# How I Built Resilience: Ethan Diamond of Bandcamp

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-04-08
- Length: 31m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp

## Summary

Ethan Diamond, CEO and co-founder of Bandcamp, explains how the company evolved from a white-label solution for independent artists into a profitable, mission-driven marketplace that prioritizes artist welfare over growth-at-all-costs. Diamond details the launch of Bandcamp Friday, a monthly event where the company waives its revenue share to support artists, and the rapid development of a live streaming feature in response to pandemic shutdowns. The episode highlights Bandcamp's alignment of business incentives with artist success, noting that 82% of revenue goes directly to creators, and discusses the company's resistance to acquisition to maintain this ethical model.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=0) Introduction: Ethan Diamond and Bandcamp's Mission
- [3:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=230) The Origin Story: Solving Direct-to-Fan Sales Problems
- [8:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=488) Profitability and Resisting Growth Pressure
- [12:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=750) Validating Willingness to Pay for Music
- [16:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=1017) Refusing Acquisition to Protect Artist Welfare
- [19:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=1160) Building Community Through Transactions
- [23:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=1420) Live Streaming and Post-Pandemic Industry Changes
- [26:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=1571) Bandcamp Friday: Waiving Revenue Share
- [30:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp#t=1813) Advice on Ethical Business Models

## Topics

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

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Bandcamp (company)
- MySpace (company)
- Etsy (company)
- Spotify (company)
- Live Nation (company)
- Ticketmaster (company)
- U.S. Bank (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)
- [34: Goals and Plans for 2018](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-01-24-34-goals-and-plans-for-2018) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [BONUS: Your Cat's Not Part of the Band](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-06-18-bonus-your-cats-not-part-of-the-band) (Embedded.fm)
- [416: Ichabod’s Big Boy Pants](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2023-10-27-416-ichabods-big-boy-pants) (Making It)
- [9: Asking for Money](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2016-02-21-9-asking-for-money) (Thoroughly Considered)

## 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/2021-04-08-how-i-built-resilience-ethan-diamond-of-bandcamp. 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.