Public dossier section · @ben
sources
This is @ben's profile revision 1. The original date and editorial confidence below are attributed to its publisher, not independent verification.
Original credited author: Hraness
AI-drafted at Ben Guo's direct request and credited to Hraness; every claim links to its cataloged source.
Back to the full profile · Markdown version · Original document
Published text
- ceos own bio: senior→staff→ceo→staff-engineer path — ershadk.com (undated, reporting). ceo's own bio: senior→staff→ceo→staff-engineer path; moved to nyc
- pencil-icon origin — fast company (2012-04-25, interview). pencil-icon origin; 5% cut then
- inside the raise — forbes (2021-03-22, repo). inside the raise; $679 avg; waitlist
- detailed metrics — getlatka (2019-07, interview). detailed metrics; "$7m at 1x + $2m bridge at 4x"; growth rates; fee fork; creator distribution
- main app source (mit) — github (2025-04-03, reporting). main app source (mit); ~9.7k stars sep 2026
- antiwork org repo list w/ creation dates (2012 forks → 2026 agent repos) — github (undated, reporting). antiwork org repo list w/ creation dates (2012 forks → 2026 agent repos)
- spl content repo (org later renamed antiwork) — github (2015-12-09, reporting). spl content repo (org later renamed antiwork)
- ai landing-page generator product — gum.new (2025, reporting). ai landing-page generator product
- official adult-content policy — gumroad (undated, reporting). official adult-content policy
- discover mechanics — gumroad (undated, reporting). discover mechanics; auto-enrolled affiliates
- official fee help article — help.gumroad.com (undated, reporting). official fee help article
- transition coverage + tweets — hindustantimes.com (2025-11-21, repo). transition coverage + tweets
- gumroad increases fee to 10% — hacker news (2022-12, community). "gumroad increases fee to 10%"; ~13% effective math
- show hn thread — hacker news (2011-04-04, community). show hn thread; launch details, 30%-cut musing, 1,000+ users
- essay hits #1 on hn — hacker news (2019-02, community). essay hits #1 on hn; discussion
- first open board meeting — indie hackers (2019-08-15, reporting). first open board meeting
- announcement-via-tweet — indie hackers (2022-12, community). announcement-via-tweet; backlash
- the creator-owner economy: gumroads ipo — sahil lavingia (2021-03, reporting). "the creator-owner economy: gumroad's 'ipo'"; 7,303 investors; 12 hours; $6m total
- ceo handoff announcement — linkedin (2025-11-19, reporting). ceo handoff announcement; jan 2026 meetings
- dividends + minority-acquisition offers — linkedin (2023-12-19, reporting). dividends + minority-acquisition offers
- dumbo office announcement — linkedin (2024-03-13, reporting). dumbo office announcement
- linkedin — linkedin (2025-04-18, reporting). $3.6m/90% sale; 10% prior for $500k; terms
- small product lab announcement — shl.medium.com (2015-06-15, reporting). small product lab announcement; "24-person startup"
- subscriptions launch — musically.com (2013-08-08, repo). subscriptions launch
- kunnakkadan profile — newindianexpress.com (2025-11-22, repo). kunnakkadan profile; ">$100m gmv"; appointed thursday
- npr interview — npr.org (2025-06-02, interview). npr interview; "surprised how efficient"
- criticism: 30% discover invisibility in dashboards — owelet.app (2026, community). criticism: 30% discover invisibility in dashboards
- part-time org details — part-time tech (2022-12-08, interview). part-time org details; flexile waitlist
- dated fee-schedule archaeology (wayback + repo code) — picklog (2026-09, community). dated fee-schedule archaeology (wayback + repo code); six regimes since 2020; aug-2026 tier
- 10%+$0 — gumroad (undated, reporting). 10%+$0.50 direct; 30% discover; jan 1, 2025 transition faq
- munchable investigation — propublica (2025-06-06, repo). munchable investigation; hallucinated $34m; 24+ cancellations
- prompt/code analysis — propublica (2025-06-06, repo). prompt/code analysis; "mistakes were made"
- deal page: $100m cap — republic (2021, reporting). deal page: $100m cap; closed apr 7, 2021; 7,331 investors
