Remember two decades ago when Y2K was all the rage? The world was supposed to come to an end and we were all doomed? Then midnight came and went… And nothing happened. That was 20 years ago, but time sure flies when we’re having fun, doesn’t it?
For us technology professionals, Y2K was a busy time. Not only were we trying to figure out what was going to happen to our desktop computer when the clock reset to 1900, but we also had servers and networks, and yes, the Internet to contend with as well.
Looking back, maybe it WAS all the planning and preparation that avoided a potential nuclear arsenal. Or maybe it was nothing to worry about. Either way, Y2K was 20 years ago, and the world of information technology has changed drastically since then.
Y2K saw the birth of the application service provider (ASP). Those early cloud pioneers who grew businesses rapidly, collected millions in venture capital, then crashed faster than the Cincinnati Bengals 2019 season.
Yep… The ASP was the birth of the cloud as we know it.
In Y2K, we didn’t have our music library on our phones. Some of us still used a portable CD player or Walkman and carried around binders of CDs in our cars – taking them wherever we traveled. But believe it or not, we had cellphones in the year 2000.
Sure, they were the size of a brick and weighed almost as much, but we had them! Looking back, it’s hard to believe that was 20 years ago. Where does the time go? And what will the next 20 years bring us?
The next decade, we’ll see technology created that we haven’t even imagined yet. It’ll play an even more important role in our personal and professional lives. How will technology change the way companies operate, communicate, and do business in the next 20 years?
Here’s one thing I know for certain… the top-performing businesses will still focus on relationships. They’ll remember that business is done between people first, the company second, and the product or service third. They’ll use technology to enhance relationships.
One of these core areas where technology will help foster strong relationships is social media. Social media will continue to evolve and savvy business professionals will continue to develop relationships with people, then use social media to nurture those relationships even more.
But, none of these can happen without the cloud and connectivity. Just like those early ASP pioneers, today’s cloud providers will continue to develop new cloud solutions, focus on the security of customer data, and find new ways for their customers to connect and share ideas.
Over the past twenty years, I’ve been very fortunate to grow a successful technology company and serve great clients. The next 20 years is going to be even better. Buckle your seatbelts, we’re going to go fast.
