# Mailchimp: Ben Chestnut

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-07-12
- Length: 1h 22m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut

## Summary

Ben Chestnut, co-founder of Mailchimp, explains how the company pivoted from a web design agency to an email marketing platform, eventually adopting a freemium model that drove viral growth. He details the strategic decision to remain self-funded and focus on small businesses, contrasting this with investor pressure to target enterprise clients. Chestnut also discusses the massive brand boost from sponsoring the podcast 'Serial' and the subsequent leadership challenges, including a public reckoning over office culture and the need to professionalize strategy and management as the company scaled to hundreds of employees.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=0) Introduction: Ben Chestnut and Mailchimp's Origins
- [3:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=233) Early Life and Transition to Web Design
- [15:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=925) Founding Rocket Science Group and Building WeMailer
- [26:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=1616) Pivoting to Mailchimp and the Freemium Model
- [34:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=2092) Rejecting Investors and Focusing on Small Business
- [44:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=2658) Viral Growth via Billboards and Podcast Sponsorships
- [54:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=3270) The 'Serial' Podcast Sponsorship Breakthrough
- [1:01:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=3688) Leadership Crisis and Culture Reset
- [1:18:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut#t=4690) Current Strategy, Acquisitions, and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [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)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Mailchimp (product)
- Rocket Science Group (company)
- WeMailer (product)
- Constant Contact (company)
- Dropbox (product)
- EverNote (product)
- Cox Media Group (company)
- MP3.com (company)
- Blue Mountain (product)
- Chris Anderson (other)
- Charles Hudson (other)
- Drew Houston (other)
- Phil Libin (other)
- Julie Snyder (other)

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- [73: I Am Very Particular About Hat Shape](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2021-10-20-73-i-am-very-particular-about-hat-shape) (Thoroughly Considered)
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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/2021-07-12-mailchimp-ben-chestnut. 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.