LinkedIn, the social media platform for professionals, has been around since 2003, similar in age to other social platforms like Facebook or Twitter. LinkedIn was a different kind of startup, however. Rather than the oft-apocryphal tale of the fledgling college student starting up a website with his roommate, LinkedIn has a different sort of story.
Given the platform's professional focus, perhaps it's appropriate.
Given the platform's professional focus, perhaps it's appropriate.
Serial Entrepreneur I suppose researching LinkedIn and its founder Reid Hoffman is the first time I've come across the term "serial entrepreneur," especially since many other self-styled serial entrepreneurs have written or tried to imitate Hoffman. From the beginning, Hoffman just wanted to start businesses. |
"I watched the whole online market heating up. I really wanted to get out there and start creating new businesses, so I resigned my Fujitsu position in July 1997. In August I started my first company, Socialnet" ("LinkedIn's startup story: Connecting the business world," money.cnn.com, June 2009).
Socialnet didn't last, and he helped start Paypal until it got sold. He then started on LinkedIn.
"After we sold PayPal to eBay (EBAY, Fortune 500) and I kicked free, I decided to start LinkedIn because the professional space was really interesting" (ibid.).
Interesting, as in $$$. His plan was to get to a million users and then build a business model on that. No joke. All part of the job of a serial entrepreneur, I guess...
"After we sold PayPal to eBay (EBAY, Fortune 500) and I kicked free, I decided to start LinkedIn because the professional space was really interesting" (ibid.).
Interesting, as in $$$. His plan was to get to a million users and then build a business model on that. No joke. All part of the job of a serial entrepreneur, I guess...
LinkedIn
Well, it worked, anyway. LinkedIn now boasts over 300 million users as of 2014, according to the company's nifty timeline history. According to Hoffman, "The philosophy behind LinkedIn has not changed. If anything, it's gotten bigger. We're always about individual professionals doing business with their network. We want to get all of the world's professionals on LinkedIn."
Modest as always.
Well, it worked, anyway. LinkedIn now boasts over 300 million users as of 2014, according to the company's nifty timeline history. According to Hoffman, "The philosophy behind LinkedIn has not changed. If anything, it's gotten bigger. We're always about individual professionals doing business with their network. We want to get all of the world's professionals on LinkedIn."
Modest as always.
Reflecting on My Own Experience
I've had a profile on LinkedIn for a while, though not as an incredibly active user. I try to keep my information updated, but I do little else on the site.
The biggest reason for this is that I find the site a little overwhelming and, to be honest, clunky. In a word, it has usability issues (at least in terms of this user). The platform provides a plethora of features, opportunities for connections and information, but with a steep learning curve and one that could benefit from some clear, simple tutorials.
I still don't know the difference between having someone in one's "network" and being "connected." I get the impression that this is pretty fundamental.
They've sold me on its potential, its sheer power as a platform, and its usefulness to employers and professionals, but I feel left in the dark as to the how part of it. And until they make it easier for Jedd Cole to understand, I'll just smile and wave at all the other folks who seem to get it.
I've had a profile on LinkedIn for a while, though not as an incredibly active user. I try to keep my information updated, but I do little else on the site.
The biggest reason for this is that I find the site a little overwhelming and, to be honest, clunky. In a word, it has usability issues (at least in terms of this user). The platform provides a plethora of features, opportunities for connections and information, but with a steep learning curve and one that could benefit from some clear, simple tutorials.
I still don't know the difference between having someone in one's "network" and being "connected." I get the impression that this is pretty fundamental.
They've sold me on its potential, its sheer power as a platform, and its usefulness to employers and professionals, but I feel left in the dark as to the how part of it. And until they make it easier for Jedd Cole to understand, I'll just smile and wave at all the other folks who seem to get it.