I met Emily in a programming languages class at Florida State University. While I struggled with the basics, she was already showing a natural affinity. Our paths crossed again when we both ran for board seats in our school's chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM). That's when our journey of building together really began.
There was an easy chemistry when we worked side by side - thinking, tinkering, solving, and building. It was, and still is, where we thrive.
Back then, hunched over keyboards in college basements and coffee shops, we had no clue these moments would lead to a decade of growing Cuttlesoft. Even now, it's hard to believe.
But here we are, 10 years in. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.
In this post, we're pulling back the curtain on our decade-long adventure. You'll get the real story - the wins, the stumbles, and everything in between. We'll share how two college kids with a knack for problem-solving built a tech-focused professional services company that's stood the test of time.
No sugar-coating, no corporate speak. Just honest reflections on what it takes to keep a dream alive for 10 years.
So, grab a coffee (or whatever keeps you going), and let's dive into the Cuttlesoft story. It's been one hell of a ride.
Sleepless in Atlanta: The Hackathon That Started It All
~ Spring 2014 ~
It's fitting that Cuttlesoft's story starts with a hackathon. After all, what screams "2014 tech startup" more than that?
Picture this: four computer nerds on a road trip to Atlanta. Our weapons? Laptops, pillows, and a whole lot of caffeine. Our mission? To prove ourselves in a 48-hour frenzy of coding and pitching.
The weekend was a blur. We coded on hard floors, survived on vending machine snacks, and pushed our limits. When the dust settled, we'd landed in the top 10. Not too shabby for a bunch of rookies.
Here's the thing about validation - sometimes it's not about big wins or fat checks. Sometimes, it's about a hard-fought almost-win and a long drive home, buzzing with possibilities. But there's an old Turkish saying, "No road is long with good company."
That hackathon? It wasn't just a contest. It was the spark that lit the flame. We may not have won the big prize, but we gained something way more valuable - the guts to start our own thing.
These days, we have fewer late-night coding sessions, but there's still no shortage of crazy ideas and a team that makes the journey worthwhile. After all, that's how Cuttlesoft really started - with a wild idea and a willingness to go all in.
But every startup needs a launchpad. For us, that launchpad was a quirky little place called Domi Station.
Domi·cile means Home
~ 2014-2017 ~
Domi Station was more than just an incubator funded to jumpstart Tallahassee's startup scene. For three years, it was our home, our HQ, and our crucible.
You know all those startup clichés? The late nights, the instant ramen, the rollercoaster of emotions? Yeah, we lived every single one of them at Domi. We crashed on couches, subsisted on peanut butter sandwiches, and rode the highs and lows of startup life. We celebrated wins, butted heads over decisions, shed a few tears, and blew off steam with epic ping-pong battles.
That old brick building by the train tracks saw two wide-eyed kids walk in and a real company emerge. And man, did we pack a lot into those three years:
- Emily was recognized in Florida State University's prestigious "7 Under 30" list
- We won "Startup of the Year" from the Tal Chamber
- Shook hands with a Vice Presidential candidate
- Hired our first employee, then quickly added five more
- And Emily was honored with the Governor's Young Entrepreneur Award
But here's the thing about Domi Station - it wasn't just about the accolades or the milestones. It gave us a home, sure, but more than that, it gave us a community. A sense that we belonged. That we weren't crazy for trying to build something bigger than ourselves.
Looking back, those three years at Domi weren't just about growing Cuttlesoft. They were about growing us - as entrepreneurs, as leaders, and as people crazy enough to think we could make a dent in the world.
With our roots firmly established and our ambitions growing, we knew it was time for Cuttlesoft to spread its wings. The next chapter of our story would take us far from the familiar streets of Tallahassee to the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado.
Cuttlesoft Heads West
~ 2017 ~
Every growing business has its tipping point. For us, it was realizing that to thrive, we needed to be where the talent was. And let's face it, having the Rocky Mountains as your office backdrop doesn't hurt either.
The decision to move to Denver? It was almost comically easy. There's Emily, standing on the corner of 26th and Larimer, clutching an espresso. And she's got this grin on her face - you know the one, like she's just won the lottery and is trying not to tell anyone. I look at her and ask, "Are you going to make me move here?" Spoiler alert: Six months later, we're unpacking boxes in an apartment just a stone's throw from that very spot.
