Ben Lerer
About Ben:
Ben Lerer is the co-founder and CEO of Thrillist.com, a leading men’s multi-platform lifestyle publication with over 3 million daily subscriptions in 20 localized markets in the U.S. and the U.K. Since its launch in 2005, Lerer has overseen the growth of Thrillist’s marketing, sales and business development efforts, as well as its expansion into e-commerce with the acquisition of members-only online retailer JackThreads.com and the launch of localized deals platform Thrillist Rewards.
Lerer was among Crain’s “40 under 40” class of 2010, Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2011 “Top 5 Entrepreneurs of the Year,” and Silicon Alley Insider’s “100 Coolest People in Tech” for 5 years running, in addition to being featured on the cover of AdWeek’s “Digital Hotshots” Issue and the front page of The New York Times’ Business Section.
Lerer serves on the Board of Directors for the East River Development Alliance, a New York non-profit organization and is an Associate Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS). He is also the co-founder of Lerer Ventures, a New York-based Angel fund investing in media and technology.
Why are you an entrepreneur?
i dont think i set out to be an entrepreneur. for me, it was about envisioning a product that didn’t exist but that i wanted as a consumer, then deciding to build it myself when i realized that no one was going to do it for me.
About Thrillist, JacksThreads, and Lerer Ventures:
Thrillist publishes daily e-mails aimed at a young, male audience, with tips about activities in over 21 cities, combining content, deals, and now clothing. Accordng to New York Times, Thrillist is “melding commerce and content in ways that have long made traditional publications bristle.” JacksThreads is Thrillist’s invite-only shopping club providing real fashion for guys at members-only prices.
Lerer Ventures is is a seed stage venture capital fund. We invest in founders in the earliest stages of a startup’s life. We respect and seek out entrepreneurs with product vision, consumer insight, focused execution, and unwavering ambition. When we are lucky enough to meet founders with these qualities, our hope is that they will choose us as a partner. Everyone here starts and runs companies for a living. Lerer Ventures is where we invest in our peers.
