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Ben Chestnut, co-founder of Mailchimp
About this episode
Ben Chestnut is the CEO and Co-founder of Mailchimp, a leading marketing platform for small businesses and Inc’s 2017 Company of the Year. They democratize marketing technology for small businesses, creating innovative products that empower our customers to grow.
So much of the startup noise today is about how much you've raised or if your startup is even worthy of investment. I want you to understand the idea of entrepreneurship that has been propagated in today's media outlets is not the standard or the norm. You do not need VC money to build your business or to validate that you have something worth pursuing. So when you hear Ben's story, I hope it leaves you walking a bit taller, knowing that it is absolutely possible to build a billion-dollar business one customer at a time and with no investment capital. In fact, Ben learned from a very early age that anything is possible as long as you're willing to put in the work.
In this episode, you'll hear.
Ben’s early days and what led him to start MailChimp.
Ben’s thoughts on bringing capital into the business.
How he stayed the course despite competitor noise.
Tactics Ben used to acquire his first 10,000 users.
How to determine pricing and consumer tolerance in a SaaS product.
How COVID-19 has affected Ben and his leadership team.
Ben’s advice to any entrepreneur who feels stuck.
Resources from this episode
ExpressVPN: Get 3 Months Free → ExpressVPN.com/StartupStory
The Startup Story Inner Circle: https://www.thestartupstory.co/vip
Ben Chestnut on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mailchimp/
The Startup Story on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thestartupstory
The Startup Story is now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jamesmckinney
The Startup Story on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestartupstory
Share the podcast
The Startup Story community has been so incredible sharing our podcast with others, and we thank you! We do have more stories to tell and more people to reach. There are three ways you can help.
First, the most powerful way you can support this podcast is by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Second, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to share your favorite Startup Story episodes with your friends and on social media. Tag or mention @thestartupstory.co so we can give you a virtual high five and a thank you!
Lastly, share the podcast on LinkedIn. The Startup Story podcast is for entrepreneurs. Don’t underestimate the power of sharing on LinkedIn so other entrepreneurs can discover us.
With your support, we hope to further our reach in encouraging and inspiring the founders of today and tomorrow. Thank you!
EPISODE CREDITS
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.
He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.
Contact him today at https://emeraldcitypro.com/startupstory
View all episodes
By James McKinneyAbout this episode
Ben Chestnut is the CEO and Co-founder of Mailchimp, a leading marketing platform for small businesses and Inc’s 2017 Company of the Year. They democratize marketing technology for small businesses, creating innovative products that empower our customers to grow.
So much of the startup noise today is about how much you've raised or if your startup is even worthy of investment. I want you to understand the idea of entrepreneurship that has been propagated in today's media outlets is not the standard or the norm. You do not need VC money to build your business or to validate that you have something worth pursuing. So when you hear Ben's story, I hope it leaves you walking a bit taller, knowing that it is absolutely possible to build a billion-dollar business one customer at a time and with no investment capital. In fact, Ben learned from a very early age that anything is possible as long as you're willing to put in the work.
In this episode, you'll hear.
Ben’s early days and what led him to start MailChimp.
Ben’s thoughts on bringing capital into the business.
How he stayed the course despite competitor noise.
Tactics Ben used to acquire his first 10,000 users.
How to determine pricing and consumer tolerance in a SaaS product.
How COVID-19 has affected Ben and his leadership team.
Ben’s advice to any entrepreneur who feels stuck.
Resources from this episode
ExpressVPN: Get 3 Months Free → ExpressVPN.com/StartupStory
The Startup Story Inner Circle: https://www.thestartupstory.co/vip
Ben Chestnut on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mailchimp/
The Startup Story on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thestartupstory
The Startup Story is now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jamesmckinney
The Startup Story on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestartupstory
Share the podcast
The Startup Story community has been so incredible sharing our podcast with others, and we thank you! We do have more stories to tell and more people to reach. There are three ways you can help.
First, the most powerful way you can support this podcast is by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Second, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to share your favorite Startup Story episodes with your friends and on social media. Tag or mention @thestartupstory.co so we can give you a virtual high five and a thank you!
Lastly, share the podcast on LinkedIn. The Startup Story podcast is for entrepreneurs. Don’t underestimate the power of sharing on LinkedIn so other entrepreneurs can discover us.
With your support, we hope to further our reach in encouraging and inspiring the founders of today and tomorrow. Thank you!
EPISODE CREDITS
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.
He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.
Contact him today at https://emeraldcitypro.com/startupstory