- reuters: doge to fizzle out — dailymaverick.co.za (2025-05-30, repo). reuters: doge to "fizzle out"
- notes gumroad + helper repos open-sourced — rubyai.beehiiv.com (2025-05-06, community). notes gumroad + helper repos open-sourced
- gmv $73m→$142m — sacra (2021-03-04, repo). gmv $73m→$142m; ~$9m rev 2020; ~6.5% take; profitable since 2017; churn data
- 2026 annual meeting — sahil lavingia (2026-02-24, reporting). 2026 annual meeting; new ceo; buybacks/dividends via flexile
- oss bounty program evidence ($10k+ earned) — sankalp.bearblog.dev (2025-08, community). oss bounty program evidence ($10k+ earned)
- c-ar: fy2023 $20 — sec (2024-05-15, primary). c-ar: fy2023 $20.74m/$8.91m ni; fy2022 $10.56m/−$1.24m; 1 employee
- c-ar fy2024 (period 2024-12-31): $18 — sec (2026-04-08, primary). c-ar fy2024 (period 2024-12-31): $18.95m/$4.29m ni; 2 employees
- c-ar fy2025 (period 2025-12-31): $17 — sec (2026-04-08, primary). c-ar fy2025 (period 2025-12-31): $17.79m/$3.79m ni; cash $6.15m
- c-tr termination — sec (2026-04-14, primary). c-tr termination; cfo steven olson; 3 employees
- form c-u progress update — sec (2021-04-08, primary). form c-u progress update
- form d: first sale 2011-09-30 — sec (2011-10-24, primary). form d: first sale 2011-09-30; $899,999 of $999,999; 8 investors
- form d: $6,999,994 sold — sec (2012-05-10, primary). form d: $6,999,994 sold; 14 investors; abbott director
- form d: c-1/c-2 preferred — sec (2023-06-16, primary). form d: c-1/c-2 preferred; $6.28m auth/$1.22m sold; 7 investors
- form d: c-3 preferred + safes — sec (2024-03-04, primary). form d: c-3 preferred + safes; $2,136,975; 1 investor
- d/a: seed finalized $1,093,948 — sec (2012-03-21, primary). d/a: seed finalized $1,093,948; 10 investors
- form c: fy2019/fy2020 gaaps — sec (2021-03-15, primary). form c: fy2019/fy2020 gaaps; safe terms; ~20k monthly creators; discover ~4% gmv; runway
- build details (main — starterstory.com (2024-05, repo). build details (main.py, app engine); metrics self-reported/unreliable
- oss reactions incl — sublyna (2025-05-07, community). oss reactions incl. license debate
- twitter ends buy partnerships (feb 1 end) — techcrunch (2017-01-17, repo). twitter ends buy partnerships (feb 1 end)
- $6m raise — techcrunch (2021-03-15, repo). $6m raise; reg cf cap-change context
- iphone library app — techcrunch (2014-09-30, repo). iphone library app
- layoffs: 22 → ~3 staff — techcrunch (2015-11-05, repo). layoffs: 22 → ~3 staff
- nsfw ban — techcrunch (2024-03-15, repo). nsfw ban; processor pressure; lavingia quotes
- publishing features — techcrunch (2013-01-23, repo). publishing features; $100k authors
- seed announcement — techcrunch (2012-02-08, repo). seed announcement
- $7m series a — techcrunch (2012-05-07, repo). $7m series a; total >$8m
- twitter buy button — techcrunch (2014-09-08, repo). twitter buy button; gumroad partner
- verge coverage — the verge (2020-11-19, repo). verge coverage
- tier ladder 9%→2 — the verge (2021-08-30, repo). tier ladder 9%→2.9%; pro tier ended
- earliest located /discover capture — wayback machine (2016-04-18, community). earliest located /discover capture
- premium tier announcement analysis — webcomics.com (2015-12-01, repo). premium tier announcement analysis
- tertiary — wikipedia (undated, repo). tertiary; source of unverified "sachin khanna" co-founder claim
- discover existed (weak) by mid-2018 — wip.co (2018-06-29, community). discover existed (weak) by mid-2018
- profile — wired (2012-06, repo). profile; delk quote; turntable.fm background
- irs career employee — wired (2025-12, repo). irs career employee; joined nov 2025; ~10-yr plan; corcos recruiting
- public board meeting archive (aug 2019–) — youtube (2019, reporting). public board meeting archive (aug 2019–)
- gumroad — gumroad (undated, primary). ~$2.02m/wk counter; "0 to $1"; "small bets" vocabulary
- apache-2 — agentic commerce protocol (undated, primary). apache-2.0 acp; via api or mcp
- instant checkout — openai (2025-09-29, primary). instant checkout; etsy live, 1m+ shopify "coming"
