# Calendly: Tope Awotona (2020)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-01-08
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020

## Summary

Tope Awotona, founder of Calendly, explains how he pivoted from failed e-commerce ventures to building a $100M+ scheduling platform after realizing the pain of coordinating complex meetings. He details the high-stakes decision to cash in his 401(k) and max out credit cards to pay Ukrainian dev firm Railsware to build the initial prototype. Awotona discusses the accidental viral growth driven by K-12 schools, the forced decision to launch the product for free due to lack of funds for billing infrastructure, and his eventual success in raising seed capital from David Commins at Atlanta Tech Village.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=0) Introduction: Tope Awotona and the Origin of Calendly
- [5:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=314) Early Life, Sales Career, and Previous Business Failures
- [35:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=2130) Identifying the Scheduling Problem and Market Research
- [41:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=2510) Funding the Prototype with Personal Debt and Railsware
- [53:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=3198) Accidental Viral Growth and Launching for Free
- [58:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-08-calendly-tope-awotona-2020#t=3513) Raising Seed Funding and Monetization Strategy

## 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)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Calendly (product)
- Railsware (company)
- Atlanta Tech Village (company)
- David Commins (other)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Perceptive Software (company)
- IBM (company)
- projectorspot.com (product)
- yardsteals.com (product)
- Big Green Egg (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [085: Scaling Your Product Up After Crowdfunding](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-07-21-085-scaling-your-product-up-after-crowdfunding) (Product Startup)
- [034: Staying Motivated & Overcoming Lack of Money, Time & Skills](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-03-034-staying-motivated-overcoming-lack-of-money-time-skills) (Product Startup)
- [The Recipe For Creating a Culinary Connected Device](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-11-09-the-recipe-for-creating-a-culinary-connected-device) (Over the Air)
- [How to Validate the Market for Your New Product with Ivo Kalburdzhiev of CreatorClub](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-04-14-how-to-validate-the-market-for-your-new-product-with-ivo-kalburdzhiev-of-creator) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [The Pilot: Unveiling the Blueprint of "The Builder Circle"](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-05-13-the-pilot-unveiling-the-blueprint-of-the-builder-circle) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

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