Etsy vs Society6: Founders, CEOs and History
Etsy was founded in 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and is led by Kruti Patel Goyal. Society6 was founded in 2009 by Justin Cooper, Lucas Tirigall-Caste, Justin Wills and is led by Julie Matrat.
Company facts
Founders
Etsy
Robert Kalin
Etsy possesses a well-known, specific founding story, rooted not in global ambition, but in the niche, frustrated 'maker' community of Brooklyn, New York.
Chris Maguire
Chris Maguire earned a BA in Art, Computer Science & Animation from NYU. He was the primary developer who built Etsy's backend systems, database architecture, and original marketplace functionality.
Haim Schoppik
Haim Schoppik was a web developer who met Robert Kalin through GetCrafty.com. He left NYU before graduating to build Etsy full-time.
Jared Tarbell
Jared Tarbell is an incredibly talented American generative artist, programmer, and one of the original four co-founders of the massive e-commerce platform Etsy.
Society6
Justin Cooper
Co-founded Society6 in 2009 and stayed on as executive creative director after the 2013 Demand Media acquisition.
Lucas Tirigall-Caste
Co-founded Society6 in 2009 with Justin Cooper and Justin Wills.
Justin Wills
Co-founded Society6 in 2009 and gave early interviews describing the site as a three-person collaboration.
CEOs and their tenures
Etsy
- Robert Kalin2005–2011
Founder and Former CEO
Kalin's steady dedication to the concept of 'handmade' created a profound, almost cult-like loyalty among early adopters, establishing a powerful brand identity that remains Etsy's most valuable asset.
Source - Chad Dickerson2011–2017
Former Chief Executive Officer
Dickerson's tenure established the vital corporate infrastructure and technical stability needed to support Etsy's rapid global expansion.
Source - Josh Silverman2017–2025
Former CEO and Executive Chair
Silverman is universally credited with executing one of the most successful corporate turnarounds in recent e-commerce history.
Source - Kruti Patel Goyal2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Goyal's elevation to CEO represents a profound commitment to organic, sustainable growth driven by deep internal platform knowledge rather than drastic external pivots.
Source
Society6
- Julie Matrat
CEO, Society6
Repositioned Society6 around a design-first, curated catalog.
Source - Justin Cooper2009–present
Co-founder
Helped build an early print-on-demand marketplace for independent artists.
Source - Sean Moriarty2014–2021
CEO, Leaf Group (parent)
Former Saatchi Art CEO who made art marketplaces central to Leaf Group.
Source
Timeline: Etsy and Society6 side by side
2005Etsy
Etsy Launches from Brooklyn Apartment
Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik built and launched Etsy in June 2005 from a Brooklyn apartment. The first item sold on the fourth day. By mid-2006, the platform had 10,000 sellers and 40,000 buyers with zero advertising spend.
2007Etsy
Series A Funding from Union Square Ventures
Etsy raised approximately $615,000 in a funding round led by Union Square Ventures, with Fred Wilson joining the board. The valuation reached approximately $10.7 million by November 2006.
2008Etsy
Accel Partners Investment and Founder Departures
In January 2008, Etsy raised $27 million from Accel Partners and Jim Breyer at a valuation just under $100 million. In August 2008, both technical co-founders Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik departed, and then-CEO Robert Kalin stepped down for the first time.
2009Etsy
Kalin Returns as CEO; Chad Dickerson Joins as CTO
Robert Kalin returned as CEO in December 2009 after Maria Thomas's brief tenure. Chad Dickerson, recruited from Yahoo, joined as CTO in September 2008 to professionalize the company's technical infrastructure.
2009Society6
Justin Cooper, Lucas Tirigall-Caste and Justin Wills launch Society6 as an online platform for artists.
2012Etsy
B Corp Certification
Etsy became a certified B Corporation in 2012, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental responsibility alongside profits.
2013Society6
Demand Media acquires Society6 for about $94 million ($75 million cash plus about $19 million in stock).
2014Society6
Demand Media acquires Saatchi Art, which becomes Society6's sister art marketplace.
2015Etsy
IPO on NASDAQ at $16 Per Share
Etsy went public on April 16, 2015, pricing shares at $16 each and raising $267 million. The stock surged 88% on the first day of trading to $30.01, giving the company a market capitalization of $3.4 billion.
