My First Million Billy of the Week: Chris Aker
Feb 21, 2022
Dive into the fascinating world of entrepreneurship with Chris Aker's journey of maintaining 100% control over his $900M company. Discover the challenges of balancing home life with external adventures. Explore the rise of affordable web hosting in the early 2000s and hear how automation led to substantial growth. Plus, enjoy insights on lavish hobbies like vintage motorcycles that connect passionate individuals, alongside Ev Williams' innovative financial solutions catering to essential human needs.
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Linode's Success Story
- Chris Aker bootstrapped Linode, a cloud computing company, and owned 100% of it.
- He sold it for $900 million in cash, a remarkable feat in the tech industry.
Linode's Growth and Efficiency
- Linode had around 300 employees and generated over $100 million in revenue at the time of sale.
- Chris Aker prioritized automation and kept a small staff, leading to high revenue per employee.
Linode's Services and Competition
- Linode offered cloud computing services, particularly hosting Linux servers, and competed with companies like Amazon Web Services and Digital Ocean.
- Shaan Puri recalls using Linode at his previous startup.