Fired From Facebook, Then Built AppSumo
He was Facebook's 30th employee. He got fired. Then he built a business on software deals.
Noah Kagan grew up near the Apple campus.
He saw tech giants rise every day.
He learned to work hard and spend little.
Childhood and Family
Noah was born on February 17, 1982.
He lived in Silicon Valley, California.
His father came from Israel.
The father sold carpets and later ran a copier business.
His mother worked as a night nurse.
The family taught frugality and a strong work ethic.
Education
Noah attended Lynbrook High School.
He then went to the University of California, Berkeley.
He graduated in 2004.
His degree was in business administration and economics.
First Jobs
After college, Noah worked at Intel.
He was a supply chain operations analyst.
He applied to Microsoft and Google but was rejected.
In 2005 he joined Facebook as employee number 30.
He worked as a product manager.
In 2006 Facebook let him go.
The loss cost him a lot of stock value.
He then joined Mint, the personal finance app, as employee number 4.
Founding AppSumo
In 2010 Noah started AppSumo.
He spent $60 to launch it.
$48 paid a developer.
$12 bought the domain name.
He copied the software‑bundle model of MacHeist.
He emailed the founder of Imgur for a revenue‑share deal.
He got free ad space from a Reddit founder.
Orders were processed on a simple PHP site with a PayPal button.
He hit his goal of 200 sales quickly.
AppSumo is a digital marketplace for software tools.
The company is bootstrapped.
It has never raised venture capital.
Revenue grew to $3 million in 2011.
It later reached $30 million and then over $100 million a year.
AppSumo stays private and has not done an IPO.
Current Life and Challenges
Noah now splits his time between Austin, Texas, and Barcelona, Spain.
He is a father and spends time with his family.
He rides a bike and does fitness activities.
He gives to employees, Wikipedia, and the Boy Scouts.
He calls this personal generosity.
In late 2025 he returned as CEO after paternity leave.
From 2024 to 2026 the company saw a 50 percent revenue drop.
He cut headcount and focused on high‑quality deals.
He added AI tools to run the marketplace.
In May 2026 he announced a new AI‑driven app marketplace.
He still writes a newsletter and hosts the Noah Kagan Presents podcast.
Noah Kagan’s story shows how a setback can become a launchpad.
He turned a firing into a multi‑million‑dollar business.
His path is a lesson for young builders.
Founding Story
Noah Kagan started AppSumo in 2010. He had just been let go from Facebook and Mint. He felt insecure about his future. He saw a model called MacHeist that sold software bundles. He wanted a similar service for PC users. He spent a weekend building the site. He paid $48 to a developer and $12 for a domain name. He launched the marketplace on a Saturday.
First Customers and Product
Kagan needed his first buyers fast. He cold‑emailed the founder of Imgur. He got a revenue‑share deal for Pro accounts. He also secured free ad space from a Reddit founder. He built a simple PHP page with a PayPal button. He processed each order by hand. He reached his goal of 200 sales quickly. The early success proved the idea could work.
Early Struggles
Kagan’s career had many setbacks. He was fired from Facebook in 2006. The loss cost him a lot of stock value. He also faced rejections from Google and Microsoft. He tried several startups that did not take off. He had to run the AppSumo site alone. He handled customer emails, refunds, and tech bugs himself.
Key Turning Points
The first big win came when sales passed 200. That moment convinced Kagan to keep scaling. By 2011 the company earned $3 million in revenue. Growth accelerated as the marketplace added more deals. In 2014 the sales team expanded. Community events helped spread the word. Kagan spoke at many gatherings, building a loyal following.
Growth with Real Numbers
AppSumo stayed bootstrapped. It never raised venture capital. Revenue grew to $30 million during its mid‑growth phase. By 2022 the company topped $100 million in annual revenue. In 2025 Kagan returned as CEO after paternity leave. The next year the business faced a 50 percent revenue drop. He cut headcount and focused on high‑quality deals. In May 2026 he launched a new AI‑driven marketplace.
Funding, IPO, and Acquisitions
AppSumo never took outside money. It stayed private and self‑funded. The company did not go public. It also did not buy other firms. Kagan kept control of the business. This allowed fast decisions during the 2026 AI launch. The model remains a marketplace for discounted software tools. It continues to serve entrepreneurs worldwide.
Setbacks
Noah Kagan was fired from Facebook in 2006.
He was employee #30 at the time.
The loss cost him a lot of stock value.
He says the firing happened because he leaked plans to TechCrunch while drunk.
He also put his personal brand ahead of the company.
He did not fit the new meeting‑heavy culture.
His product work was judged weak.
He also faced rejections from Google and Microsoft.
He tried other startups that did not succeed.
Criticism and Controversies
Some people call Kagan a “wantrapreneur.”
The term appears in a Leveling Up interview.
He answered the label by talking about real results.
Critics note his aggressive deal hunting style.
They say it can pressure small software makers.
Kagan says he only shares deals that help users.
He has not raised venture capital for AppSumo.
He runs the business as a private, bootstrapped firm.
Recent Changes
In 2025 Kagan returned to the CEO seat after paternity leave.
AppSumo saw a 50 % revenue drop in two years.
He cut headcount to keep the company lean.
He focused on high‑quality deals only.
He added AI tools to speed up order processing.
In May 2026 he launched a new AI‑driven marketplace.
The platform mirrors the original AppSumo model.
He also keeps a newsletter and a podcast.
Where He Is in 2026
Noah Kagan lives in Austin and Barcelona.
He is a father who likes cycling and fitness.
He still runs AppSumo as CEO.
The company now makes over $100 million a year.
He gives money to Wikipedia and the Boy Scouts.
He also donates to his employees.
He shares advice on his podcast and newsletter.
Why the story matters
A firing can start a new path.
Kagan turned loss into a $100 million business.
His story shows the power of bootstrapping.
It teaches that small experiments can grow big.
It proves that resilience beats regret.
Start small, learn fast, keep moving.
The Record
Born: February 17 1982
Education: UC Berkeley, BS Business Administration & Economics, 2004
Early Jobs: Intel analyst, Facebook employee #30 (2005‑2006), Mint director of marketing (2006‑2009)
Founded: AppSumo, 2010
Revenue Milestones: $3 M in 2011, $30 M mid‑growth, $100 M+ annual (2026)
Books: Million Dollar Weekend (2024)
Current Role: CEO of AppSumo (2026)
Timeline
2004 to Graduates from UC Berkeley.
2005 to Joins Facebook as employee #30.
2006 to Fired from Facebook; joins Mint as employee #4.
2010 to Launches AppSumo over a weekend.
2011 to AppSumo reaches $3 M revenue.
2015 to AppSumo passes $30 M revenue.
2024 to Publishes Million Dollar Weekend.
2025 to Returns to CEO role after paternity leave.
2026 to Launches AI‑driven marketplace; leads $100 M+ company.