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Co-Founder & Board Member of Etsy

Who knew a site where modern-day craftsmen and artisans sold their wares would become a subculture of networking artists that would evolve into a cultural phenomenon? A man of poetic imagination, Rob Kalin had a clue in 2005 when he launched Etsy with the foresight to create more than just a company. He saw a future in creating “thousands of thriving local economies” globally, by integrating the artisan into the online marketplace. Kalin’s tour de force is no doubt the community of entrepreneurs he has given a forum to, through a brilliant medium — the Web. The 28-year-old businessman loves the site unabashedly not only for it’s profitability, but also “because it’s so darn pretty and subversive.” More than 100,000 registered sellers happily sell their wares on the site, which made more than two million sales in 2008 alone. 

Get in on Kalin's modern gem at www.etsy.com

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