Bumble's billion dollar founder story

Hey, it's Guy & Farzan,

Spent the week connecting with mortgage brokers on LinkedIn. Farzan and I have a software business that focuses on Australian mortgage brokers.

One demo booked. That's the goal. One a week. We have two next week. Small steps but I'm stoked. Building this thing brick by brick. Here are this week's founder stories.

Reading time: 8.75 mins

In the mail today. 3 founder stories, 2 founder notes

 Founder story 1 

Whitney Wolfe Herd: From Tinder Co-Founder to Bumble Billionaire

From sexual harassment lawsuit to $13 billion IPO: How a 24-year-old created a feminist dating revolution and became the world's youngest self-made female billionaire.

The Journey
- Graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in International Studies
- Founded non-profit "Help Us Project" during college years
- Joined Tinder at age 22 as VP of Marketing and helped name the company
- Left Tinder in 2014 after sexual harassment and discrimination
- Settled lawsuit for $1M and battled depression and media backlash
- Founded Bumble in December 2014 in Austin, Texas at age 24
- Became youngest self-made female billionaire at IPO in 2021

The Evolution of Vision
- 2012: Joined early-stage dating app incubator that became Tinder
- 2013: Built Tinder's social media presence and brand identity as VP of Marketing
- 2014: Left toxic workplace environment, initially designed women-only compliment app "Merci"
- 2014: Partnered with Badoo founder to create dating app focused on female empowerment
- 2015: Launched Bumble where women make the first move
- 2017: Reached 22 million users, named Forbes 30 under 30
- 2019: Acquired by Blackrock at $3 billion valuation
- 2021: IPO'd at $13 billion valuation
- 2023: $6 billion valuation with 58 million users and $844 million annual revenue

Overcoming Obstacles
- Experienced sexual harassment and discrimination at Tinder from co-founder ex-boyfriend
- Filed lawsuit before #MeToo movement, faced significant media backlash
- Overcame depression and paranoia from workplace trauma
- Initially hesitant to return to dating app industry after negative experiences
- Had to prove concept of women-first dating in male-dominated tech industry
- Navigated competitive market with Tinder controlling 27% market share

Today's Impact
- $6 billion company valuation
- 58 million users worldwide
- $844 million annual revenue
- 26% share of entire online dating market
- Publicly traded company competing directly with Tinder
- Expanded beyond dating to friendship (Bumble BFF) and networking (Bumble Bizz)

Growth Strategies That Worked
- Women-Centric Product Design: Only women can initiate conversations with 24-hour response window
- Safety-First Approach: Addressed online harassment by giving women control of interactions
- Guerrilla Marketing: Placed mysterious prohibition signs on college campuses creating intrigue
- Meme Account Strategy: Among first tech companies to pay for content on meme accounts
- Brand Identity: Strong feminine branding with warm, inviting imagery and messaging
- Campus Activation: Sent brand ambassadors in Bumble shirts to disrupt classes and spark curiosity
- Inclusivity Evolution: Expanded beyond heterosexual dating to embrace LGBTQ+ and non-binary users

Key Milestones
- December 2014: Founded Bumble in Austin, Texas
- December 2015: Facilitated 15 million conversations and 80 million matches
- 2017: Reached 22 million users
- 2017-2018: Named Forbes 30 Under 30
- 2019: Acquired by Blackrock at $3 billion
- 2021: IPO at $13 billion, became world's youngest self-made female billionaire
- 2023: Captured 26% of online dating market share

The Philosophy
- On Leadership: "Leaders today are more vulnerable and approachable, requiring them to engage with their teams on a deeper level. I strive to connect with my team's diverse needs, always aiming to embody the values of Bumble both internally and externally."
- On Early Career Choices: "Traditional measures of success, like return on investment and television ratings, were exceptionally dull. I pursued International Studies instead, immersing myself in pressing global issues like globalization, anthropology, women's studies, and international relations."
- On Product Vision: "Prior to Bumble, most dating apps focused solely on catering to men's needs. They approached the problem from the wrong angle, prioritizing what would appeal to guys while neglecting the crucial input from women."
- On Authenticity: "Authenticity is rewarded more than anything. Bumble may be a simple dating app, but its concept works for millions of people because they resonate with our message and values."

Founder story 2

From Prison to $1M+ food Truck: Dawon Matthews' Story

Dawon Matthews, 32, runs a 16-foot food truck in Houston doing 7 figures annually. His secret? Operating late-night (7pm-3am) when competition is low and hungry after-club crowds pay premium prices ($20+ meals).

