Craig Newmark

Well, for me, it was because while I was doing it, I had to treat people like I want to be treated. I guess in a way, I am my customer's keeper. And I followed through with that, and that developed far greater empathy in me. I'm still working on it. I will always be working on it.

Well, for me, it was because while I was doing it, I had to treat people like I want to be treated. I guess in a way, I am my customer's keeper. And I followed through with that, and that developed far greater empathy in me. I'm still working on it. I will always be working on it.

But I'm in a much less bad shape than I was in the past, even if frequently when it comes to social skills, I'm faking it.

But I'm in a much less bad shape than I was in the past, even if frequently when it comes to social skills, I'm faking it.

Well, I had moved to San Francisco and I was starting to rediscover the internet. I went around Charles Schwab saying, hey, here's what the internet looks like. We're going to be doing business some way, eventually this way. So people helped me get into the internet pretty quickly and understand what was happening.

Well, I had moved to San Francisco and I was starting to rediscover the internet. I went around Charles Schwab saying, hey, here's what the internet looks like. We're going to be doing business some way, eventually this way. So people helped me get into the internet pretty quickly and understand what was happening.

And a lot of people help me with everyday stuff, kind of boring stuff, like neighborhoods, restaurants, stuff going on that I might like. And then I decided early 95, I should reciprocate. I should give back to the community. So I started a very simple events-related mailing list. It just grew much faster than I thought.

And a lot of people help me with everyday stuff, kind of boring stuff, like neighborhoods, restaurants, stuff going on that I might like. And then I decided early 95, I should reciprocate. I should give back to the community. So I started a very simple events-related mailing list. It just grew much faster than I thought.

And I just figured once I had committed, I would respond to that and do what felt right.

And I just figured once I had committed, I would respond to that and do what felt right.

That particular phase occurred, let's see, the first three years, 95 through 97. It was just me. Everything kept growing. Hit some big milestones at the end of 97, like we hit a million page views per month. which back then was pretty good. Also, people were asking to volunteer to run the site. So I tried that through 98, and that failed.

That particular phase occurred, let's see, the first three years, 95 through 97. It was just me. Everything kept growing. Hit some big milestones at the end of 97, like we hit a million page views per month. which back then was pretty good. Also, people were asking to volunteer to run the site. So I tried that through 98, and that failed.

People who were really concerned about the site took me out to lunch and told me that I needed to go all in. I needed to be very serious. And so in early 99, I turned Craigslist the hobby. into Craigslist, the company. The hard decision I made had to do with offers and so on from bankers and venture capitalists. They told me that they wanted to throw billions of dollars at me.

People who were really concerned about the site took me out to lunch and told me that I needed to go all in. I needed to be very serious. And so in early 99, I turned Craigslist the hobby. into Craigslist, the company. The hard decision I made had to do with offers and so on from bankers and venture capitalists. They told me that they wanted to throw billions of dollars at me.

Well, I would have to do the usual Silicon Valley thing, monetizing everything, and arguably selling out my community. But I remembered Sunday school and what the Levin's told me, know when enough is enough. So I decided that the company would have a philosophy of minimal monetization. We would not make all the money we could, we would make a tiny fraction of that.

Well, I would have to do the usual Silicon Valley thing, monetizing everything, and arguably selling out my community. But I remembered Sunday school and what the Levin's told me, know when enough is enough. So I decided that the company would have a philosophy of minimal monetization. We would not make all the money we could, we would make a tiny fraction of that.

So I proceeded on that basis and Craigslist became a real company in 99.

So I proceeded on that basis and Craigslist became a real company in 99.

Basically, we provided a really useful service that was simple and fast, kept plugging away, maintained our values, and because of the unique time and place, the site just kept growing and growing. Jim, having taken over, expanded it into different cities, and that's worked out great. And we just kept our momentum, kept a connection to what our fundamental values were,

Basically, we provided a really useful service that was simple and fast, kept plugging away, maintained our values, and because of the unique time and place, the site just kept growing and growing. Jim, having taken over, expanded it into different cities, and that's worked out great. And we just kept our momentum, kept a connection to what our fundamental values were,