PTO Today Turns 10 Today
Realized when I woke up this morning that it's June 1st, which means it's a birthday of sorts for PTO Today. The company got its start officially 10 years ago today, when I rolled out of bed, made my way down to the extra bedroom, closed the door and picked up the phone for my first day of work. If I remember correctly, that day was marked by a whole bunch of cold calls (for ad sales), working on our first batch of articles, and intermittently wondering what the heck I'd gotten myself into.
Real
lize
lized when I woke up this morning that it's June 1st, which means it's a birthday of sorts for PTO Today. The company got its start officially 10 years ago today, when I rolled out of bed, made my way down to the extra bedroom, closed the door and picked up the phone for my first day of work. If I remember correctly, that day was marked by a whole bunch of cold calls (for ad sales), working on our first batch of articles, and intermittently wondering what the heck I'd gotten myself into.
Doesn't seem like very long ago at all.
Kind of fun -- here's a link to the Internet "way back machine" with a look at the earliest archived version of our ptotoday.com website. The images aren't archived, but it still gives a good feel for the focus then -- content and service for PTO and PTA leaders -- which isn't very different from the focus now.
We have early readers who's kids are now through with college (Note: I almost guarantee those folks are now volunteering for the local Cancer Walk or still running the Soccer Club or the like -- it's in the blood) and new readers who weren't in high school yet when PTO Today started. Kind of hard to believe.
Not to get too nostalgic (it's 10 years not 50, y'know?), but it's worth thanking so many people who've supported us this past decade. From readers (online and offline), who've sent us amazing stories of how our efforts helped them make an impact at their school and for their kids, to advertisers, who originally took a chance on a new company and now have stood with us as partners (and, in many cases, friends) for so long, through numerous others who've helped us along the way. Thanks.
And from me personally, it's worth calling out a few of our earliest staffers, all of whom are still with us today. Our first employee and all-around do-everything all-star, Nancy Sousa. John Williams was employee #2 and made us a better company the day he began. John Driscoll once hired me for a job, took a chance investing in this PTO Today idea 10 years ago, joined us as employee #3 ("to protect his investment," he says...) a bit later, and has been a partner and friend ever since. To them, the 25 other staffers around these parts and to the families who've put up with us along the way -- thanks and happy birthday to you, as well.
The fun part has always been dreaming up new ways to help PTO and PTA leaders and then finding the path to making those happen. We're already working on the next 10 years of doing that same cool stuff. Can't wait to see what the future brings...
Doesn't seem like very long ago at all.
Kind of fun -- here's a link to the Internet "way back machine" with a look at the earliest archived version of our ptotoday.com website. The images aren't archived, but it still gives a good feel for the focus then -- content and service for PTO and PTA leaders -- which isn't very different from the focus now.
We have early readers who's kids are now through with college (Note: I almost guarantee those folks are now volunteering for the local Cancer Walk or still running the Soccer Club or the like -- it's in the blood) and new readers who weren't in high school yet when PTO Today started. Kind of hard to believe.
Not to get too nostalgic (it's 10 years not 50, y'know?), but it's worth thanking so many people who've supported us this past decade. From readers (online and offline), who've sent us amazing stories of how our efforts helped them make an impact at their school and for their kids, to advertisers, who originally took a chance on a new company and now have stood with us as partners (and, in many cases, friends) for so long, through numerous others who've helped us along the way. Thanks.
And from me personally, it's worth calling out a few of our earliest staffers, all of whom are still with us today. Our first employee and all-around do-everything all-star, Nancy Sousa. John Williams was employee #2 and made us a better company the day he began. John Driscoll once hired me for a job, took a chance investing in this PTO Today idea 10 years ago, joined us as employee #3 ("to protect his investment," he says...) a bit later, and has been a partner and friend ever since. To them, the 25 other staffers around these parts and to the families who've put up with us along the way -- thanks and happy birthday to you, as well.
The fun part has always been dreaming up new ways to help PTO and PTA leaders and then finding the path to making those happen. We're already working on the next 10 years of doing that same cool stuff. Can't wait to see what the future brings...
