YouTube's First 10 Employees and Its Founders - Business ...

May 29, 2020, 11:37 AM ... The company's cofounders — Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley — relied on friends from their PayPal days to help them build ... 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Login Subscribe Subscribe Newsletters Worldglobe Aniconoftheworldglobe,indicatingdifferentinternationaloptions." US Edition US INTL Asia Deutschland&Österreich Australia España France India Japan México Netherlands Polska SouthAfrica GettheInsiderApp Clickheretolearnmore Aleading-edgeresearchfirmfocusedondigitaltransformation. SeeourResearch FacebookIcon TheletterF. Twittericon Astylizedbirdwithanopenmouth,tweeting. LinkedInicon Theword"in". YouTubeicon Aplaybuttonintheshapeofatelevisionscreen. Instagramicon Astylizedcamera. * Copyright©2021.Allrightsreserved. Registrationonoruseofthissiteconstitutesacceptanceofour TermsofService ,  PrivacyPolicy and CookiesPolicy. Sitemap Disclaimer Accessibility CommercePolicy CAPrivacyRights Coupons MadeinNYC Jobs Stockquotesby finanzen.net Reprints&Permissions Good Subscriber Accountactive since Shortcuts Accounticon Aniconintheshapeofaperson'sheadandshoulders.Itoftenindicatesauserprofile. Profile Newsletters FAQs Subscription Logout USMarketsLoading... H M S Inthenews Closeicon Twocrossedlinesthatforman'X'.Itindicatesawaytocloseaninteraction,ordismissanotification. Chevronicon Itindicatesanexpandablesectionormenu,orsometimesprevious/nextnavigationoptions. HOMEPAGE Subscribe Subscribe Home Chevronicon Itindicatesanexpandablesectionormenu,orsometimesprevious/nextnavigationoptions. Tech Only2ofYouTube'searliestemployeesarestillatthecompany— here'swhatYouTube'sfirst10employeesareuptonow AveryHartmans 2020-05-29T18:37:32Z FacebookIcon TheletterF. Emailicon Anenvelope.Itindicatestheabilitytosendanemail. Twittericon Astylizedbirdwithanopenmouth,tweeting. Twitter LinkedInicon Theword"in". LinkedIn Fliboardicon AstylizedletterF. Flipboard Linkicon Animageofachainlink.Itsymobilizesawebsitelinkurl. CopyLink YouTubecofoundersSteveChen,left,andChadHurley. TonyAvelar/AP YouTubehascomealongwaysince2005.Backthen,YouTubehadonly10employees,pluscofoundersChadHurleyandSteveChen. MostofYouTube'searliestemployeescamefromPayPal,whereHurley,Chen,andcofounderJawedKarimmet. Whilemanyhavesinceleftthecompany,others—likebusinessdevelopmentchiefChrisMaxcyandengineerBradleyHeilbrun—arestillatGoogle. ChenandHurleystayedatYouTubeuntil2011.Thesedays,ChenisanangelinvestorandlivesinSingapore,whileHurleylaunchedadigitalsportsstartupandisapart-owneroftheGoldenStateWarriors. VisitBusinessInsider'shomepageformorestories. Getthelatesttechtrends&innovations—delivereddailytoyourinbox. Loading Somethingisloading. Emailaddress Byclicking‘Signup’,youagreetoreceivemarketingemailsfromInsider aswellasotherpartneroffersandacceptour TermsofServiceand