Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce

You built a company that is worth $20 billion. But just to put that in perspective, that is more than if you add up the entire market cap of Wendy's, Under Armour, Hertz Rental Car, Harley-Davidson-

[laughs]

... American Airlines also. [laughs] Isn't that bananas when you hear that?

Yeah, I think it's absolutely nuts.

I feel like I could rule the world. I know I could be what I want to. Uh. I put my all in it like no days off. On the road less traveled, never looking back.

What I find interesting about you is that you went from a guy who was, uh, a kid who was working in a deli, [laughs] a- almost failed out of high school, to now you've, you built a company that is worth $20 billion.

In all, in all honesty, I try not to focus on the number, 'cause I just... Like, w- if you focus on it, it sort of seems obscene, and then you're like, "Well, I've, you know, done a lot already. I'll pat myself on the back." But I think we're pretty early in what we're doing, and so I just try not to think about it and just sort of look at, like, the problem ahead and put one step, one foot in front of the other. And yeah, we started this thing six and a half years ago. There's still a lot of work to do.

Yeah, I remember because, uh, you may not remember this, but we were on a phone call, and I was like, "Hey, this is a great idea. I'd love to invest." And you were like, "I don't know. We got, like, kind of... It's already full." And I was like, "Oh, but I'm such a great guy." And then, uh, you were like, "We'll see," and then I didn't follow up, and, uh, that not following up cost me. It cost me dearly.

I, I actually do remember. [laughs]

[laughs]

Say more.

I wrote it down in my diary that day. [laughs]

[laughs]

Grant, what happened from your perspective?

Yeah, yeah, you tell the story.

Yeah, so, um, yeah, what happened? I mean, when- whenever you're, like, one of the... Like, we've, we've had rounds where we've been a hot company, and we've had rounds where we've not been a hot company. Sort of, like, s- seen this, the full spectrum of things. And once the round's closed, all we really want to do is go back to work. So I remember talking, uh, to Sean, and, um, you know, I'm like, "Oh, I should probably follow up with him," and then I just got busy with work and didn't. And I think I s- I... Like, in my head, I sort of felt bad 'cause I think I should've done something, but I don't know.

[laughs] Well, listen, I've been a fan. I was a fan before. I'm still a fan now. Now I'm just a bitter fan, uh, which is, is a unique place to be in. And we should explain what the company is, right? You- you're the founder of Whatnot. What's so amazing is you've built a large company in a space that I think most people would've found very small and unusual. Unusual... Uh, it's almost like a stack of unusual behaviors. We'll just give a kind of quick summary, which is if you open up Whatnot today, the app, you will see people selling all kinds of things. It started off with collectibles, and, you know, like, these little Funko, Funko dolls, and then opening up packs of cards and stuff like that. But now you could buy anything. I... Sam, I don't know if you know this. You could buy crazy shit