“Alexa…play Single Ladies by Beyoncé.” If you’re single and still looking, this article is a fun one. There are plenty of dating apps on the market, some of which you may have heard while others are probably still emerging on your radar. One dating app I’m confident you’ve heard of is Bumble. Did you know it was founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd?
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Bumble dating app, Bumble is a social network that allows you to feel empowered while you make those connections. Whether you’re dating, looking for friends, or growing your professional network. What makes this app different from the rest is the CEO who runs it… Whitney Wolfe Herd.
This female boss and her story are as wonderful as the love connections forged – so without further delay, let’s get into it.
Before Bumble there was Bamboo..
Whitney was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in July of 1989. She attended Southern Methodist University, where she majored in international studies. While studying at SMU, the Deepwater Horizon Spill which is also known as the “BP oil spill” was running rampant in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an industrial disaster.
It was reported that the disaster caused a months-long oil spill, along with adverse effects from the response and cleanup activities, extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats, the fishing and tourism industries were also affected. Record numbers were shared that marine life continued to die in high numbers. When Whitney caught wind of the issue, she quickly jumped in to provide any support she could.
Though she had no marine experience she did not let that stand in her way of her contributing what she could to better the horrifying situation. Whitney pitched the idea of selling bamboo tote bags and proceeds would help benefit areas affected by the spill. A celebrity stylist by the name of Patrick Aufdenkam loved the idea so much they partnered with her to bring the vision to life.
The two visionaries launched the non-profit organization called the “Help Us Project”. The tote bags were a hit and they received national press after celebrities were seen photographed wearing them around town.
A Tender Heart
After much success from that venture, both Whitney and Patrick were interested in partnering on another business venture called Tender Heart. Though not connected to a nonprofit, the clothing line was dedicated to raising awareness around human trafficking and fair trade.
Tender Heart’s first collection featured relaxed tie-dyed designs all made in Nepal. The wardrobe was good quality, and most importantly, affordably priced. The clothing line did amazingly well including being picked up by two major retailers, Kitson and Intermix, in the Los Angeles market.
What’s Next…
By the time Whitney graduated from college at the age of 22, she was hired on by the startup company called Cardify. Though her timeline on that project was not long, she quickly found value in joining the development team for the dating app Tinder (previously known as MatchBox).
Whitney served as Vice President of marketing for the project. Through her expertise, she was the creative force to have influenced the name change from Matchbox to Tinder. With her understanding of the lack of connections being made in her age group she has been credited with spreading the word about Tinder on college campuses and growing its user base tremendously.
A New Season…
Like any season, one ends as another begins and by 2014 she had resigned from Tinder. Though she didn’t know what the future held for her, she took a leap of faith and figured she would give the dating industry one more shot. In due time she would join creative forces with Badoo founder Andrey Andreev in developing a new female-friendly dating app.
Originally, they had planned to name the app Moxie, but how fate would have it, the name was already taken so they came up with the next best name, Bumble. By the end of the following year, in 2015 the app had reached over 15 million conversations and 80 million matches. Talk about making some of the best lemonade when life throws lemons at you!
Since her success, she’s been named one of Business Insider’s 30 Most Important Women Under 30 In Tech in 2014. In 2016, Whitney was named as one of Elle’s Women in Tech. She was also named to Forbes 30 under 30 lists in 2017 and 2018.
Related: How’d She Do It? Alexa von Tobel
Whitney Wolfe Herd has achieved so many accomplishments in a short period of her life. I’m confident her future looks brighter than ever. She is a prime example of reaching for the sky and falling amongst the stars. Through her remarkable ambition, she’s proven there is always a seat at the table. She is a true female trailblazer.
Have you used the dating app Bumble? If so, how was your experience? Like and follow City Girl Savings via our other socials Twitter and IG @citygirlsavings. Also join in the conversations via our City Girl Savings Meta page. If you’re on the go like a true City Girl, then catch an episode of our podcast with CEO and Founder Raya Reaves where financial gems can always be heard. We love hearing from you and members of the community!