PrivacyPolicy. LikemanySiliconValleystartups,theearlydaysofYouTubewerenotexactlyaformalaffair.Thecompany'scofounders—JawedKarim,SteveChen,andChadHurley—reliedonfriendsfromtheirPayPaldaystohelpthembuildcomponentsofthesite.Andatfirst,everyonejustmetupinHurley'sgaragetoworkonthecompany.NearlyallofYouTube'searlyemployeeshadworkedatPayPalwiththefounders.Overtime,YouTubeofficiallyincorporatedandbroughtonemployees,andmovedintoanoffice."Weneverconductedasingleinterview,"ChentoldBusinessInsider."TheentireteamwasalreadypeoplewhohadworkedtogetheratPayPalforyearsandyearsinthepast." "WheneverIwastryingtorecruitanengineer,Iwouldbehonestwiththem:'Whateveritisyouwantyoudo,youdon'twanttoregrettheopportunityyou'remissinghere.Ifyoucomeherenow,whetheritsucceedsornot,Ican'tguaranteeanything,it'sgoingtobeoneheckofarideyoucan'tfindanywhereelse,'"Chensaid.Thepromiseendedupbeingtrue:YouTubegrewtoaculturalforcethatwasacquiredbyGooglein2006for$1.65billion. Butbackin2005,theyearYouTubewentlivetotheworld,YouTubewasasmallteamofonly10employees,plusHurleyandChen.Here'swhowasatthecompany15yearsagoandwherethey'veendedup: YuPanYuPanwasacofounderofPayPal,wherehemetChen,Karim,andHurley,andjoinedYouTubeinJuly2005asemployeeNo.1.Hedescribestheearlydaysofthecompanyasbeinga"freeexchangeofideas,"withmultiplefriendspitchingintohelpHurley,Chen,andKarimbuildthesite.HealsowenttocollegewithKarimandChen,andhasknownChensincehighschool.Thesedays,heisanengineeratsoftwarecompanyOriginProtocol,whichwascofoundedbyearlyYouTubeemployeeMatthewLiu. MikeSolomonSolomonjoinedYouTubein2005asanengineer.HeknewthefoundersfromworkingatPayPal,wherehehelpedbuildPayPal'sfinancialsystem.GideonYu,YouTube'sfirstCFO,describedSolomonasoneofthe"unsungheroesoftheearlydaysofYouTube"anda"super-genius-type."SolomonisoneofthecreatorsoftechnologythathelpedYouTubescale.SolomonappearstohaveleftYouTubesometimeafter2012,andmayhavehadstintsatYelpandDropbox.BrentHurleyHurley,thebrotherofcofounderChadHurley,cameonboardinAugust2005.HurleywroteonLinkedInthathe"woremanyhatsandranfinanceandoperationsupuntilthecompanywasacquired."HurleywentontobecomechieffinancialofficeratMixBit,themobilevideostartupcreatedbyChadHurleyandSteveChen.Thesedays,Hurleyisaninvestorandadvisertomultiplestartups.CuongDoDoworkedatPayPalbeforeleavinginSeptember2005tobecomepartofYouTube'sfoundingengineeringteam.Hefocusedonsoftwarearchitectureandsitescalability,accordingtohisLinkedIn.HeworkedatOriginProtocolwithYuPanandMatthewLiu,anearlyYouTubeproductmanager,beforebecomingheadofengineeringatsoftwarecompanyMaterialize.MaryroseDuntonDuntonisalsoaformerPayPalemployeewhojoinedYouTubeinSeptember2005asdirectorofproductdevelopment.ShestayedonafterYouTubewasacquired,leavinginJanuary2009tobecomeheadofproductatEndorse.com,accordingtoherLinkedIn.It'sunclearwhatDuntonisuptothesedays. BradleyHeilbrunHeilbruncameonboardinNovember2005asasystemsarchitectafterworkingatPayPalsince2001.HeilbrunworkedatYouTubeforoveradecadebeforemovingovertoGoogle—he'sstillatthecompanyworkingasanengineer,accordingtohisLinkedIn.  YouTube'sfirstofficeinSanMateo,California,abovethepizzaparlorAmici's. KatieCanales/BusinessInsider DwipalDesaiDesaiisanearlyYouTubeengineerwhohelpedcreateearlyYouTubefeatureslikecomments,relatedvideo,playlists,andthewatchqueue.AfterYouTubewasacquired,DesaibecameheadofYouTubeMobile.Heleftthecompanyin2009,butreturnedasaseniorproductmanagerin2019afterstintsatEssentialandSamsung,accordingtohisLinkedIn.HeatherGilletteGillettejoinedYouTubeinNovember2005asthecompany'sheadofcontentreview.Gilletteoversawcontentmoderation,includingcopyrightandabuse,andoversawthesupportteamaswell.SheleftYouTubein2010,accordingtoherLinkedIn,andhassincelaunchedacompanycalledDesignerInc,anonlinemarketplacefortheinteriordesignindustry.ChrisMaxcyMaxcywasYouTube'sheadofbusinessdevelopmentandwasinstrumentaltonegotiatingYouTube'searlylicensingdealswithrecordlabelsandTVstudios,accordingtoYouTube'sfirstgeneralcounsel,ZahavahLevine.MaxcyiscurrentlyinchargeofbusinessdevelopmentforGoogle.  