From Open Source Project to Commercial Product with Webb Brown of Kubecost

The Business of Open Source

Today I sit down with Webb Brown, CEO and cofounder of Kubecost. Kubecost provides real-time cost visibility and insights for teams using Kubernetes. Webb tells the story of building Kubecost, starting with the pain points that inspired the open source tool. He talks about the transition from an open source project to becoming a commercial company, and explains the decision to build a company with the same name and branding as the open source tool. Webb talks about Kubecost’s newest initiative, OpenCost, and concludes by offering some lessons and advice for anyone in the early days of an open source startup.

Highlights:

• Webb explains what Kubernetes cost is (1:27)
• How the pain points addressed by Kubecost usually manifest (3:04)
• What the impetus was for building the Kubecost open source tool (5:30)
• The transition from open source to commercial (6:54)
• The relationship between a cost-cutting tool and open source (10:48)
• Kubecost’s new initiative, OpenCost (13:40)
• The decision to have a company with the same name as the open source project (18:55)
• Pros and cons that are unique to building an open source company (22:08)
• Advice for anyone in the early stages of an open source startup (25:22)

Links:

Webb

• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/webbbrown/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/webb_brown
• Company: https://www.kubecost.com/