# Paperless Post: James and Alexa Hirschfeld

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-10-07
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld

## Summary

James and Alexa Hirschfeld, founders of Paperless Post, explain how they convinced investors to fund a premium digital invitation service in 2008, pivoting from a ticketing model to a paid 'stamps' system after validating user demand. They discuss the strategic decision to launch and later shut down a physical printing division to focus on their core digital product, and how the company survived the catastrophic 85% sales drop during the COVID-19 pandemic by securing PPP loans and raising capital from existing investors. The episode highlights their long-term 'marathon' approach to building a profitable, independent company that has sent over 650 million invitations, including a recent expansion into physical party supplies via Party Shop.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=0) Introduction: James and Alexa Hirschfeld and Paperless Post
- [5:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=304) Sibling Partnership and Early Design Vision
- [15:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=938) Scrappy Prototyping and Initial Funding
- [21:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=1310) Investor Skepticism and Business Model Pivot
- [35:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=2146) Launch, Viral Growth, and Stamp Revenue
- [46:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=2761) Physical Printing Venture and Shutdown
- [54:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=3290) COVID-19 Crisis and Survival Strategy
- [1:00:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-07-paperless-post-james-and-alexa-hirschfeld#t=3600) Recovery, Party Shop, and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Paperless Post (company)
- Evite (product)
- Moose Partners (company)
- Crane Stationery (company)
- Party Shop (product)
- Flyer (product)
- Saturday Night Live (other)

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- [59: I’ve Always Wanted to Do a Bleep](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-05-20-59-ive-always-wanted-to-do-a-bleep) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [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)
- [044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-03-14-044-turning-customizable-jackets-into-a-multi-million-dollar-business-elyse-dani) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Jesrina Arshad of PurelyB](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-08-08-founder-feature-jesrina-arshad-of-purelyb) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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