Robert Kalin

Co-Founder, Etsy

Search every verified Robert Kalin interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2017 interview on the podcast *How I Built This*, Etsy co-founder Rob Kalin discussed the company's early growth and his departure. Kalin stated that Etsy generated $1 million in sales during its first year, and he described the initial challenge of building a two-sided marketplace as a "classic chicken and egg problem." He also recalled being fired in 2011 by investor Fred Wilson during a lunch meeting, saying Wilson told him "We have to do this" without providing a reason, a process Kalin compared to a "Kafka novel." Kalin also reflected on the tension that arose after Etsy brought in a professional COO who later became CEO. He said that when a CEO is brought in and the founder retains power, "it almost never works out" and "creates a lot of conflict." Kalin, who founded Etsy in 2005 to help makers sell handmade goods, said he returned to a quieter life as a maker after being fired.