Craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark: How I Transformed a Simple Email List Into a Billion-Dollar Business

After Craig Newmark moved to San Franciso in 1995, he had a simple idea: a mailing list to share local events with friends. It wasn’t fancy and certainly wasn’t meant to change the world. However, as the list grew, people began calling it “Craigslist,” unknowingly naming what would become a billion-dollar digital marketplace. In this episode, Craig joins Ilana to share his journey, from creating Craigslist without VC funding to stepping down as CEO to focus on customer service. He also discusses how his moral compass continues to shape his work, including his mission in cybersecurity and his support for veterans and military families. Craig Newmark is an internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of Craigslist, the online classified ads platform that transformed how people buy, sell, and connect. As a philanthropist, he supports causes related to veterans, journalism, tech ethics, and cybersecurity.  In this episode, Ilana and Craig will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (02:01) The People and Moments That Shaped His Values (03:30) Navigating Social Skills as a Nerd (05:05) How a Simple Mailing List Led to Craigslist (08:23) Why Craig Rejected Billion-Dollar VC Funding (11:07) The Surprising Story Behind the Name Craigslist (12:46) His Slow but Steady Approach to Scaling (14:31) Fighting Fraud, and Dirty Tricks in Business (16:37) The Strategy Behind Growing Without Funding (19:02) Craig’s Pivot from CEO to Customer Service Rep (22:36) How Veterans Inspired His Cybersecurity Focus (29:51) His Pigeon Rescue Mission Craig Newmark is an internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of Craigslist, the online classified ads platform that transformed how people buy, sell, and connect. As a philanthropist, he supports causes related to veterans, journalism, tech ethics, and cybersecurity. Craig also serves on the boards of several nonprofits and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. Connect with Craig: Craig’s Website: craignewmarkphilanthropies.org  Craig’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/craignewmark  Resources Mentioned: Craigslist Website: craigslist.org Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

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The Leap Academy Podcast with Ilana Golan is all about honest and inspiring conversations about what it really takes to leap to bigger things, amazing careers, and craft the life you want. Stories and tips you won't find anywhere else. Ilana speaks with some of the world's most influential people, experts, and thinkers who created incredible careers, massive impact, built a reputation, and an extraordinary life. Together we discover the untold truths, the emotions, and important lessons that enabled them to reinvent themselves & leap.  We take our audience on a journey that will not only inspire but also teach concrete lessons on how to leap careers: fast-track to leadership, jump to entrepreneurship, build a personal brand, portfolio career, and much more.