# Babylist: Natalie Gordon. How a new mom used nap time to build a $500M business.

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-11-03
- Length: 1h 07m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business

## Summary

Natalie Gordon, founder and CEO of Babylist, explains how she built a $500M business starting with a universal baby registry during her pregnancy in 2010. She details the painful transition from a low-risk affiliate model to holding physical inventory, the pivotal role of Pinterest in scaling growth, and the personal challenges of hiring, firing, and evolving from a solo coder to a CEO.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=0) Introduction: Natalie Gordon and Babylist
- [3:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=201) Early Career and Failed Startup Lenguajero
- [14:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=843) The Baby Registry Idea and MVP Launch
- [30:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=1833) Early Traction, Hiring, and Firing
- [45:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=2734) Scaling Growth with Pinterest and Paid Ads
- [51:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=3082) Shifting from Affiliate to E-commerce Inventory
- [57:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=3472) COVID Impact and Series B Fundraising
- [1:01:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-03-babylist-natalie-gordon-how-a-new-mom-used-nap-time-to-build-a-500m-business#t=3695) Future Vision: Health Platform and Breast Pumps

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

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

## Mentioned

- Babylist (product)
- Amazon (company)
- Lenguajero (product)
- Pinterest (company)
- Norwest Venture Partners (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Hacker News (other)
- 500 Startups (company)

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- [Founder Feature: Zoe Levin of Bim Bam Boo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-21-founder-feature-zoe-levin-of-bim-bam-boo) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Kickstarter, Copycats, and Comebacks: RiutBag’s Rise](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-07-01-kickstarter-copycats-and-comebacks-riutbags-rise) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez (2023)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-10-17-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with-san) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#112 Naturally Nourishing Treats for Hormonal Balance with Gita Vellanki, Founder of Neeshi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-10-31-112-naturally-nourishing-treats-for-hormonal-balance-with-gita-vellanki-founder) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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