Sep 21, 2026 · 1h 2m
Whatnot turned a Funko niche into live-commerce scale
Whatnot founder: This is the future of e-commerce
Grant LaFontaine’s account shows how a focused marketplace wedge, unconventional supply tactics, and fast learning can unlock a much larger business.
- 1Whatnot began with Funko collectibles, using a narrow niche to build trust before expanding across categories.
- 2The company solved marketplace cold-start problems by acting as a seller, recruiting influencers, and manufacturing early demand.
- 3LaFontaine argues that rapid learning and relentless truth-seeking matter more to scale than adopting a corporate leadership persona.
Don't miss
LaFontaine describes how Whatnot acted as its own seller, used unconventional giveaways and influencers, and eventually unlocked growth through live auctions.
The brief
Grant LaFontaine explains how Whatnot grew from a Funko collectibles marketplace into a live-commerce platform spanning toys, fashion, seafood, and precious metals.
The company faced the classic marketplace cold start: it bought inventory, sold products itself, built pricing tools, and used influencers and giveaways to create activity.
Whatnot’s July 2020 launch of live auctions changed the business, turning a narrow collectibles wedge into a more compelling buying and selling experience.
LaFontaine challenges the mythology of the visionary founder, describing customer-driven discovery, rapid experimentation, and a repeatable process for entering new categories.
His broader claim is that scale depends on learning speed and finding the truth, while many leaders who say they move fast are still moving too slowly.