This week’s guest is Ryan Hoover. We've been online friends for a few years now. Back in 2013, Ryan invited me to join a new site he'd created called ProductHunt.com. In the last 3 weeks, it's exploded. He was interviewed on Fox News, he was interviewed on This Week in Startups, AND he just announced that he’s joined YCombinator.
I actually recorded this episode on January 24, 2014 (5 months ago) - before Product Hunt got huge. I thought it would be interesting to revisit that conversation: to hear from the Ryan Hoover that hadn't yet achieved all this recent success.
Once you hear it, you'll understand why Ryan's done so well: he built an audience (by blogging, and creating Startup Edition), and then focused on creating something valuable for that community.

Notable quotes
"I've always been entrepreneurial: as a child I created little joke books, and operated gum ball machines." - Ryan Hoover

"I didn't know what a Product Manager was 6 months before I became one." - Ryan Hoover

"We built Product Hunt over 4 days, during Thanksgiving." - Ryan Hoover

"Inspiration is perishable." - Jason Fried

"I need to keep reminding myself that I can't predict the future." - Ryan Hoover
Show notes

Ryan Hoover's blog
Ryan Hoover twitter
Product Hunt
Nathan Bashaw
TWIST interview
Fox News interview
TechCrunch: Ryan Hoover joins YCombinator
Telescope by Sacha Greif

Note from Justin
I need your help. People don't know the show is back, releasing new episodes every Thursday. I took a break back in October, and people think the show is still offline. If you could go to iTunes leave a nice review that would be superb.
Also: if you're listening on Stitcher, please leave a review on there!
Cheers,
Justin Jackson
@mijustin

PS: By the way, I'm working on something new called Product People Club. Go to productpeople.club, and sign up for the waiting list. I’ll have something to announce shortly!

Music: Land of the Lost and Can’t Stop the Rush by Striker, visit them at striker-metal.com