- spt primitive — stripe (2025-09-29, reporting). spt primitive; merchant keeps psp
- betting-pool quote via ohanian — fortune (2024-02-04, reporting). betting-pool quote via ohanian
- 2026, hedged 70–80% — inc. (2025-05-23, reporting). "2026," hedged 70–80%
- ap2 mandates — google cloud (2025-09-16, primary). ap2 mandates; 60+ partners
- over $1 billion claim — gumroad (2025-04, primary). "over $1 billion" claim
- 82% artist share — wayback machine (2022-03-02, primary). 82% artist share; ~$1b paid
- profitable since 2012 — music business worldwide (2023-10, reporting). profitable since 2012; $1.19b cumulative
- ~$11m 2020 revenue, +85% yoy — business insider (2021-01-19, reporting). ~$11m 2020 revenue, +85% yoy
Original source occurrences
- ceos own bio: senior→staff→ceo→staff-engineer path · ershadk.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-ershadk
ceo's own bio: senior→staff→ceo→staff-engineer path; moved to nyc
- pencil-icon origin · fast company · 2012-04-25 (day) · original ID: src-h-fastco-2012
pencil-icon origin; 5% cut then
- inside the raise · forbes · 2021-03-22 (day) · original ID: src-h-forbes-crowdfund
inside the raise; $679 avg; waitlist
- detailed metrics · getlatka · 2019-07 (month) · original ID: src-h-getlatka-interview
detailed metrics; "$7m at 1x + $2m bridge at 4x"; growth rates; fee fork; creator distribution
- main app source (mit) · github · 2025-04-03 (day) · original ID: src-h-github-gumroad
main app source (mit); ~9.7k stars sep 2026
- antiwork org repo list w/ creation dates (2012 forks → 2026 agent repos) · github · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-github-org
antiwork org repo list w/ creation dates (2012 forks → 2026 agent repos)
- spl content repo (org later renamed antiwork) · github · 2015-12-09 (day) · original ID: src-h-github-spl
spl content repo (org later renamed antiwork)
- ai landing-page generator product · gum.new · 2025 (year) · original ID: src-h-gumnew
ai landing-page generator product
- official adult-content policy · gumroad · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-help-adult
official adult-content policy
- discover mechanics · gumroad · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-help-discover
discover mechanics; auto-enrolled affiliates
- official fee help article · help.gumroad.com · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-help-fees
official fee help article
- transition coverage + tweets · hindustantimes.com · 2025-11-21 (day) · original ID: src-h-hindustantimes
transition coverage + tweets
- gumroad increases fee to 10% · hacker news · 2022-12 (month) · original ID: src-h-hn-fee2022
"gumroad increases fee to 10%"; ~13% effective math
- show hn thread · hacker news · 2011-04-04 (day) · original ID: src-h-hn-launch
show hn thread; launch details, 30%-cut musing, 1,000+ users
- essay hits #1 on hn · hacker news · 2019-02 (month) · original ID: src-h-hn-reflecting
essay hits #1 on hn; discussion
- first open board meeting · indie hackers · 2019-08-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-ih-boardmeeting
first open board meeting
- announcement-via-tweet · indie hackers · 2022-12 (month) · original ID: src-h-ih-fee2022
announcement-via-tweet; backlash
- the creator-owner economy: gumroads ipo · sahil lavingia · 2021-03 (month) · original ID: src-h-ipo-post
"the creator-owner economy: gumroad's 'ipo'"; 7,303 investors; 12 hours; $6m total
- ceo handoff announcement · linkedin · 2025-11-19 (day) · original ID: src-h-li-ceo-transition
ceo handoff announcement; jan 2026 meetings
- dividends + minority-acquisition offers · linkedin · 2023-12-19 (day) · original ID: src-h-li-dividends2023
dividends + minority-acquisition offers
- dumbo office announcement · linkedin · 2024-03-13 (day) · original ID: src-h-li-nyc-office
dumbo office announcement
- linkedin · linkedin · 2025-04-18 (day) · original ID: src-h-li-vassallo
$3.6m/90% sale; 10% prior for $500k; terms
- small product lab announcement · shl.medium.com · 2015-06-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-medium-spl
small product lab announcement; "24-person startup"
