The Nerdery's plot for global domination is going according to plan.
The Bloomington-based web/mobile development shop opened a Chicago office on Aug. 1. Now it's taking notes on what works and what doesn't in preparation to open another remote office next year.
"As it stands right now, the Chicago office is working really well," says owner Luke Bucklin.
"We're not running into as many challenges as we expected, so I think we're well on our way to global domination through opening new offices," Bucklin deadpans.
He's joking about that global domination thing, right? The Nerdery's numbers suggest maybe not: The 7-year-old company started the year with 101 employees. Today it has 147 (including seven in Chicago.) This year's revenue is on track to hit about $14 million compared to $8.6 million in 2009.
The company's primary clients are advertising and marketing agencies, which are having a harder time keeping up with the increasingly specialized programming demands of their customers.
Just five years ago, an agency could more easily get by with a handful of in-house developers. A team of generalists could stay up to speed with all the programming disciplines necessary.
Today, though, advertising and marketing clients are demanding more interactive work, while at the same time the technology has splintered into more and more specialties. Agencies now need to offer development for iPhones, iPads, BlackBerry, Android, mobile web, social media.
"The list is significantly longer now than it used to be," says Bucklin. "We've solved that problem in a way the agencies aren't able to," by hiring teams of specialists in each area. "Today we have specialists in technologies that didn't even exist three years ago."
The Nerdery is looking into Dallas, New York and San Francisco as possible expansion locations in 2011.
Source: Luke Bucklin, The Nerdery
Writer:
Dan Haugen