- McKinsey (company)
- Fortify (company)
- App Store (other)

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## 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/2021-03-22-hinge-justin-mcleod. 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.