When Kaptivate kicked off in 2009, the economy was down. Still, we were ready to ride the wave of recovery. We vibed to "Home" (by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros) while radiating hope that better days lay ahead. Fast forward to 2024 and small businesses employ most of the U.S. workforce. We're still here and growing like Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”!
We asked staff to share some “That Was Then, This Is Now" reflections since Kaptivate’s inception 15 years ago:
The Digital Revolution
- 2009: Global internet usage hovered around 26% with 1.7 billion users
- 2024: Over 60% of the planet is connected online with 5.3 billion people
- 2009: Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were in their infancy
- 2024: They've become a vital part of EVERYTHING – influencing society, culture, and individual behavior. Revolutionizing real-time interaction and global communication to mass audiences. From sports entertainment and influencer marketing, to primary sources of news and information (both accurate and misleading)
Economic Upswing
- 2009: The Dow dipped below 6,500 during the recession
- 2024: It recently soared over 39,000 (ka-ching!)
AI Awakening
- 2009: AI abilities were stuck in labs and niche sectors
- 2024: AI is now embedded in healthcare, finance, transportation, and more
Assistive Tech Strides
- 2009: Screen readers sounded robotic with zero inflection
- 2024: Speech synthesis is now impressively life-like and nuanced
Style Shift
- 2009: Gladiator sandals and velvet tracksuits were all the rage
- 2024: Chunky platform kicks and Lululemon athleisure wear rock the streets, airports, and everywhere
- If you’re curious about bizarre footwear trends, search for MSCHF Big Red Boots
Pop Culture Rewind
- 2009: The children’s movie, Coraline hit theaters
- 2024: That movie is now a staff member’s family favorite (they've seen it 15+ times)!
- 2009: Madonna milestone: her Sticky & Sweet concert tour was the second highest-grossing concert tour of the 2000s, and raked in $407.7 million
- 2024: The queen of pop’s current milestone: performed for a record-breaking 1.6 million people in a standalone concert in Rio de Janeiro which concluded her Celebration tour.
What a journey it's been! Kaptivate rode the economic waves from a humble 2009 start-up to today's successful small business with prime contracts (General Services Administration, Department of Commerce, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Transportation, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Education), along with an array of commercial and non-profit organizations. With our chunky sneaker-clad team leading the charge, the future looks bright.