Join us for a look at what life and technology were like in the 90s with our President, Jeff Stevens:
As part of our 40th anniversary series, I wanted to look back at what life was like in the 1990s, the decade that marked our second chapter as a company and the beginning of my own journey in technology.
Starting a Career in a Decade of Change
The 90s were an exciting time for me personally. I had just graduated from college, spent five years in the insurance industry, and was eager to start a new chapter. In 1996, I accepted the first offer that came my way and joined our company as a Sales Representative. I didn’t know much about technology then, but I had always been fascinated by science fiction. That curiosity became the spark that pulled me into an industry undergoing massive transformation.
Technology in the 90s
When I began my career, our company focused exclusively on mainframe systems from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), one of the world’s largest tech companies at the time. I still remember quoting a 4GB memory module for an AlphaServer with a list price of $180,000 (that’s $375,000 in today’s dollars).
Even then, the industry moved fast. DEC was acquired by Compaq in 1998, and Compaq later merged with Hewlett‑Packard in 2002. Y2K had organizations scrambling to prepare for what some believed could be a global shutdown of critical applications and infrastructure.
Microsoft launched Windows 95 and introduced the Start Menu, marking the beginning of the modern Windows era. And a small startup called Amazon launched an online bookstore in 1995, selling $12,000 worth of books in its first week. By 1999, it had become the world’s largest online retailer and helped usher in the era of e‑commerce.
Doing Business in the 90s
Business looked very different back then.
- We worked out of an early CRM called ACT.
- We didn’t have internet access or email.
- Prospecting was done 100% by phone.
- Proposals were faxed, not sent electronically.
- Lead lists we’re printed and shipped in boxes to the office.
- Remote meetings happened through a conference‑room speakerphone. We didn’t have video, screen sharing, or virtual collaboration.
It was a different world, but it taught us discipline, preparation, and the value of strong relationships.
Life in the 90s
The decade began with the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Operation Desert Storm unfolded live on CNN every afternoon. I got married in 1996 and started a family.
Cell phones were becoming more common, though the iPhone was still a decade away. Arcades were fading, and home gaming consoles were redefining entertainment.
Weekend highlights included trips to Blockbuster to see if the newest releases had made it back to the return bin and hoping the tape had been rewound. Titanic became the first film to gross over $1 billion, Celine Dion dominated the radio, and Friends became a cultural icon.
Looking Back
The 90s were a decade of transition for me, for our company, and for the world. So much of what defines our lives today began during those years.
Reflecting on that time reminds me how quickly things change and how important it is to keep evolving. The lessons we learned in the 90s still shape how we work, how we serve our customers, and how we build for the future.
And just like our first 40 years, the next chapter will be defined by how we continue to grow, adapt, and move forward in a world that never stops changing.
-Jeff Stevens
