Threshold | Venture Capital

Redfin's Resilience

Emily Melton believed Redfin would be positioned to deliver the most value to the consumer, and ultimately drive the most profound change in the real estate industry. "It was clear that Glenn and the people around him would walk through fire… something we saw first-hand sooner than we had expected. I saw passion, resilience, and a competitive drive that proved Redfin wasn’t simply a technology product. Glenn was building a company for the long term. Every time I assess a new investment, I find myself doing the 'Glenn assessment.' How will this particular founder deal with adversity? Is he/she driven by an internal passion? Do they have the courage and tenacity to relentlessly pursue their vision to create a better world?"

Partnership with Threshold

Emily Melton on Glenn Kelman and Redfin: "I met Glenn in 2006, around the same time my husband and I purchased our first home. I immediately identified with Redfin’s vision in large part because we found the process of working with our realtor infuriating. At one point, we simply asked our agent if we could sit and look through the MLS with her, as we had a much better sense of what we wanted. Along with the company’s vision, I also fell in love with the team. Back in the early days, the service was only available in the Seattle region and we wanted to see the company scale beyond its home turf. I followed the company over the next eighteen months and each data point reinforced my desire to back Redfin. Some startups are lucky and ride a wave, but every enduring company I have seen has had to bounce back from defeat. Glenn doesn’t simply bounce back. Glenn springs forward to greater heights.