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Lin was born in Taiwan. At the age of six or seven, his parents immigrated to the New York area.
Lin was born in Taiwan. At the age of six or seven, his parents immigrated to the New York area.
<ref name=cnbczapp>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |title=I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript |publisher=CNBC |date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612154433/http://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |archivedate=June 12, 2011 }}</ref>
<ref name=cnbczapp>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |title=I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript |publisher=CNBC |date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612154433/http://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |archivedate=June 12, 2011 }}</ref>
Lin attended the Stuyvesant High School in New York City{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}. He holds a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[Applied Mathematics]] from [[Harvard University|Harvard]] and a [[Master of Science|M.S.]] in [[Statistics]] from [[Stanford University|Stanford]].{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} While at Harvard, Lin met [[Tony Hsieh]], the future CEO of Zappos.<ref name=cnbczapp>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |title=I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript |publisher=CNBC |date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612154433/http://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |archivedate=June 12, 2011 }}</ref> Hsieh first recognized Lin's business acumen while running a student-owned pizza parlor at Harvard. Lin, his best customer, was buying whole pizzas, splitting them into slices, and selling them for a profit.<ref name=cnbczapp/> In 1996, Lin dropped out of a Ph.D program at Stanford to join Hsieh at [[LinkExchange]] as CFO.<ref name=midas/> 18 months later LinkExchange sold to [[Microsoft]] for $265 million.<ref name=buy>{{cite web|last=Ritchie|first=Josh|title=10 Questions with Zappos COO/CFO, Alfred Lin|url=http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|publisher=BuySight|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014061356/http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|archive-date=2010-10-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later, before joining Zappos, Lin was the VP of Finance and Business Development of [[Tellme Networks]] (MSFT). With Tony Hsieh he also co-founded Venture Frogs, an incubator and investment firm.<ref name=asianweek>Lee, Tom.[http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html Venture Frogs Internet Restaurant Logs on to the San Francisco Scene] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311091517/http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html |date=2012-03-11 }}. ''Asian Week''. August 17, 2000.</ref> Venture Frogs invested in a variety of tech and Internet startups, including [[Ask Jeeves]], [[OpenTable]], Tellme Networks, and Zappos.<ref name=profitmagazine>Nelson, Erik. [http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html Venture Frogs in a Cyber-Marsh] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717194653/http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html |date=2011-07-17 }}. ''Profit Magazine''. January 2000.</ref>
Lin attended the Stuyvesant High School in New York City{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}. He holds a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[Applied Mathematics]] from [[Harvard University|Harvard]] and a [[Master of Science|M.S.]] in [[Statistics]] from [[Stanford University|Stanford]].{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} While at Harvard, Lin met [[Tony Hsieh]], the future CEO of Zappos.<ref name=cnbczapp>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |title=I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript |publisher=CNBC |date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612154433/http://www.cnbc.com/id/20279372/I_Am_CNBC_Tony_Hsieh_Transcript |archivedate=June 12, 2011 }}</ref> Hsieh first recognized Lin's business acumen while running a student-owned pizza parlor at Harvard. Lin, his best customer, was buying whole pizzas, splitting them into slices, and selling them for a profit.<ref name=cnbczapp/> In 1996, Lin dropped out of a Ph.D program at Stanford to join Hsieh, Sanjay Mandan, and [[Ali Partovi]] at [[LinkExchange]] as CFO.<ref name=midas/> 18 months later LinkExchange sold to [[Microsoft]] for $265 million.<ref name=buy>{{cite web|last=Ritchie|first=Josh|title=10 Questions with Zappos COO/CFO, Alfred Lin|url=http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|publisher=BuySight|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014061356/http://www.buysight.com/blog/2009/10/29/10-questions-with-zappos-coocfo-alfred-lin/|archive-date=2010-10-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later, before joining Zappos, Lin was the VP of Finance and Business Development of [[Tellme Networks]] (MSFT). With Tony Hsieh he also co-founded Venture Frogs, an incubator and investment firm.<ref name=asianweek>Lee, Tom.[http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html Venture Frogs Internet Restaurant Logs on to the San Francisco Scene] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311091517/http://asianweek.com/2000_08_10/ae1_venturefrogs.html |date=2012-03-11 }}. ''Asian Week''. August 17, 2000.</ref> Venture Frogs invested in a variety of tech and Internet startups, including [[Ask Jeeves]], [[OpenTable]], Tellme Networks, and Zappos.<ref name=profitmagazine>Nelson, Erik. [http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html Venture Frogs in a Cyber-Marsh] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717194653/http://www.vfrogs.com/profit.html |date=2011-07-17 }}. ''Profit Magazine''. January 2000.</ref>


