What Does an IPO Feel Like?
Lessons learned from going public
If you’d like to learn what celebrating an IPO (Initial Public Offering) feels like, here is some of my lived experience.
Seven years ago, on May 25th, 2017, I was at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square, NYC, anticipating the ringing of the market’s opening bell.
Our company (Appian) was about to transition to life as a public company. I had begun working here fifteen years earlier, a week after completing graduate school, and was the sixteenth longest tenured employee at the time. That day, our opening bell ceremony and IPO was broadcast live to colleagues, family, and friends, who were celebrating around the world.
I can tell you that the “going public” communication to employees started more than a year before, and created both excitement and nervousness for many of us. In the time leading up to the event, we discussed it’s significance, talked about company history, and heard updates from our CEO about the process. Some of us felt nervous because we didn’t know if or how it would change the culture of the company (it did). On the day of the IPO, it felt surreal to be at the Nasdaq, and photos of us were even projected onto their billboard in Times Square (I’m pictured below with Mark Lynch, Appian’s CFO at the time, and current board member).
But, here’s my main takeaway. The euphoria of the actual IPO event wore off after a few months. And, what has remained to this day, is a deep feeling of gratitude for the opportunity of fifteen years of hard work, customers who believed in us, and the group of talented people that I spent countless hours building and experimenting with.
It is a magical feeling to be able to build something with a talented group of people, to learn and grow together, and compare battle scars with. When I add the close friends and relationships I developed over that time, and still maintain, I feel additionally blessed for the good fortune that things turned out the way they did.
Nothing is guaranteed, and luck plays a part in every outcome. But, I can tell you that when I was looking to join a tribe and make an impact, I intentionally optimized for learning, growth, and surrounding myself with talented and motivated people who I could learn from. I was fortunate to find it here. The IPO was an incredibly exciting bonus.
