Dot-Com Boom Days: Agency Tales
How many dotcom-era web development agencies can you name? Do you remember the slew of sprouts that “rose to the top” during the late 90’s web boom days? Perhaps: Luminant, Viant, Scient, Sapient, Rare Medium, Exceed, Agency.com, USWeb, Cognizant, Digitas, Razorfish?
Some of these sprouts still live to tell their tales, having grown into digital behemoths. But alive or dead, what did they all have in common?: Lofty, slightly intangible names.
Perhaps a perfect reflection of the web product they peddled, which was vaguely understood at the time. (Both technically and perhaps culturally.) But we all knew, when we worked with one of these companies, that we were on-trend… so cool… so modern.
Enter the Dot-Com Web Agency Utopia
Arriving to work at one of these hot agencies meant moving from the scrappier side of town, a land of converted warehouses, into an actual office building.
It meant being plucked away from the obscurity of “no-name” clients. And recognition (via a 4-part cross-functional interview process with peers) that you are indeed ready for the “big time” clients.
At one such place, in North Dallas, you find yourself at one of the best, most well-known dot-com agencies.
A land of modern facilities, smooth elevators, fresh paint, and grey berber carpet. Where walls of white boards stood marked by multi-colored dry erase markers. Where neon post-it notes formed networks across glass-enclosed conference rooms. Where comfy clouds of beanbag chairs lined war rooms. And where floor-to-ceiling windows offered skyline views.
Training was not a “thing” here. Because YOU were already an expert on the web. That’s why you were hired. Leads only coached in belief of capability, repeating a mantra when doubts crept in:
We are consultants. We keep our heads high. We offer value. We are to be respected. And, every hour is a billable hour.
It’s true: you’re a little too full of yourself as a result. But that’s what you needed, when riding the wild west internet bronco.
The dot-com boom is here, and you’ve entered the utopia. You busy yourself with your first proper client, getting ready for your first major presentation. So it begins…
Learn more about the the dot-com agency experience. Check out:
You Shoulda Been There – Excellent interviews and stories from the high-profile trailblazers who built the early web.
Wikipedia: the Dot Com Bubble
As always, I hope you enjoyed this and it brightened your day.
Please “like” if you did on social media (@DigitalDeliria), share, and post your comments. What do you remember about early web agency life?
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