Finding E-Success by Placing Their Users’ Needs First...Interview With Jim Buckmaster, CEO
Jim Buckmaster is just one of millions of people worldwide who have used Craigslist (www.craigslist.org), one of the most well-used and popular of today’s Internet business sites. After posting his résumé on Craigslist, Buckmaster, an experienced web programmer, was interviewed and subsequently hired by Craig Newmark, founder and company namesake. Home Business Magazine recently interviewed Buckmaster in San Francisco, California, where he lives and from where the company Craigslist originated and still bases its operations.
Home Business Magazine (HBM): What is Craigslist and how it was started? Jim Buckmaster (JB): Craigslist is a free Internet classified site started by Craig Newmark in 1995 as an e-mail list that he sent announcing San Francisco events. Newmark ran it as a hobby the first three years. People on the list submitted event dates, but eventually added other listings like apartments for rent or job openings; and those postings were added into the mix. Since then, Craigslist has experienced a slow but (phenomenal) steady growth.
HBM: How did you become part of Craigslist and what do you currently do? JB: In late1999, Craig (Newmark) saw my résumé posted on Craigslist and asked me for an interview. At the time, Newmark was operating the company out of his apartment, so my interview took place in his living room. That struck me as strange at the time, but I stuck with it. My first year at Craigslist, I primarily did technical work, adding a number of the elements that people associate with Craigslist today, such as the site’s search engine and the discussion forums. Our users’ most common request is that we add more cities to the Craigslist network, so I expanded our offerings from San Francisco to currently serve an additional 450 cities in the U. S. and other countries. I also converted the system from one where our users previously had to submit their postings for our staff’s approval to our current self-service system where users can now publish, edit, or remove their listings themselves. I also developed the flagging system that permits our users to recommend problematic ads for removal. Toward the end of 2000, I was doing more managing than programming, and at that point, I took on the CEO title.
HBM: Who uses Craigslist?
JB: Generally, our power-users are people who are moving to new cities and need everything —a job, a place to live and furnishings, new friends, and even romance. Craigslist is a “one-stop” online shop where they can find all of those basics that they need in their lives when moving. Others who have lived in the same place for a long time and are relatively settled also use Craigslist in a multitude of ways: buying tickets, arranging car-pooling; buying and selling used items, finding new community activities, and joining discussion forums.
HBM: How does Craigslist make money? JB: We charge only for job listings and presently take help-wanted ads from seven cities. We also charge for one other type of listing: broker-apartment listings in New York City. Because we are a small company, we are able to keep our expenses low and not have to charge for our other listings.
HBM: To what do you attribute Craigslist’s success? JB: Our approach has been to be as useful to as many people as possible without compromising our users' experience for monetary gain. That has proven to be a formula that appeals to our users and deserves recognition. They tell their friends and family: It was our friends that first promoted the site. We rely exclusively on word-of-mouth promotion.
HBM: What part(s) of your company are you most proud and what sets Craigslist apart? JB: We have received amazing e-mails and thank you letters from people telling us they have literally found their spouses and friends; their jobs; the places where they live and furnishings; and even their pets, all from our site and all for free. Users in San Francisco, New York City, and some of the other cities that we have served for some time have been very expressive in their gratitude that Craigslist has helped them obtain so many important elements of their lives.
We are also proud of our company’s long track record (twelve+ years) of placing our users first. Sales people say we could make potentially millions more dollars per month by adding text and banner ads to the site, but we have not because our users have not requested it. I do not think there are any other companies in our industry that put their users first to that degree.
For a company that has been in our position that could sell itself for a great deal of money, or make considerable money by taking the company public, but has shown no interest in pursuing those avenues, I believe this places us in a category of one, at least in today’s Internet business industry.
HBM: What important principle do you suggest entrepreneurs should follow in their businesses’ operations? JB: As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.
HBM: What is the Craigslist Foundation and its purpose? JB: Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice.