- subscriptions launch · musically.com · 2013-08-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-musically-subs
subscriptions launch
- kunnakkadan profile · newindianexpress.com · 2025-11-22 (day) · original ID: src-h-newindianexpress
kunnakkadan profile; ">$100m gmv"; appointed thursday
- npr interview · npr.org · 2025-06-02 (day) · original ID: src-h-npr-doge
npr interview; "surprised how efficient"
- criticism: 30% discover invisibility in dashboards · owelet.app · 2026 (year) · original ID: src-h-owelet
criticism: 30% discover invisibility in dashboards
- part-time org details · part-time tech · 2022-12-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-parttimetech
part-time org details; flexile waitlist
- dated fee-schedule archaeology (wayback + repo code) · picklog · 2026-09 (month) · original ID: src-h-picklog
dated fee-schedule archaeology (wayback + repo code); six regimes since 2020; aug-2026 tier
- 10%+$0 · gumroad · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-pricing
10%+$0.50 direct; 30% discover; jan 1, 2025 transition faq
- munchable investigation · propublica · 2025-06-06 (day) · original ID: src-h-propublica
munchable investigation; hallucinated $34m; 24+ cancellations
- prompt/code analysis · propublica · 2025-06-06 (day) · original ID: src-h-propublica-2
prompt/code analysis; "mistakes were made"
- deal page: $100m cap · republic · 2021 (year) · original ID: src-h-republic
deal page: $100m cap; closed apr 7, 2021; 7,331 investors
- reuters: doge to fizzle out · dailymaverick.co.za · 2025-05-30 (day) · original ID: src-h-reuters-doge
reuters: doge to "fizzle out"
- notes gumroad + helper repos open-sourced · rubyai.beehiiv.com · 2025-05-06 (day) · original ID: src-h-rubyai
notes gumroad + helper repos open-sourced
- gmv $73m→$142m · sacra · 2021-03-04 (day) · original ID: src-h-sacra
gmv $73m→$142m; ~$9m rev 2020; ~6.5% take; profitable since 2017; churn data
- 2026 annual meeting · sahil lavingia · 2026-02-24 (day) · original ID: src-h-sahil-2026-meeting
2026 annual meeting; new ceo; buybacks/dividends via flexile
- oss bounty program evidence ($10k+ earned) · sankalp.bearblog.dev · 2025-08 (month) · original ID: src-h-sankalp
oss bounty program evidence ($10k+ earned)
- c-ar: fy2023 $20 · sec · 2024-05-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-car-2024
c-ar: fy2023 $20.74m/$8.91m ni; fy2022 $10.56m/−$1.24m; 1 employee
- c-ar fy2024 (period 2024-12-31): $18 · sec · 2026-04-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-car-2026a
c-ar fy2024 (period 2024-12-31): $18.95m/$4.29m ni; 2 employees
- c-ar fy2025 (period 2025-12-31): $17 · sec · 2026-04-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-car-2026b
c-ar fy2025 (period 2025-12-31): $17.79m/$3.79m ni; cash $6.15m
- c-tr termination · sec · 2026-04-14 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-ctr-2026
c-tr termination; cfo steven olson; 3 employees
- form c-u progress update · sec · 2021-04-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-cu-2021
form c-u progress update
- form d: first sale 2011-09-30 · sec · 2011-10-24 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-d-2011
form d: first sale 2011-09-30; $899,999 of $999,999; 8 investors
- form d: $6,999,994 sold · sec · 2012-05-10 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-d-2012
form d: $6,999,994 sold; 14 investors; abbott director
- form d: c-1/c-2 preferred · sec · 2023-06-16 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-d-2023
form d: c-1/c-2 preferred; $6.28m auth/$1.22m sold; 7 investors
- form d: c-3 preferred + safes · sec · 2024-03-04 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-d-2024
form d: c-3 preferred + safes; $2,136,975; 1 investor
- d/a: seed finalized $1,093,948 · sec · 2012-03-21 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-da-2012
d/a: seed finalized $1,093,948; 10 investors
- form c: fy2019/fy2020 gaaps · sec · 2021-03-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-sec-formc-2021
form c: fy2019/fy2020 gaaps; safe terms; ~20k monthly creators; discover ~4% gmv; runway