From 2005 to 2010, Lin was Chairman, COO, and CFO.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} At Zappos Lin was responsible for all financial, administrative, and warehouse operations.<ref name=venturevillage>{{cite web|last=FOWLER|first=NINA|title=VIDEO: Sequoia Capital partner Alfred Lin on Zappos, Zalando and solving hard problems|url=http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|publisher=Venture Village|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214012735/http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|archive-date=2013-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also responsible for company growth and scaling, bringing the company to its first profitable year in 2006 and to [[Amazon.com]]'s acquisition of the company in 2009 for $1.2 billion.<ref name=tcseqcap/><ref name=nytzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/technology/companies/23amazon.html |title=Amazon's Expanding With Deal for Zappos |author=Stone, Brad |date=July 22, 2009 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=wsjzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124829443610573361 |title=Amazon Opens Wallet, Buys Zappos |author=Wingfield, Nick |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=July 23, 2009}}</ref><ref name=rkg>{{cite web|last=Rimm-Kaufman|first=Alan|title=Alfred Lin: Zappos At Break-even Through 2005, Profitable in '06 and '07|url=http://www.rimmkaufman.com/blog/zappos-profitability/17042008/|publisher=RKG}}</ref> According to ''[[TechCrunch]]'', "Hsieh made at least $214 million; Lin made at least $18 million, with the Venture Frogs shares netting an additional $163 million."<ref name=tcsale>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/27/what-everyone-made-from-the-zappos-sale/ |title=What Everyone Made from the Zappos Sale |author=Lacy, Sarah |work=TechCrunch |date=July 27, 2009}}</ref>
From 2005 to 2010, Lin was Chairman, COO, and CFO.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} At Zappos Lin was responsible for all financial, administrative, and warehouse operations.<ref name=venturevillage>{{cite web|last=FOWLER|first=NINA|title=VIDEO: Sequoia Capital partner Alfred Lin on Zappos, Zalando and solving hard problems|url=http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|publisher=Venture Village|access-date=2013-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214012735/http://venturevillage.eu/video-alfred-lin-zappos-sequoia|archive-date=2013-12-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also responsible for company growth and scaling, bringing the company to its first profitable year in 2006 and to [[Amazon.com]]'s acquisition of the company in 2009 for $1.2 billion.<ref name=tcseqcap/><ref name=nytzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/technology/companies/23amazon.html |title=Amazon's Expanding With Deal for Zappos |author=Stone, Brad |date=July 22, 2009 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=wsjzapp>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124829443610573361 |title=Amazon Opens Wallet, Buys Zappos |author=Wingfield, Nick |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=July 23, 2009}}</ref><ref name=rkg>{{cite web|last=Rimm-Kaufman|first=Alan|title=Alfred Lin: Zappos At Break-even Through 2005, Profitable in '06 and '07|url=http://www.rimmkaufman.com/blog/zappos-profitability/17042008/|publisher=RKG}}</ref> According to ''[[TechCrunch]]'', "Hsieh made at least $214 million; Lin made at least $18 million, with the Venture Frogs shares netting an additional $163 million."<ref name=tcsale>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/07/27/what-everyone-made-from-the-zappos-sale/ |title=What Everyone Made from the Zappos Sale |author=Lacy, Sarah |work=TechCrunch |date=July 27, 2009}}</ref>

Revision as of 01:01, 15 October 2021

Alfred Lin
Born
Taiwan[1]
Alma materHarvard University (B.A)
Stanford University (M.S.)
OccupationPartner at Sequoia Capital
SpouseRebecca
ChildrenAtticus Lin (Son)

Alfred Lin is an American venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital.[2][3][4] Lin was the COO, CFO, and Chairman of Zappos.com until 2010.[5][6]

Early Career & Zappos

Lin was born in Taiwan. At the age of six or seven, his parents immigrated to the New York area. [7] Lin attended the Stuyvesant High School in New York City[citation needed]. He holds a B.A. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard and a M.S. in Statistics from Stanford.[citation needed] While at Harvard, Lin met Tony Hsieh, the future CEO of Zappos.[7] Hsieh first recognized Lin's business acumen while running a student-owned pizza parlor at Harvard. Lin, his best customer, was buying whole pizzas, splitting them into slices, and selling them for a profit.[7] In 1996, Lin dropped out of a Ph.D program at Stanford to join Hsieh, Sanjay Mandan, and Ali Partovi at LinkExchange as CFO.[2] 18 months later LinkExchange sold to Microsoft for $265 million.[8] Later, before joining Zappos, Lin was the VP of Finance and Business Development of Tellme Networks (MSFT). With Tony Hsieh he also co-founded Venture Frogs, an incubator and investment firm.[9] Venture Frogs invested in a variety of tech and Internet startups, including Ask Jeeves, OpenTable, Tellme Networks, and Zappos.[10]

From 2005 to 2010, Lin was Chairman, COO, and CFO.[citation needed] At Zappos Lin was responsible for all financial, administrative, and warehouse operations.[11] He was also responsible for company growth and scaling, bringing the company to its first profitable year in 2006 and to Amazon.com's acquisition of the company in 2009 for $1.2 billion.[3][12][13][14] According to TechCrunch, "Hsieh made at least $214 million; Lin made at least $18 million, with the Venture Frogs shares netting an additional $163 million."[15]

