# Goodreads: Otis and Elizabeth  Chandler

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-02-07
- Length: 1h 09m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler

## Summary

Otis and Elizabeth Chandler, founders of Goodreads, explain how they launched a social network for book lovers from their Los Angeles apartment in 2006 with no business model or employees. They grew the platform to 100,000 users by leveraging SEO and a volunteer 'librarian' community, eventually raising seed and Series A funding to scale. In 2013, they sold Goodreads to Amazon for an undisclosed sum to enable deeper Kindle integration and accelerate growth, staying on to run the subsidiary until 2019.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=0) Introduction: Otis and Elizabeth Chandler and Goodreads
- [4:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=250) Elizabeth’s Ballet Career and Otis’s Family Background
- [12:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=778) Otis’s Time at Tickle.com and Viral Personality Tests
- [17:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=1075) How Otis and Elizabeth Met and Reconnected
- [25:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=1520) Conceiving Goodreads and Choosing the Name
- [30:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=1824) Building the MVP and Launching Without a Business Model
- [37:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=2266) Growth Strategy: SEO, Librarians, and Early Revenue
- [42:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=2538) Raising Funding and Scaling the Team
- [52:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=3158) The Decision to Sell to Amazon
- [1:04:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-02-07-goodreads-otis-and-elizabeth-chandler#t=3860) Life After Goodreads and New Ventures

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Goodreads (product)
- Amazon (company)
- Tickle.com (company)
- Shelfari (product)
- Kindle (product)
- Random House (company)
- True Ventures (company)
- Mashable (company)
- Google Ad Platform (tool)
- Skype (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [159: Build a Community to Sell Your New Product Invention](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-01-18-159-build-a-community-to-sell-your-new-product-invention) (Product Startup)
- [How to Ask Someone to Invest in Your CPG Brand, with Fave's Ryan Raish](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-10-how-to-ask-someone-to-invest-in-your-cpg-brand-with-faves-ryan-raish) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Gabriella Labi and Tonya Reznikovich of Gato Dates](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-03-founder-feature-gabriella-labi-and-tonya-reznikovich-of-gato-dates) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-21-115-pure-gold-series-lessons-on-iterating-from-seth-goldman-updates-on-eat-the-c) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder + Funder: Anabel González, Founder of Good Bacteria and Hayden Williams, Partner of BrandProject](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-09-founder-funder-anabel-gonzalez-founder-of-good-bacteria-and-hayden-williams-part) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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