# Poshmark: Manish Chandra

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-02-26
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra

## Summary

Manish Chandra, co-founder and CEO of Poshmark, recounts his journey from building the failed social shopping site Caboodle to launching Poshmark as a mobile-first marketplace for secondhand fashion. He details the critical early decisions that shaped the company, including pivoting from home improvement to fashion, handling a community revolt over shipping fees, and navigating a legal confrontation with USPS inspectors over label pricing. Chandra also discusses the strategic decision to halt growth to rebuild infrastructure, the impact of sales tax regulations on their IPO plans, and the eventual acquisition of Poshmark by Naver Corporation for $1.2 billion.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=0) Introduction: Manish Chandra and the Origin of Poshmark
- [5:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=327) Building Caboodle: From Home Renovation to Social Shopping
- [17:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=1048) Caboodle's Pivot, Acquisition by Hearst, and Lessons Learned
- [36:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=2199) Conceiving Poshmark: The iPhone 4 and Thrifting Inspiration
- [41:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=2483) Early Poshmark: Manual Transactions and Community Building
- [47:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=2825) The Shipping Fee Revolt and USPS Legal Confrontation
- [52:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=3178) Scaling Crisis: Payment Processor Rejections and Growth Halt
- [59:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-26-poshmark-manish-chandra#t=3586) IPO Derailed by Sales Tax, Pandemic Profitability, and Naver Acquisition

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

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

## Mentioned

- Poshmark (product)
- Caboodle (product)
- Hearst (company)
- Naver Corporation (company)
- USPS (company)
- PayPal (company)
- Braintree (company)
- Stripe (company)
- iPhone 4 (product)
- Mayfield (company)
- Soft Bank (company)
- Condé Nast (company)
- eBay (company)
- Facebook (company)
- Wells Fargo (company)
- First USA (company)

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## Citing this page

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