THERE aren’t many start-ups that last ten years.
And of those that do survive, not many become synonymous with their art.
No, we’re not talking about Brazen’s 10th anniversary this year.
Though, clearly, we could be.
But that’s for later in the year.
Today we’re saying happy 10th birthday and a huge congratulations to Jimmy Wales, the founder of the web phenomenon that is Wikipedia.
There isn’t a day goes by in this office when we, one or more of us, are knee-deep in Wikipedia’s tiniest crannies seeking out some little fact to help support a press release or researching a brand.
The mark of a really progressive company is one which not only realises that its USP is never enough on its own to guarantee success but constantly acts to stay ahead of the game. So it evolves, sometimes forcing that evolution to happen even though the present state of affairs sees it comfortably ahead as market leader.
Jimmy Wales is a such a man.
Though Wikipedia’s monumental success and place in history is assured Jimmy is forever picking holes, finding better ways to do its business, to make it more appealing to its customers.
Wikipedia is too complicated for many people to modify despite billing itself as “the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit”, Jimmy believes.
So he’s going to change its established interface in a bid to attract a new generation of users and massively increase the number of female contributors to its pages.
That’s why his is the fifth biggest website in the world and getting bigger by the day.
If only Myspace had enjoyed the same foresight.
