I never intended to be a founder. I was just a poor guy out of college, wanting to visit Europe, and every time I searched for flights, they seemed to be $1,000 or more.

The $130 Moment

In 2013, I found what still is probably the best deal I've ever gotten - a nonstop round-trip flight from New York City to Milan for $130. That deal was only available for about four hours.

I went skiing in the Alps, hiking in Cinque Terre, to an A.C. Milan game, and up to Lake Como. Divine. And I still came out with more money than if I'd paid $950+ for the ticket.

The Email List

When I got back, all my friends kept asking "Next time you find a deal, can you let me know?" Rather than remembering everyone, I started a simple email list. Anytime I found a deal, I'd let everybody know at once.

The Accident

It was a happy accident. For 18-24 months, it was just a hobby. Then the list grew large enough that I realized maybe it's time to think of this as a business.

From Hobby to Empire

Today there are 75 people on the team, over 2 million members, and over a billion dollars saved in airfare over the past eight years.

Our monthly revenue is around $320,000. Our non-labor expenses are almost entirely for web and email hosting plus various software.

• The original deal: $130 NYC to Milan
• Current subscribers: 2M+
• Monthly revenue: $320K
• Team size: 75
• Total airfare saved for members: $1B+