2016Etsy
Acquisition of Blackbird Technologies for $32.5 Million
Etsy acquired Blackbird Technologies, an AI startup, for $32.5 million to enhance its search and recommendation capabilities. This technology now powers Etsy's machine learning engine for personalized product discovery across 100 million+ listings.
2017Etsy
Josh Silverman Becomes CEO; Revenue Turnaround Begins
In May 2017, board member Josh Silverman replaced Chad Dickerson as CEO after a first-quarter loss and a 8% workforce reduction.
2019Etsy
Acquisition of Reverb for $275 Million
In July 2019, Etsy acquired Reverb, a marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments, for $275 million in cash. Reverb was founded in 2013 by David Kalt and had surpassed $1 billion in total sales by 2017.
2020Etsy
COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Explosive Growth
Etsy experienced growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers turned to handmade goods, personalized items, and face masks. Gross merchandise sales more than doubled year-over-year to $10.3 billion. Face mask sales alone reached $346 million in Q2 2020.
2021Etsy
Acquisitions of Depop and Elo7 for $1.84 Billion Combined
In June 2021, Etsy acquired Depop, an U.K.-based fashion resale app targeting Gen Z, for $1.625 billion. In July 2021, it acquired Elo7, the 'Etsy of Brazil,' for $217 million. Both acquisitions were made at peak tech valuations and later proved problematic.
2021Society6
Graham Holdings completes its roughly $323 million all-cash acquisition of Leaf Group.
2022Etsy
$1 Billion Asset Impairment Charge
Etsy recorded $1.0 billion in asset impairment charges, including $897.9 million for Depop and $147.1 million for Elo7, reflecting the decline in valuations and performance of its 2021 acquisitions.
2023Etsy
Sale of Elo7 and 11% Workforce Reduction
In July 2023, Etsy sold Elo7 to Brazilian marketplace Enjoei for an undisclosed amount, likely at a loss.
2023Society6
Graham Holdings restructures Leaf Group. Society6 becomes a standalone brand reporting directly to Graham Holdings.
2024Etsy
Revenue Growth Slows to 2.2%; Seller Setup Fee Introduced
Etsy reported revenue of $2.81 billion in 2024, up just 2.2% from 2023, the slowest growth rate since the IPO.
2024Society6
Society6 re-launches its website on Shopify and introduces duvet and sheet sets.
2025Etsy
Sale of Reverb; Depop Sale Agreement; CEO Transition
On June 2, 2025, Etsy completed the sale of Reverb to Creator Partners and Servco Pacific. On February 18, 2026, the company announced an agreement to sell Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash.
2025Society6
Society6 moves to a curated, approval-based marketplace, ends paid artist plans and standardizes royalties.
Acquisitions
Etsy
- Depop Limited2021$1.6B
- Elo7 Serviços de Informática S.A.2021$217M
- Reverb Holdings, Inc.2019$275M
- Blackbird Technologies2016$32.5M
Society6
- Leaf Group (Society6 parent, acquired by Graham Holdings)2021$323M
- Society6 (acquired by Demand Media)2013$94M
Questions about Etsy vs Society6
Who is the CEO of Etsy, Inc. and Society6?
Etsy, Inc. is led by Kruti Patel Goyal and Society6 is led by Julie Matrat. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Etsy, Inc. founded vs Society6?
Etsy, Inc. was founded in 2005 — 4 years before Society6, which was founded in 2009. Etsy, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Society6.
How many employees does Etsy, Inc. have compared to Society6?
Etsy, Inc. employs approximately 2,400 people. A verified employee count for Society6 is not currently available.
Where are Etsy, Inc. and Society6 headquartered?
Both Etsy, Inc. and Society6 are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Etsy, Inc. and Society6?
Etsy, Inc. was founded by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik, Jared Tarbell. Society6 was founded by Justin Cooper, Lucas Tirigall-Caste, Justin Wills.
Which company has a longer operating history — Etsy, Inc. or Society6?
Etsy, Inc. has been operating for approximately 21 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Society6 has been in operation for around 17 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Etsy vs Society6 overview