# KAYAK: Paul English (2021)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-07-15
- Length: 1h 10m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021

## Summary

Paul English, co-founder of the travel search engine Kayak, discusses his journey from a working-class Boston upbringing to building a $1.8 billion company. He details the rapid, gin-and-tonic-fueled partnership with Steve Hafner, the strategic decision to build a lean UI layer over ITA software, and the branding process led by Wolf & Ovens that resulted in the name Kayak. English also reflects on his bipolar diagnosis, the company's growth to 200 employees, and his subsequent ventures including GetHuman and Lola.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=0) Introduction: Paul English and the origins of Kayak
- [4:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=289) Early life, education, and first ventures
- [15:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=930) Career at Interleaf, Netcentric, and mental health struggles
- [27:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=1674) Founding Boston Light Software and selling to Intuit
- [36:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=2184) Meeting Steve Hafner and launching Kayak
- [44:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=2648) Product strategy, branding, and business model
- [54:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=3276) Scaling Kayak, IPO, and acquisition by Priceline
- [1:04:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021#t=3870) Post-Kayak ventures: GetHuman, Lola, and philanthropy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Founder wellbeing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/founder-wellbeing)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Kayak (product)
- Steve Hafner (other)
- Wolf & Ovens (company)
- Cara Costello (other)
- Intuit (company)
- Priceline (company)
- GetHuman (product)
- Lola (product)
- General Catalyst (company)
- ITA Software (company)
- Expedia (company)
- Orbits (company)
- Boston Light Software (company)
- Netcentric (company)
- Interleaf (company)
- Data General (company)
- Commodore Vic 20 (product)
- Cupid (product)
- GBA (company)
- Broad Vision (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [S7E18 Aaron Moncur | Building Pipeline, the Being An Engineer Podcast, and Engineering Communities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-04-24-s7e18-aaron-moncur-building-pipeline-the-being-an-engineer-podcast-and-engineeri) (Being an Engineer)
- [Jake Holland (CEO, HAViK)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2025-09-10-jake-holland-ceo-havik) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Founder Fundraising Journey: Craig Dubitsky, Happy Products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-18-founder-fundraising-journey-craig-dubitsky-happy-products) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## 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/2024-07-15-kayak-paul-english-2021. 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.