ChristinaBrodbeckBrodbeckjoinedYouTubesometimein2005,becomingthesite'sfirstuserinterfacedesigner—shewritesonLinkedInthatsheworea"widevarietyofhats"duringthattime.SheleftYouTubeinAugust2009andhassincebecomeaninvestor,launchingaventurecapitalfirmcalledRivetVentures,anearly-stagefirmthatinvestsinwomen-ledmarkets. JawedKarimKarimisoneofYouTube'scofounders.HeattendedtheUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-ChampaignwithChenandworkedatPayPalbeforebuildingYouTubewithChenandHurley.ThefirstYouTubevideoeverposted,"Meatthezoo,"featuresKarim.KarimneverhadaformalroleatYouTube—instead,hewasan"informaladviser"whodidnottakeasalaryorbenefits,accordingtoTheNewYorkTimes.Instead,KarimleftforStanfordUniversity,wherehepursuedamaster'sdegreeincomputerscience.DespiteKarim'slowerstakeinYouTubethanChenorHurley,hereceived137,443Googleshares,thenworthmorethan$64million,whenYouTubesoldin2006. Karimlaunchedaventurefundin2008calledYouniversityVentures,nowcalledYVentures,alongwithEventbritecofounderKevinHartzandventurecapitalistKeithRabois. SteveChenChenwasYouTube'scofounderandoriginalchieftechnologyofficer.HestudiedcomputerscienceatUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-ChampaignbeforeworkingatPayPal.HebuiltYouTubewithKarimandHurley,sellingthecompanytoGoogleinOctober2006for$1.65billion.Chenreceived625,366Googlesharesfromtheacquisition,worthmorethan$326millionatthetime.  ChenstayedatYouTubeaftertheacquisition,andleftin2009toexploreotheroptionswithinGoogle.In2011,heleftthecompany,andin2013,helaunchedAVOSSystemswithHurley.ChenjoinedGoogleVentures,nowGV,in2014.Thesedays,he'san angelinvestor andlivesinSingapore.  ChadHurleyHurleyjoinedPayPalasadesignerin1999beforelaunchingYouTubewithChenandKarim.HeservedasYouTube'sfirstCEOandkeptthatroleaftertheacquisitionuntilGoogle'sSalarKamangartookoverin2010.Hurleyreceived694,087shareswhenGoogleboughtYouTube,plusanother41,232inatrust—atthetime,theshareswereworth$345million. HurleyofficiallyleftGooglein2011andstartedAVOSSystemswithChen.In2014,AVOSpivotedtobecomeHurley'scompany,MixBit,amobilevideoplatform. Hurleyiscurrentlyaninvestor,aswellasthecofounderofGreenParkSports,adigitalsportscompanythatmakesamobilegame.Hurleyisalsoapart-owneroftheGoldenStateWarriorsandtheLosAngelesFootballClub. NowRead:'Wehadnoideahowtodoit':YouTube'sfounders,investors,andfirstemployeestellthechaoticinsidestoryofhowitrosefromfaileddatingsiteto$1.65billionvideobehemothTakealookatthehistory-makingpitchdeckYouTubeusedtosecureitsfirst$11.5millionfromSequoiaCapitalin2005,andtheinvestormemothatconvincedthefirmoftheplatform'spotential7earlyYouTubersonthemomentstheyknewtheymadeitbig SignupfornotificationsfromInsider!Stayuptodatewithwhatyouwanttoknow. Subscribetopushnotifications Dealicon Aniconintheshapeofalightningbolt. Foryou NOWWATCH:CheckoutallofSamsung'snewestVR—fromridingflyingdinosaurstowalkingonthemoon More: Tech YouTube YouTubeat15 ChadHurley SteveChen Google Chevronicon Itindicatesanexpandablesectionormenu,orsometimesprevious/nextnavigationoptions. Dealicon Aniconintheshapeofalightningbolt. Foryou Closeicon Twocrossedlinesthatforman'X'.Itindicatesawaytocloseaninteraction,ordismissanotification. RecommendedVideo