- build details (main · starterstory.com · 2024-05 (month) · original ID: src-h-starterstory
build details (main.py, app engine); metrics self-reported/unreliable
- oss reactions incl · sublyna · 2025-05-07 (day) · original ID: src-h-sublyna
oss reactions incl. license debate
- twitter ends buy partnerships (feb 1 end) · techcrunch · 2017-01-17 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-buy-dead
twitter ends buy partnerships (feb 1 end)
- $6m raise · techcrunch · 2021-03-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-crowdfund
$6m raise; reg cf cap-change context
- iphone library app · techcrunch · 2014-09-30 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-iphone
iphone library app
- layoffs: 22 → ~3 staff · techcrunch · 2015-11-05 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-layoffs
layoffs: 22 → ~3 staff
- nsfw ban · techcrunch · 2024-03-15 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-nsfw
nsfw ban; processor pressure; lavingia quotes
- publishing features · techcrunch · 2013-01-23 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-publishing-2013
publishing features; $100k authors
- seed announcement · techcrunch · 2012-02-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-seed-2012
seed announcement
- $7m series a · techcrunch · 2012-05-07 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-seriesa
$7m series a; total >$8m
- twitter buy button · techcrunch · 2014-09-08 (day) · original ID: src-h-tc-twitter-buy
twitter buy button; gumroad partner
- verge coverage · the verge · 2020-11-19 (day) · original ID: src-h-verge-memberships
verge coverage
- tier ladder 9%→2 · the verge · 2021-08-30 (day) · original ID: src-h-verge-pricing2021
tier ladder 9%→2.9%; pro tier ended
- earliest located /discover capture · wayback machine · 2016-04-18 (day) · original ID: src-h-wayback-discover
earliest located /discover capture
- premium tier announcement analysis · webcomics.com · 2015-12-01 (day) · original ID: src-h-webcomics-premium
premium tier announcement analysis
- tertiary · wikipedia · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-h-wikipedia
tertiary; source of unverified "sachin khanna" co-founder claim
- discover existed (weak) by mid-2018 · wip.co · 2018-06-29 (day) · original ID: src-h-wip-discover
discover existed (weak) by mid-2018
- profile · wired · 2012-06 (month) · original ID: src-h-wired-2012
profile; delk quote; turntable.fm background
- irs career employee · wired · 2025-12 (month) · original ID: src-h-wired-big-interview
irs career employee; joined nov 2025; ~10-yr plan; corcos recruiting
- public board meeting archive (aug 2019–) · youtube · 2019 (year) · original ID: src-h-yt-playlist
public board meeting archive (aug 2019–)
- gumroad · gumroad · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-i-about-page
~$2.02m/wk counter; "0 to $1"; "small bets" vocabulary
- apache-2 · agentic commerce protocol · undated (unknown) · original ID: src-i-acp-dev
apache-2.0 acp; via api or mcp
- instant checkout · openai · 2025-09-29 (day) · original ID: src-i-acp-openai
instant checkout; etsy live, 1m+ shopify "coming"
- spt primitive · stripe · 2025-09-29 (day) · original ID: src-i-acp-stripe
spt primitive; merchant keeps psp
- betting-pool quote via ohanian · fortune · 2024-02-04 (day) · original ID: src-i-altman-fortune
betting-pool quote via ohanian
- 2026, hedged 70–80% · inc. · 2025-05-23 (day) · original ID: src-i-amodei-inc
"2026," hedged 70–80%
- ap2 mandates · google cloud · 2025-09-16 (day) · original ID: src-i-ap2-google
ap2 mandates; 60+ partners
- over $1 billion claim · gumroad · 2025-04 (month) · original ID: src-i-april-recap-1b
"over $1 billion" claim
- 82% artist share · wayback machine · 2022-03-02 (day) · original ID: src-i-bandcamp-epic
82% artist share; ~$1b paid
- profitable since 2012 · music business worldwide · 2023-10 (month) · original ID: src-i-bandcamp-songtradr
profitable since 2012; $1.19b cumulative
- ~$11m 2020 revenue, +85% yoy · business insider · 2021-01-19 (day) · original ID: src-i-bi-2021-work
~$11m 2020 revenue, +85% yoy