Grindr: Joel Simkhai

Grindr: Joel Simkhai

On the premise that a smartphone could vastly improve his love life, Joel Simkhai built one of the most popular dating apps in the world. In 2008 he was living in LA and looking for an easy way to meet other gay men. He saw the early potential of the GPS-enabled iPhone, and a year later, launched Grindr: an app where users could determine if a potential date - or a quick hookup - was down the block or ten miles away. With no background in coding or app design, Joel bootstrapped Grindr into a global phenomenon –all the while dealing with technical meltdowns, safety issues, and criticism about toxicity on the app. Grindr was eventually sold, and Joel moved on; but last year launched another queer hookup app “for today” - called Motto.


This episode was produced by Casey Herman, with music by Ramtin Arablouei.

Edited by Neva Grant, with research help from Katherine Sypher.


You can follow HIBT on Twitter & Instagram, and email us at hibt@id.wondery.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(803)

Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica (December 2024)

Advice Line with Jane Wurwand of Dermalogica (December 2024)

Jane Wurwand, co-founder of the global skincare brand Dermalogica, joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early stage founders. Plus, Jane shares her philosophy on the im...

4 Des 202552min

Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.

Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.

Meridith Baer grew up on the grounds of San Quentin prison, acted in TV and movies, wrote scripts in Hollywood … and then, at 50, started over – and built one of the best known home-staging companies ...

1 Des 20251h 3min

Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift

Advice Line with Bill Creelman of Spindrift

Bill Creelman, CEO and founder of Spindrift, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Bill and Guy talk about the importance of solving one problem...

27 Nov 202548min

Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry

Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry

What if the idea that changes your life… starts with something as ordinary as being thirsty?In 2007, Travis Rosbach walked into a sporting goods store looking for a water bottle—and stumbled onto a pr...

24 Nov 20251h 4min

Advice Line with Anthony Casalena of Squarespace

Advice Line with Anthony Casalena of Squarespace

Squarespace founder Anthony Casalena joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Anthony shares how Squarespace is leveraging AI to help peopl...

20 Nov 202548min

Gymshark: Ben Francis.  From pizza delivery to billion-dollar fitness brand.

Gymshark: Ben Francis. From pizza delivery to billion-dollar fitness brand.

At 19, Ben Francis was lifting weights during the day and delivering pizza at night. He didn’t have money. He didn’t have fashion experience. He didn’t even know how to sew. What he did have was a fro...

17 Nov 20251h 16min

Advice Line with Chet Pipkin of Belkin International

Advice Line with Chet Pipkin of Belkin International

Chet Pipkin, former CEO and founder of the electronic goods company Belkin International, joins Guy on the Advice Line to answer questions from three early-stage entrepreneurs. Plus, Chet and Guy dril...

13 Nov 202547min

Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel

Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel

In his 20’s, working an office job he hated, Tom woke up in the middle of the night with a wild idea: why not take people on bike trips? No playbook. No investors. Just a sense that he could make a li...

10 Nov 202550min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
utbytte
finansredaksjonen
pengesnakk
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
pengepodden-2
okonomiamatorene
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
lederpodden
rss-markedspuls-2
rss-investering-gjort-enkelt
flypodden
rss-finansforum-2