Jamie Siminoff
Jamie Siminoff is the founder and CEO of Ring, the smart home security company he started in his garage in 2013. A Babson College graduate and lifelong inventor, he sold Ring to Amazon in 2018 and has since returned to lead the company's next chapter.
Jamie Siminoff's Bio
Jamie Siminoff is the founder of Ring, the home security company that created the world's first Wi-Fi video doorbell and was later acquired by Amazon for $1.15 billion. Ring manufactures smart doorbells, surveillance cameras, and home alarm systems, transforming home monitoring.
Before Ring, Siminoff was a serial entrepreneur. He founded PhoneTag, the world's first voicemail-to-text service, and Unsubscribe.com, an email management tool. These early ventures taught him how to move from prototype to market.
In 2011, Siminoff invented the video doorbell in his garage, initially calling it DoorBot. He pitched on ABC's Shark Tank in 2013, but all five sharks rejected him. That "no" became a catalyst—he refined the product, rebranded as Ring, and grew it into a billion-dollar company without the Sharks.
Ring's growth accelerated through the 2010s, culminating in Amazon's 2018 acquisition. Siminoff stayed on to lead Ring within Amazon, expanding the product line. His journey—garage inventor, Shark Tank reject, Amazon executive—has become a legendary entrepreneurship story.
A Babson College graduate (class of 1999) and later honorary doctorate recipient (H'21), Siminoff returned to Shark Tank as a Guest Shark, investing in startups like Moink. Today he leads Ring's AI-powered home security evolution from Hawthorne, California.
Career Timeline
1999 — Graduated from Babson College
Earned bachelor's degree from Babson College, laying the foundation for his entrepreneurial career
2005 — Founded PhoneTag
Launched the world's first voicemail-to-text conversion service, marking his first successful venture exit
2007 — Founded Unsubscribe.com
Created a service to manage and unsubscribe from email lists, demonstrating his knack for solving everyday consumer problems
2011 — Invented the video doorbell at Ring (originally DoorBot)
Created the world's first Wi-Fi video doorbell while working in his garage, initially calling the product DoorBot
2013 — Shark Tank rejection at DoorBot
Appeared on ABC's Shark Tank to pitch DoorBot and was rejected by all five sharks; the rejection became a pivotal turning point
2014 — Rebranded to Ring
Rebranded DoorBot to Ring and pivoted to focus exclusively on home security, setting the stage for exponential growth
2018 — Ring acquired by Amazon
Amazon acquired Ring for $1.15 billion, marking one of the most successful Shark Tank reject stories in history
2019 — Became Guest Shark on Shark Tank at ABC/Shark Tank
Returned to Shark Tank as a Guest Shark, investing in startups like Moink and sharing his hard-won entrepreneurial wisdom
2021 — Received honorary doctorate from Babson at Babson College
Babson College awarded Jamie Siminoff an honorary doctorate (H'21), recognizing his achievements as an entrepreneur and innovator
Episodes
Advice Line with Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring
Guy Raz hosts an Advice Line episode featuring two seasoned founders giving real-time counsel to growing businesses. Jamie Siminoff, founder of Ring (sold to Amazon for $1B), advises Melita Cyril of Q for Quinn on scaling without losing brand soul. Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch shares hard-won lessons on supply chain transparency and premium positioning. Two founders. Two distinct challenges. Zero platitudes—just actionable advice from the trenches.
Advice Line with Jamie Siminoff of Ring (August 2024)
Franchesca Thompson hosts an advice-line episode where three entrepreneurs bring real business challenges to Jamie Siminoff for candid, no-BS feedback. Iyin Akinlabi-Oladimeji of Luji's Chocolate shares his scaling struggles, Jamie Siminoff discusses Ring's hardware adoption journey, and Victor Hugo Hernandez of ErgoFlex Desk walks through furniture logistics. Each caller gets direct, actionable advice on branding, product-market fit, and operational discipline that applies far beyond their specific industry.
