My time at Google, by the numbers
I joined Google as part of the Blogger acquisition in February 2003. There were only six of us on the Pyra Labs team and we were Google's first acquisition*. Google was only about 600 employees strong. There were times when we felt like royalty and other times when we felt like guinea pigs but all-in-all it has been an amazing ride. I'm very grateful that after joining that I was not only able to contribute on Blogger but to start-up my own product (Google Reader) which by most accounts is now the #1 web-based feed reader. When I wanted to get back to business development I found a great home on a fantastic team and even got to work on products I know and love like Picasa, Reader and Blogger.
I've been working with Blogger for a long time. In October 2000, I tracked down the co-founders Ev and Meg. Having become a Blogger user and fan in mid-2000, I asked if they were making any money and if they could use any help. The answers were "No and Yes." Even though I was an unpaid consultant and friend of the company at the time I devoted myself to what I believed would become huge. I'm glad I was right and even more glad that they accepted my help.
Despite the fun I've had at Google and the weird looks I'm going to get from people for turning down the free Google food, massages, excellent benefits and the like - I feel I've got that entrepreneurial/start-up bug deep within me and I can't help but think about the next thing. I'm going to take a little time off while I think about what is next (hopefully while surfing and riding my bike in Santa Cruz) but I've decided to leave Google. I have a few ideas but if you have a better one - let me know. Below is a quick infographic of some stats I've compiled on the things I've worked or transpired during my time here. To all of my co-workers reading this, you still work at an amazing company and I thank you for your friendship, also I'll be stopping by for lunch. ;)
* Google acquired the assets of Deja.com before our acquisition, but not with live humans.
Labels: blogger, google, personal
posted by Jason at at
5:23 PM | 
40 Comments:
congratulations!
one piece of advice -> take the time to enjoy your break...don't jump into something too quickly...
btw, don't you get free food for life :)
don
donloeb.com
Congrats! I had no idea you did product stuff for Google Reader but thanks for that -- it's the only feedreader online that doesn't feel like work.
Can't wait to see what you do next.
Congratulations, Jason!
Congrats, Shellen! See you in the water :D
shellen: you are one good dude. we'll really miss you. even so, i can't wait to hear about your next big thang (but not by twitter)!
congrats and well done. :)
Good luck! Let me know if I can help in any way.
have to love twitter ... /smile
congrats, my friend ... looking forward to your next adventure ... cheers, judith
Shellen! Congrats! Enjoy the time off, it really flies.
weep.
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Congrats, Jason. I'll be sure to watch this space!
Congrats, Jason
Congratulations Jason and best wishes for the future!
I think you're leaving Google with a lot of new knowledge, which should set things up nicely for whatever's next in life other than husband and father duties.
There's the personal publishing side of things explored at Pyra to help more people publish online. It then became obvious people wanted to collect all of this new wealth of published content, so why not capture it in a sidebar or a full-blown reader. Explorations with Google.org and corporate dev must have given you a lot of exposure to what's bubbling up and changing the Web and the world.
Have fun laying in a hammock for a bit. I'm sure you'll start buzzing with new inefficiencies in need of a solution soon.
Hey, Jason -- Congrats. Look forward to hearing what leads from surfing and riding the bike in Santa Cruz.
Way to go and very impressive. With money in the bank consider some entrepreneurial global health and development projects. The world needs to change and you are in a position to help make it happen.
Best of luck Jason, go get 'em! And enjoy the waves and some long, slow days with your family.
Congrats on arriving at what had to have been a difficult decision. Best wishes for all that lies ahead. It has been a pleasure working together over the years...Google stuff, kids, playlists, my blog template, etc.! Bon voyage!
Congrats, Shellen, and best of luck to you! Who will pick on me next year at CES? ;-) Enjoy your time off...
Hiya, Wasn't Outride acquired before Blogger?
Nivi - Yes, Outride and Deja were both sans-people though.
Congrats - and thanks for Google Reader it's great!
You forgot to insert the number of security flaws. I suppose there wasn't enough space. ;-)
Otsukaresamadeshta.
Congrats and have fun!
Jason,
Congratulations! What a ride, and you got to be in on it from the inside, making big changes at one of the world's most influential companies.
You have always had and maintained a lot of class and integrity - best wishes in your next stage of life and business!
Dave
Welcome to the club :)
Jason--have a ownderful break and give yourself time for things to evolve--happy to be a resource in any way you like when it's time..and will go wine tasting or hiking with you before that if you like.
Good luck mate.
Hope you enjoy the grass on the other side ...
Wow, congrats Jason! I'm agreeing with all the others that you should take a moment or two to enjoy the bridge time, despite how powerful the itch to get to The Next Thing may be.
congrats mr. shellen.
and glad to hear you've still got some fire left in the belly. look forward to hearing more about the next great (ad)venture, whatever it is!
- dave mcclure
CONGRATULATIONS! Looks like the exodus continues...and glad to see I'm not the only one posting 'leaving notes' about our time at The Goog.
Can't wait to see what's next...
I just got off the phone with Martin and he told me you left. All I can say is holy cow! Now you have lots more time to hug the kids. Congratulations!
Best of luck, Jason. I enjoyed our little time together. Call me when you want to come by for lunch.
jason, welcome to the club! it should take about a month before you stop compulsively thinking of checking your calendar or email.
not so long ago, we were sitting at fred segal for my google interview, which is probably not an experience many other people have had. what a crazy ride. you've done so much for so many people, me included - and i'm not sure if i ever said thank you. so, thank you for everything!
now go enjoy your hard earned time off! (but first could you please set up something that makes commenting possible? been trying for two days now.)
Now who will be my carpool buddy? And my source of interesting internal company news?
One more stop on the life/road of adventure! Come to Seattle, the talk about rain is a myth!
I'm riding Santa Cruz tomorrow! You want in on that action?
Hey Jason,
This is random. I don't really know you. But I stumbled upon your blog a couple of years ago when I was looking for blogs of Google employees and wondering if somebody would give me some tips about getting into Google. Since then I occasionally come to your blog. Leaving Google must have been a tough decision. But thought of starting-up something is more exciting. I am sure you'll be a success.
Cheers!
This is an awsome blog.. and yes.. I love google reader.. I jus cant wait until you giys get a google backup feature up and runnig. please hurry (-:
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