ELLE - July 18 - Whitney Wolfe created Bumble, the 'female first' dating app, in 2014, which requires women to make the first move. There have been 14.5M downloads, 10B swipes per month, and the success of the app landed Wolfe on Forbes' '30 Under 30' list.
Q: Where did your big idea come from?
A: I really wanted to start a female-only social network, where women could only speak to each other in compliments. My business partner said, "That's a great idea, but why don't you do this in dating? I think there's a real need for this in the dating space."
Q: How did you choose the name Bumble?
A: I originally wanted the app to be called Moxie, but unfortunately there was a trademark issue. A woman on the legal team of my business partner suggested Bumble.
Q: What was the first thing you did to get your idea off the ground?
A: Finding a passionate, dedicated and talented team.
Q: What was the second thing?
A: We created the content that told our story, and explained our vision and our mission.
Q: When did your big break happen?
A: I don't think we had one big break. One big moment for us was when I was invited to be a guest on The Daily Show.
Q: If you could go back in time, what is the one thing you would do differently?
A: I wouldn't be so trusting.
Q: How do you think being a woman has helped you starting your own business?
A: There's no better way to start a business than to build a business based off your personal struggles.
Q: What was your 'I think I've made it' moment?
A: I don't think I've had that moment yet! But I don't think I'll ever say, "I've made it." I'm a firm believer in always staying grounded, and always thinking there's another level to reach.
Q: What task or area of your business will you never delegate?
A: I don't think I'll ever be able to delegate the future, the roadmap, where we go next.
Q: Do you have a big roadmap planned?
A: Yes, we do. We have a roadmap all the way into 2019, so we're quite ambitious.
Q: Before anyone starts their own business, what questions should they ask themselves?
A: Are you solving a real problem that your friends have? Are you solving a true problem that exists beyond yourself? And are you building something that is a solution to something that would truly make the world a better place, in some capacity?
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