HootSuite Founder Ryan Holmes Wants A Legacy

**Rickson9** · Nov 12th, 2011, 11:02 AM

HootSuite makes what it calls a social media dashboard. People can use the software and mobile apps to better manage the torrent of information from online services. Picture a single screen with several columns of Twitter feeds, plus from one LinkedIn and another from Facebook.

Corporations use it, too, to monitor and measure their brand, conduct co-ordinated marketing campaigns - even scout for talent. PepsiCo Inc., for instance, uses HootSuite and its connection with LinkedIn to find talent to fill open jobs. HootSuite has attracted a blue-chip list of clients, from the White House to Fox Broadcasting Co., Dell to Disney. The U.S. Army uses HootSuite as a central point from which to listen to what’s being said by people about the military across social media, to engage supporters and critics, and to broadcast its messages.

A year ago, HootSuite had no revenue. As it cracked the one-million-user mark, the company released premium versions of its product, with rates as high as $100,000 monthly for large companies. It currently brings in about $1-million of revenue a month.

HootSuite Founder Wants A Legacy

**Rickson9** · Aug 19th, 2012, 09:15 PM

Ryan Holmes launched HootSuite in 2009. In just three years, the Vancouver-based company has emerged as a significant player in the social media world.

HootSuite now boasts five-million users, and 79 of the Fortune 100 companies use its software to manage and monitor their social media presence. Fuelled by a client list that includes PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Sony Corp., HootSuite is growing by 300% a year.

Not surprisingly, the company has attracted suitors. Since 2009, Mr. Holmes has received four “serious” buyout offers. And he’s turned them all down.

To sell or not to sell?