HBM: Do you and other Craigslist staff work from home? JB: All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
HBM: Any pointers for starting or operating a ‘Net-based enterprise? JB: One pointer is to focus exclusively on providing something that is useful to your prospective clients or customers and do not compromise that for financial or other reasons. Another pointer: keep your costs low, especially in the beginning. Do not take outside money unless absolutely necessary. Take on as little debt as possible when you startup, as debt can be dangerous to the health of any venture and possibly lead to compromises that you may later regret.
HBM: How do you envision Craigslist’s future? JB: We will continue to monitor our users’ requests and feedback so we can fulfill their requests to the best of our ability. We will also strive to improve our services and bring Craigslist to more users in additional countries.
HBM: Any final comments about Craigslist and/or the use of the Internet? JB: Internet business startups’ costs tend to be lower when compared with other types of enterprises. For example, material-intensive businesses are often more difficult for entrepreneurs to launch because of the inventory and distribution involved. If you possess the technical skills, you can keep your startup and operating expenses down by building your site yourself. However, the key to creating a successful online business and site is to have one that is valuable to your users. It can potentially spark word-of-mouth promotion that could attract thousands, or hundreds of thousands of users/customers before you know it and at a relatively low cost. With just twenty-three employees, we at Craigslist are providing a service that is used by tens of millions people each month. I cannot think of any other business industry other than the Internet where that is even remotely possible! HBM
Priscilla Y. Huff’s latest book, Make Your Business Survive and Thrive! 100+ Proven Marketing Methods to Help You Beat the Odds and Build a Successful Small or Home-Based Enterprise (Wiley), can be ordered through Amazon.com. Questions or comments: .
Previously published in the June 2007 issue of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, an international publication for the growing and dynamic home-based market. Available on newsstands, in bookstores and chain stores, and via subscriptions ($15.00 for 1 year, six issues). Visit www.homebusinessmag.com
Internet business startups’ costs tend to be lower when compared with other types of enterprises. For example, material-intensive businesses are often more difficult for entrepreneurs to launch because of the inventory and distribution involved. If you possess the technical skills, you can keep your startup and operating expenses down by building your site yourself. However, the key to creating a successful online business and site is to have one that is valuable to your users. It can potentially spark word-of-mouth promotion that could attract thousands, or hundreds of thousands of users/customers before you know it and at a relatively low cost.With just twenty-three employees, we at Craigslist are providing a service that is used by tens of millions people each month. I cannot think of any other business industry other than the Internet where that is even remotely possible! HBM
We will continue to monitor our users’ requests and feedback so we can fulfill their requests to the best of our ability. We will also strive to improve our services and bring Craigslist to more users in additional countries. Internet business startups’ costs tend to be lower when compared with other types of enterprises. For example, material-intensive businesses are often more difficult for entrepreneurs to launch because of the inventory and distribution involved. If you possess the technical skills, you can keep your startup and operating expenses down by building your site yourself. However, the key to creating a successful online business and site is to have one that is valuable to your users. It can potentially spark word-of-mouth promotion that could attract thousands, or hundreds of thousands of users/customers before you know it and at a relatively low cost.With just twenty-three employees, we at Craigslist are providing a service that is used by tens of millions people each month. I cannot think of any other business industry other than the Internet where that is even remotely possible! HBM
All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
We have received amazing e-mails and thank you letters from people telling us they have literally found their spouses and friends; their jobs; the places where they live and furnishings; and even their pets, all from our site and all for free. Users in San Francisco, New York City, and some of the other cities that we have served for some time have been very expressive in their gratitude that Craigslist has helped them obtain so many important elements of their lives. We are also proud of our company’s long track record (twelve+ years) of placing our users first. Sales people say we could make potentially millions more dollars per month by adding text and banner ads to the site, but we have not because our users have not requested it. I do not think there are any other companies in our industry that put their users first to that degree. For a company that has been in our position that could sell itself for a great deal of money, or make considerable money by taking the company public, but has shown no interest in pursuing those avenues, I believe this places us in a category of one, at least in today’s Internet business industry. As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
