Monday Motivation: Ryan Hoover

On Startups, Success and Staying Curious

Ryan Hoover taken by Christopher Michel, Hawaii 2018

Ryan Hoover was the founder and CEO of Product Hunt — the site where anyone can launch and discover new products. He started it as a side project back in 2013 before selling to AngelList three years later for a reported $20 million. Following the sale, Ryan started Weekend Fund in order to invest in early stage startups.

In this interview, we revisit his childhood, how Ryan got into tech, and how being curious has led him here today.

Here’s his story:

Newnham: Can you tell me about your background? What were you like growing up?

Hoover: I grew up in Eugene, Oregon and for those who don’t know, Eugene is a college town. The University of Oregon is there so a lot of the culture and social activity revolves around the school and sports.

I grew up in a middle class family. My parents are entrepreneurs — my dad, specifically, has been starting companies since his mid-twenties, in all kinds of different industries. He always had this saying that stuck with me which was: “Find a need and fill it.” It is a very simple saying but it’s an interesting way to frame entrepreneurship. It’s all about finding some sort of need whether it’s super obvious like, here’s a business that has a very specific problem even to psychological needs like loneliness… so, people are lonely so how do you solve loneliness?

My father was always encouraging entrepreneurial projects. I grew up with him saying, “Do yard work Ryan and we’ll give you an allowance.” Basic, normal kid stuff where you’re mowing lawns, doing household chores and then doing more creative things.

A younger Ryan and his brother at their lemonade stand. Image via Shari Hoover

He also had a video store when I was a kid which was pretty awesome because I got to play all the video games for free. As a result of that, when I was really young (around eleven), he allowed me to manage the gumball machines. Basically, they were gumball machines with Runts and M&M’s and essentially, I was responsible for collecting the quarters and counting the money then inputting it into my grandpa’s old Mac computer spreadsheet and then I would go with them to Costco and bulk buy candy to refill it. So super simple but, as a kid, this taught me the basics of business, opening my eyes to a new way to make a living beyond an hourly paycheck.