Grant LaFontaine says the future of shopping is here— and it’s live. Literally.

Grant is the cofounder and CEO of Whatnot—a $5 billion live shopping brand that’s shaking up the traditional retail playbook and betting big on the future of social commerce.

Sammi sits down with Grant to unpack what it takes to build a unicorn; from the lesson Y Combinator taught him about working with a cofounder, to the unique way he thinks about hiring, and why user feedback is his North Star. He shares what he’s learned building in tech, what AI can and can’t do, and why a little paranoia is good for founders.

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00:00 Grant LaFontaine’s Social Currency

01:40 Understanding Whatnot and the Live Shopping Opportunity

02:48 Who Is the Whatnot Customer

04:38 Social Interactions as a Secret Weapon

11:33 The Value of Y Combinator

13:42 Finding Product-Market Fit with Funko Pop

17:29 Scaling Whatnot and Entering New Markets

19:13 The Importance of Hiring and Company Culture

26:13 Fixing Breaks and Providing User Value

26:41 Why Paranoia is an Asset in Business

29:25 Using Mistakes as Data Points

31:32 User Feedback and Product Evolution

33:39 Co-Founder Dynamics and Decision Making

37:06 Social Currency Corner

48:59 How to Show Social Currency Some Love

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