Our approach has been to be as useful to as many people as possible without compromising our users' experience for monetary gain. That has proven to be a formula that appeals to our users and deserves recognition. They tell their friends and family: It was our friends that first promoted the site. We rely exclusively on word-of-mouth promotion. We have received amazing e-mails and thank you letters from people telling us they have literally found their spouses and friends; their jobs; the places where they live and furnishings; and even their pets, all from our site and all for free. Users in San Francisco, New York City, and some of the other cities that we have served for some time have been very expressive in their gratitude that Craigslist has helped them obtain so many important elements of their lives. We are also proud of our company’s long track record (twelve+ years) of placing our users first. Sales people say we could make potentially millions more dollars per month by adding text and banner ads to the site, but we have not because our users have not requested it. I do not think there are any other companies in our industry that put their users first to that degree. For a company that has been in our position that could sell itself for a great deal of money, or make considerable money by taking the company public, but has shown no interest in pursuing those avenues, I believe this places us in a category of one, at least in today’s Internet business industry. As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
We charge only for job listings and presently take help-wanted ads from seven cities. We also charge for one other type of listing: broker-apartment listings in New York City. Because we are a small company, we are able to keep our expenses low and not have to charge for our other listings. Our approach has been to be as useful to as many people as possible without compromising our users' experience for monetary gain. That has proven to be a formula that appeals to our users and deserves recognition. They tell their friends and family: It was our friends that first promoted the site. We rely exclusively on word-of-mouth promotion. We have received amazing e-mails and thank you letters from people telling us they have literally found their spouses and friends; their jobs; the places where they live and furnishings; and even their pets, all from our site and all for free. Users in San Francisco, New York City, and some of the other cities that we have served for some time have been very expressive in their gratitude that Craigslist has helped them obtain so many important elements of their lives. We are also proud of our company’s long track record (twelve+ years) of placing our users first. Sales people say we could make potentially millions more dollars per month by adding text and banner ads to the site, but we have not because our users have not requested it. I do not think there are any other companies in our industry that put their users first to that degree. For a company that has been in our position that could sell itself for a great deal of money, or make considerable money by taking the company public, but has shown no interest in pursuing those avenues, I believe this places us in a category of one, at least in today’s Internet business industry. As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
Generally, our power-users are people who are moving to new cities and need everything —a job, a place to live and furnishings, new friends, and even romance. Craigslist is a “one-stop” online shop where they can find all of those basics that they need in their lives when moving. Others who have lived in the same place for a long time and are relatively settled also use Craigslist in a multitude of ways: buying tickets, arranging car-pooling; buying and selling used items, finding new community activities, and joining discussion forums.We charge only for job listings and presently take help-wanted ads from seven cities. We also charge for one other type of listing: broker-apartment listings in New York City. Because we are a small company, we are able to keep our expenses low and not have to charge for our other listings. Our approach has been to be as useful to as many people as possible without compromising our users' experience for monetary gain. That has proven to be a formula that appeals to our users and deserves recognition. They tell their friends and family: It was our friends that first promoted the site. We rely exclusively on word-of-mouth promotion. We have received amazing e-mails and thank you letters from people telling us they have literally found their spouses and friends; their jobs; the places where they live and furnishings; and even their pets, all from our site and all for free. Users in San Francisco, New York City, and some of the other cities that we have served for some time have been very expressive in their gratitude that Craigslist has helped them obtain so many important elements of their lives. We are also proud of our company’s long track record (twelve+ years) of placing our users first. Sales people say we could make potentially millions more dollars per month by adding text and banner ads to the site, but we have not because our users have not requested it. I do not think there are any other companies in our industry that put their users first to that degree. For a company that has been in our position that could sell itself for a great deal of money, or make considerable money by taking the company public, but has shown no interest in pursuing those avenues, I believe this places us in a category of one, at least in today’s Internet business industry. As I said earlier, place your users’, your customers’ concerns, wants, and desires ahead of everything else, including monetary gain. Many companies’ models do not follow that formula, but with our company’s experience, it has resulted in a highly successful business.Established five years ago, the foundation’s mission is to play a catalytic role for small nonprofits and provide them with support and information in the legal aspects of operating, marketing, and overall practical advice. All of us at Craigslist work from home on some days, so the company has provided us with home computers with intensive networking systems and superior Internet connections. It is important for us to have the flexibility so we can work from home when we want or need to and still stay connected with one another and the company.
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