Etsy Founder Profile

Who Is the Founderof Etsy?

Rob Kalin is the primary founder of Etsy. Along with co-founders Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik, he created the marketplace in 2005. Here's everything you need to know about the man behind Etsy.

Rob Kalin - Primary Founder2 Co-FoundersJune 2005 LaunchBrooklyn, NY$13B+ Today90M+ Buyers

Sell on Etsy Today About Rob Kalin

👤Quick Answer

The founder of Etsy is Rob Kalin, an American entrepreneur who conceived the idea in 2004 and launched the marketplace in June 2005.

Kalin was a carpenter and artist who wanted to sell his handmade furniture online but couldn't find a suitable platform. He partnered with developers Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik to build Etsy from a Brooklyn apartment.

Rob Kalin: The Primary Founder

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Rob Kalin

Founder & Original CEO of Etsy

Background

• Carpenter & furniture maker
• Photography student at NYU
• Born 1980
• Brooklyn, New York based

Role at Etsy

• Primary founder with original vision
• CEO: 2005-2008
• Returned as CEO: 2009-2011
• Departed permanently in 2011

Why He Created Etsy

Rob Kalin created Etsy out of personal frustration. As a carpenter making handmade wooden furniture, he couldn't find a good online marketplace to sell his work. eBay was dominated by mass-produced goods, and no platform catered to artisans. He envisioned an "online craft fair" where makers could connect directly with buyers who appreciated unique, handcrafted items.

His Legacy

Rob Kalin's vision transformed into a $13+ billion global marketplace with over 90 million buyers and 8 million sellers. While he left Etsy in 2011, the company he founded continues to empower artisans and makers worldwide to build businesses doing what they love.

The Co-Founders

Rob Kalin didn't build Etsy alone—two talented developers helped bring his vision to life

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Chris Maguire

Technical Co-Founder

• Web developer met through GetCrafty.com
• Built Etsy's backend architecture
• Handled databases and infrastructure
• Departed in early years before IPO

🔧

Haim Schoppik

Technical Co-Founder

• Web developer met through GetCrafty.com
• Developed frontend and user interface
• Focused on seller experience
• Departed in early years before IPO

How They Met

Rob Kalin had the vision for Etsy but lacked programming skills. Through GetCrafty.com—an online crafting community—he connected with Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik. The three complemented each other: Kalin understood the artisan community and had the product vision, while Maguire and Schoppik had the technical expertise to build the platform. They developed Etsy from a small Brooklyn apartment in just a few months.

What Rob Kalin Built

2005

Year Founded

90M+

Buyers Today

8M+

Sellers Today

$13B+

Annual GMV

Who Runs Etsy Now?

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Josh Silverman

CEO since May 2017

While Rob Kalin founded Etsy, the company is now led by CEO Josh Silverman, who took over in 2017. Under his leadership, Etsy has grown significantly, with the stock price and seller base expanding substantially.

Previous CEOs

• Rob Kalin (Founder): 2005-2008, 2009-2011
• Maria Thomas: 2008-2009
• Chad Dickerson: 2011-2017

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you want to know about who founded Etsy.

The primary founder of Etsy is Rob Kalin, a carpenter and artist who conceived the idea for the marketplace in 2004. He founded Etsy along with two co-founders: Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik, both web developers. Together, they launched Etsy in June 2005 from Brooklyn, New York.

Rob Kalin is an American entrepreneur, carpenter, and artist who is best known as the primary founder of Etsy. Born in 1980, Kalin was a furniture maker and photography student at NYU when he created Etsy. He served as CEO twice (2005-2008 and 2009-2011) before leaving the company. He conceived Etsy after struggling to find an online marketplace for his handmade wooden furniture.

No, Rob Kalin did not create Etsy alone. While he is the primary founder with the original vision, he partnered with two technical co-founders: Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik. Kalin provided the vision and understood the artisan community, while Maguire and Schoppik built the technical platform. All three are considered co-founders of Etsy.

Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik are the technical co-founders of Etsy. Both were web developers whom Rob Kalin met through GetCrafty.com, an online crafting community. Maguire focused on backend architecture and databases, while Schoppik worked on frontend development and user experience. Both departed within Etsy's first few years.

No, Rob Kalin is no longer at Etsy. He left the company in 2011 after his second stint as CEO. Since then, he has largely stayed out of the public eye and has no involvement with Etsy's operations. Josh Silverman has been Etsy's CEO since 2017.

Rob Kalin created Etsy because he was frustrated that no good online marketplace existed for selling handmade goods. As a carpenter making handmade wooden furniture, he found that platforms like eBay were dominated by mass-produced items. He wanted to create a marketplace specifically for artisans, craftspeople, and makers of unique handmade products.

Before founding Etsy, Rob Kalin was a carpenter who made handmade wooden furniture. He was also studying photography at NYU (New York University). His experience as a maker who struggled to sell his crafts online directly inspired the creation of Etsy.

The Etsy founders met through GetCrafty.com, an online community for crafters and DIY enthusiasts. Rob Kalin had the vision for a handmade marketplace but needed technical help. Through GetCrafty.com, he connected with web developers Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik, who could build the platform he envisioned.

As of 2026, Etsy is run by CEO Josh Silverman, who took over in May 2017. Previous CEOs include Chad Dickerson (2011-2017), Rob Kalin (founder, 2005-2008 and 2009-2011), and Maria Thomas (2008-2009). The company is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ETSY.

Rob Kalin's net worth is not publicly known, but he is believed to have sold much of his Etsy stake before the company's most significant growth. While he certainly profited from Etsy's success, he is not typically listed among billionaires. He departed Etsy in 2011, four years before the company's 2015 IPO.

Rob Kalin's legacy at Etsy includes: establishing the company's focus on handmade and artisan goods, creating a community-first marketplace approach, building the foundation for what became a $13B+ company, and empowering millions of makers to start businesses. His vision of an "online craft fair" continues to influence Etsy's identity today.

When founded in 2005, Etsy had minimal value—just a startup idea. By its 2015 IPO, Etsy was valued at $1.8 billion. Today, Etsy's market capitalization fluctuates between $10-15 billion, with annual merchandise sales exceeding $13 billion. The company Rob Kalin founded grew into a global marketplace.

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