Whitney Wolfe Herd

Whitney Wolfe Herd (born July 1, 1989) is an American businesswoman and the founder and CEO of Bumble, a popular dating app that empowers women by allowing them to make the first move in initiating conversations. Wolfe Herd is widely recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit, innovative approach to the tech and social networking industries, and her advocacy for women's empowerment.

Early Life and Education:

  • Wolfe Herd was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She grew up in a family that encouraged her to pursue her ambitions.

  • She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she studied International Studies. It was during her time in college that she became interested in the tech world and social networking.

Career and Rise to Fame:

Wolfe Herd’s career in the tech and social media industry began before she founded Bumble, but it was her role in shaping Bumble that brought her worldwide recognition.

1. Tinder (2012–2014):

  • Wolfe Herd was one of the co-founders of Tinder, the popular dating app, where she worked as the Vice President of Marketing.

  • During her time at Tinder, Wolfe Herd was instrumental in marketing and growing the platform, which became one of the most successful dating apps globally.

  • However, she left Tinder in 2014 after a highly publicized legal dispute involving allegations of sexual harassment. Her departure from Tinder would later serve as the catalyst for her founding of Bumble.

2. Bumble (2014–Present):

  • In 2014, Wolfe Herd founded Bumble with the vision of creating a dating platform that put women in control. Bumble's unique feature is that in heterosexual matches, only women can initiate conversations, which was a revolutionary approach at the time.

  • The app quickly gained popularity, especially among women who appreciated the platform's empowerment-focused design. Bumble has expanded beyond dating to include Bumble BFF (for finding friends) and Bumble Bizz (for professional networking), broadening its reach and appeal.

  • By 2021, Bumble became one of the most widely used dating apps in the world, with millions of active users across various countries.

  • Wolfe Herd's leadership and vision made Bumble not only a major player in the dating app industry but also a company known for its focus on female empowerment and inclusivity.

3. Bumble's IPO:

  • In 2021, Bumble Inc. went public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO), and Wolfe Herd became one of the youngest female CEOs to take a company public. The IPO was a significant milestone, underscoring the success of her company and vision.

  • Wolfe Herd's role in Bumble’s success, and the company's IPO, solidified her position as a trailblazer in the tech industry, particularly as a female entrepreneur in a predominantly male-driven space.

Advocacy for Women's Empowerment:

  • Whitney Wolfe Herd is a strong advocate for women's rights and **female empowerment

Articles by the author

Are we solving the world's problems by allowing women to make the first move on a dating app? No. But I do believe we are helping to change some very archaic norms.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I was 24 when I was embroiled in a high-profile lawsuit. This was 2014, long before, en masse and on social media, we said #MeToo and #TimesUp. At the time, I felt completely alone. Visceral, hateful online harassment from strangers left me paranoid and anxious for years afterward.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Love, friendship, networking - these are all critical connections and the foundation of a healthy, happy life.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Saks helps to empower women through how they look and feel - and Bumble wants to give all women a platform to connect with other empowered women, whether that's in dating, friendship, or business.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I personally have always hated dating. I was never vulnerable or insecure in any part of my life, but I would become that way with a guy because they have control, according to society, when it comes to dating.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Everyone in the dating business wants to know what women want - it's the billion-dollar question. But it's simple: put one in charge, and you find out.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

When I first got started in this whole world of online connecting, we were combating this antiquated stereotype of who used online dating, and we really set out to make it popular with millennials. What I find to be so fascinating now is, I'm seeing an inverse in that trend.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

When I left Tinder, I had no intention of getting back into the dating industry. What I ultimately wanted to do was start this contagious complimentary social network, where kindness was at the helm.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

When you're setting up your dating profile, choose the photos according to who you are today. A variety of recent shots that are a true representation of your character.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I truly believe that what we're seeing with online dating is very similar to what happened with the Myspace-Facebook era, where Myspace was once this place for online connecting for a very select group of young people. And then Facebook kind of hit at this moment where it was acceptable for everybody to do it.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

There's nothing wrong with taking yourself out of the dating pool. You don't need to be in a relationship because that's what society expects of you or because your grandmother thinks you need to be married by a certain date. Those days are over. Instead, take a step back and say, 'I'm OK alone.'

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I run a dating site, but I will gladly tell someone, 'Do not date someone if it's not right.' And don't settle. This settling thing is insane. I've literally had to force friends out of relationships because they want to be married by a certain age, so they just date these guys that are not right for them.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I always felt that, for me, as a woman, I always had to wait around. In all other arenas, I was ambitious and a go-getter, but when it came to dating, I wasn't supposed to go after what I wanted.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I was tired of a system where women waited around for men to send them a message or ask them out. With Bumble - first a dating app, now a social network that helps you make empowering connections in love, life, and business - women had to make the first move, or the match was void.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

I think we are the first feminist or first attempt at a feminist dating app.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

There were dozens of dating apps when Bumble came on the scene, but they weren't able to attract critical mass in a young professional group.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Bumble was founded with several key values: empowerment, equality, and kindness. We are a company that was built to empower women and empower men to respect women. We want to create a place where all types of connections take place: a platform and a brand where women always make the first move.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Never before has a major professional sports team partnered in this way with a female-driven brand like Bumble. It's an honor to partner with an organization as progressive and compassionate as the Clippers. Like us, they know generating awareness for diversity and gender equality is critical to business success.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Life is about perspective and how you look at something... ultimately, you have to zoom out.

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Life is a lot more fun with good, positive people around you.

Whitney Wolfe Herd