Lin left Zappos in 2010 to join the venture capital firm Sequoia Capital as a partner.[16]

Sequoia Capital & Investments

TechCrunch has stated that Alfred has the "Midas touch", since "every company he's worked for has been acquired, and the smallest deal was $265 million."[2] Lin's $265 million deal happened at LinkExchange, which was sold to Microsoft when he was VP of Finance and Administration.[17] Lin later helped Tellme Networks which was sold to Microsoft for $800 million.[18] After that, Lin helped form Zappos to later be acquired by Amazon for $1.2 billion. Lin has invested in Airbnb, Achievers, Stella & Dot, Houzz, Humble Bundle, Kiwi, Romotive, Moovit, Styleseat, Uber, and Cardpool (acquired by Blackhawk Networks), AppBistro / MMTG Labs (acquired by InMobi), and SalesCrunch (acquired by ClearSlide).[19][20][21] He specializes in consumer internet, enterprise and mobile companies.[22]

Lin was an early investor in Zipline, a medicine drone delivery company with operations in Rwanda.[23] He also invested in the Palo Alto-based security company Cobalt Robotics, and sits on its board of directors.[24]

Influence

In 2013, Forbes named Lin as one of the "30 Most Influential People in Tech."[25] Lin and his work have been profiled in national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Forbes, BusinessWeek, and Fortune Magazine.[4][26][27][28]

References

  1. ^ "Alfred Lin, Zappos Chairman and COO". meet innovators. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Arrington, Michael "Alfred Lin Has The Midas Touch: The Man With $2 Billion In Acquisitions Under His Belt", TechCrunch, July 28, 2009.
  3. ^ a b Arrington, Michael (April 9, 2010). "Alfred Lin To Leave Zappos, Join Sequoia Capital". TechCrunch.
  4. ^ a b Rich, Motoko (April 8, 2011). "Why Is This Man Smiling?". New York Times.
  5. ^ Manninen, JP (April 9, 2010). "These boots are made for walking: No. 2 executive leaves Zappos". VentureBeat.
  6. ^ "Alfred Lin Zappos Profile". Zappos.com.
  7. ^ a b c "I Am CNBC Tony Hsieh Transcript". CNBC. August 15, 2007. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011.
  8. ^ Ritchie, Josh. "10 Questions with Zappos COO/CFO, Alfred Lin". BuySight. Archived from the original on 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  9. ^ Lee, Tom.Venture Frogs Internet Restaurant Logs on to the San Francisco Scene Archived 2012-03-11 at the Wayback Machine. Asian Week. August 17, 2000.
  10. ^ Nelson, Erik. Venture Frogs in a Cyber-Marsh Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine. Profit Magazine. January 2000.
  11. ^ FOWLER, NINA. "VIDEO: Sequoia Capital partner Alfred Lin on Zappos, Zalando and solving hard problems". Venture Village. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  12. ^ Stone, Brad (July 22, 2009). "Amazon's Expanding With Deal for Zappos". The New York Times.
  13. ^ Wingfield, Nick (July 23, 2009). "Amazon Opens Wallet, Buys Zappos". Wall Street Journal.
  14. ^ Rimm-Kaufman, Alan. "Alfred Lin: Zappos At Break-even Through 2005, Profitable in '06 and '07". RKG.
  15. ^ Lacy, Sarah (July 27, 2009). "What Everyone Made from the Zappos Sale". TechCrunch.
  16. ^ Cook, John (April 9, 2010). "Zappos COO Alfred Lin to leave for Sequoia Capital in early 2011". Puget Sound Business Journal.
  17. ^ "Alfred Lin CrunchBase Profile". CrunchBase.
  18. ^ Malik, Om. "Tellme Price – $800 Million, or More". Gigaom.
  19. ^ "InMobi Acquires MMTG Labs, The Startup Behind AppBistro And AppGalleries". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  20. ^ Ha, Anthony (October 15, 2010). "UberCab raises $1.25M to end your futile search for taxis". VentureBeat.
  21. ^ "SalesCrunch Gathers $1.4M From First Round, Accel And Angels". DowJones.com. January 12, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  22. ^ "Bio: Alfred Lin", Sequoia Capital
  23. ^ "Drone startup backed by Allen, Yang to deliver medical supplies in Rwanda". 2016.
  24. ^ "Cobalt Robotics Receives $13 Million Series A". Wall Street Journal. 2018-04-02. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  25. ^ Prive, Tanya (January 7, 2013). "The 30 Most Influential People in Tech". Forbes.
  26. ^ Chapman, Lizette. "VC in 2013: Sequoia's Alfred Lin on Not Lamenting the 'Series A Crunch'". Wall Street Journal.
  27. ^ Greene, Rebecca. "Zappos Chairman Alfred Lin Asks HBS MBAs to Think Big, Follow Their Passion, and Pay Attention to Details". Harvard Business School.
  28. ^ "Profile: Alfred Lin". Forbes.

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