YOU’RE OVERPAYING FOR YOUR PHONE BILL—HE BUILT A $1 BILLION BUSINESS MAKING IT FREE 👀

Are you getting ripped off on your cell phone bill? On this episode of Earn Your Leisure, we sit down with TextNow founder Derek Ting to break down how he built a free mobile phone service that has generated $1 billion in lifetime revenue. From a backdoor hack to its first million users through word of mouth, Derek shares the story behind TextNow and what it takes to serve 10 million active users while challenging the telecom industry.

We explore his entrepreneurial journey, from building a BitTorrent tracker at 15 to turning $8,000 into $80,000 through stock investing. Derek explains why building products matters more than chasing investors—and the mindset behind driving a $350,000 car while refusing to pay for parking.

We also dive into how AI is changing the way people learn programming and build businesses. Derek shares his perspective on vibe coding, why AI creates a competitive advantage for tech companies, and whether it represents a bigger threat or opportunity. Plus, we discuss what the next 10 years could look like as AI reshapes how we work and live.

Chapters:

Chapters

00:00 Opening highlights

01:36 Introducing Derek Ting and TextNow

02:44 How TextNow service works

04:58 Starting TextNow in college

07:29 Early texting technology and iPod users

09:34 Reducing phone bills and switching carriers

13:32 Funding free service with ads