His path: 
- Started with a $500 cleaning business after criminal record blocked corporate jobs.
- Built that into real estate (using bank leverage to buy properties with tenant income).
- Lost $173K on a failed club venture. Pivoted to food trucks by studying Chick-fil-A and Chipotle's systems, realizing success is in service and systems, not just food.

Key strategy:
- 2-month marketing rollout with community events created massive opening buzz.
- Operates like a restaurant (one prep day weekly, 300+ customers/week) but stays mobile and runs everything from his phone.

Next move:
Selling all other businesses to focus entirely on expanding Goodies food concept.

Takeaway: 
You don't need culinary expertise—study proven systems, find underserved time slots, and execute relentlessly.

Founder story 3

From Nokia Engineer to $10K MRR Telecom Founder: How one IoT frustration sparked a Quantum-Powered platform making global connectivity 20x cheaper.

The Journey
- Born in Istanbul with Iranian and Turkish roots
- Studied Computer Engineering, Information Technology, and Business IT
- Gained corporate experience at Nokia, Nike, Morningstar, Baxter, and Organon
- Founded and exited a successful SaaS platform
- Founded Noxi in San Francisco in 2024, incorporated May 2025
- Currently lives in Switzerland while leading the telecom company

The Evolution of Vision
- Early days - "I never wanted a nine-to-five job like a modern robot"
- Corporate years - Learning discipline from big organizations while craving entrepreneurship
- IoT frustration - Struggled with multiple SIM cards and roaming charges on personal project
- 2024 - "Let's make global connectivity borderless, instant, and affordable"
- 2025 - Built quantum-inspired AI platform reaching $10K MRR with 2,500 subscribers

Overcoming Obstacles
- Rejected traditional academic systems that focused on theory over execution
- Juggled multiple SIM cards and skyrocketing roaming charges across countries
- Realized initial target segment was too broad and had to narrow focus
- Navigated complex regulatory challenges across global markets
- Built trust in a competitive space where cold outreach alone wasn't enough
- Balanced innovation with the practical needs of corporate partnerships

Today's Impact
- $10,000 monthly recurring revenue (MRR)
- 2,500 subscribers
- 10,000 website visitors per month
- 8 employees
- Backed by Startupbootcamp ($28K pre-seed + $60K bootstrapped)
- Two patented innovations eliminating traditional roaming costs
- Pricing 5-20x less than traditional providers

Growth Strategies That Worked
- Private Pilot Programs - Offered risk-free testing to prove value before commitment
- Direct Outreach - Targeted decision-makers in logistics and smart city infrastructure
- Strategic Partnerships - Built relationships with industry associations for qualified leads
- LinkedIn Engagement - Backed cold messaging with genuine value and consistent follow-up
- First Month Free - Removed barriers with no minimum order and free trial period
- Quality Over Quantity - Focused on deep connections rather than broad advertising

Key Milestones
- Founded multiple startups before Noxi
- Successfully exited previous SaaS platform
- Started Noxi in 2024 from a personal IoT connectivity frustration
- Incorporated company in May 2025
- Secured Startupbootcamp backing
- Reached $10K MRR with 2,500 subscribers
- Developed SERAPH, quantum-inspired AI system for network optimization
- Planning to launch proprietary satellite for complete connectivity independence

The Philosophy

"I never chased grades. I chased momentum."

"I'm driven by the need to build things that matter. I hate limits. I want to create solutions that remove friction and give people and businesses the power to do more, go further, and move faster."

"If it exists, I disrupt it. If it doesn't, I invent it."

 Founder note from Josh Braun  

I got a LinkedIn DM that broke through the noise.

It wasn’t clever.
It wasn’t long.
It wasn’t stuffed with “value.”

It was one sentence:

“Are you still using Descript to edit your podcast?

Here’s why it worked:

1. Timing
They didn’t pounce the second I accepted their connection. They waited 5 days. That pause created space, which made the outreach feel less like a script and more like a person.

2. Specificity
Most DMs Pitch right away “We help you do X. Do you have 15 minutes?” This one felt relaxed and chill. Like getting a text message from a friend.

3. Psychology of easy answers
Our brains love questions that feel easy to answer. This wasn’t “What are your top challenges?” It was yes/no, low-effort, safe. Answering didn’t feel like work.

4. Curiosity gap
A simple, relevant question can spark a dialogue. It made me wonder, “Why are they asking? What’s next?” That’s curiosity at play.

The lesson?
You don’t need paragraphs, videos, persuasion, or pitch decks to start conversations.

Sometimes one easy to answer question is enough to get the conversation going.

 A founder note we loved

See you in 7 days.

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Cheers

Guy + Farzan
Founderoo