But why Denver, really? Denver offered us the perfect ecosystem to grow:
- Talent Pool: A thriving tech scene meant access to top-notch software engineers. Suddenly, building our dream team didn't seem so far-fetched.
- Quality of Life: The seasons! The culture! The energy! Denver's vibe aligned perfectly with our company culture. Happy employees make for a happy company, right?
- Business Climate: The city's support for startups and tech companies meant we weren't just surviving, we were thriving.
- Networking Opportunities: From tech meetups to startup incubators, we found ourselves in a community that spoke our language.
Denver became our launchpad for the next big phase: scale-up. This is where we leased our first real office space - you know, the kind with actual walls and everything. It's where our team grew from a handful of dreamers to a force to be reckoned with. And when the world threw us a curveball in 2020, it's where we hunkered down and rode out the storm.
The move wasn't just about changing our address. It was about changing our perspective, our ambitions, and our capabilities. In Denver, we found more than just a new home for Cuttlesoft. We found a place where luck and opportunity seemed to be waiting around every corner.
As we look back on our Denver chapter, it's clear that this mile-high city elevated more than just our altitude. It lifted our entire company to new heights, setting the stage for the next decade of Cuttlesoft's journey.
The Art of Self-Discovery
~ 2019-Present ~
Our journey with Cuttlesoft has been one of constant learning and adaptation. As we reflect on the past decade, we've come to realize some fundamental truths that have shaped not just our business, but who we are as professionals and individuals:
- Service at Our Core We started Cuttlesoft thinking we were building a tech company. In reality, we discovered that we're in the service business first, tech second. Our true value lies not in the code we write, but in the real problems we solve for real people.
- The Power of Empathy One of our most profound realizations is that customers don't necessarily care about our technical prowess. What truly matters to them is how much we care about their challenges. This shift in perspective transformed how we approach client relationships.
- User Experience Above All We've learned even the most brilliant code is worthless if the end-user struggles to use it. This understanding has fundamentally changed how we approach product development.
- The Importance of Brand Identity Building a strong brand isn't just for large corporations. As a smaller company, we've found that investing in our brand has been crucial for establishing trust and credibility in a competitive market.
- The Strength of Partnerships Strategic partnerships have been instrumental in our growth. We've discovered that the right collaborations can open doors and create opportunities we never thought possible.
- Trust as Our Product Perhaps our most significant realization is that, at its core, every business is selling trust. Whether it's tech, services, or products, they're all vehicles for building and maintaining trust with our clients.
- Balancing Revenue and Reputation We've come to understand that we operate on two currencies: revenue and reputation. Of these, reputation is the more precious - and the harder to regain if lost.
These insights didn't come easily. There were moments of doubt, times when we had to confront our own assumptions and biases. But each challenge, each pivot, each moment of clarity has been integral in shaping Cuttlesoft into what it is today.
We've evolved beyond being just software developers. Today, we see ourselves as problem solvers, trust builders, and service providers who leverage technology to make a real difference. This evolution has been both humbling and inspiring.
As we look to the future, these lessons serve as our guiding principles. They remind us that in the ever-changing world of technology, our growth as individuals and as a company is just as important as the products we create. We're committed to carrying these values forward, continuing to learn, and striving to make a positive impact in all that we do.
Iterating Towards Perfection: The Next 10
~ 2024-Future ~
So, here we are. Ten years in, and you might be wondering: what keeps Cuttlesoft going?
It's not the late-night coding sessions (though we still have a few). It's not the thrill of a new tech stack (although that's pretty exciting). It's certainly not the free snacks in the office anymore. Like many companies, 2020 pushed us into remote work, but unlike many, we discovered it was exactly where we needed to be. Our team is now spread across time zones, sharing ideas through Slack instead of across desks. Turns out you don't need a ping pong table to build company culture - just a shared mission and trust in each other. Sometimes the best way forward isn't what you originally planned.
What keeps us going is the constant evolution, the perpetual beta state of our company. We're never "done." There's always a new problem to solve, a new skill to master, a new way to make our clients' lives easier. As we look towards the next decade, we're not aiming for some mythical state of perfection. Instead, we're committed to the process of continual improvement.
The next ten years? They're unwritten. But that's what excites us. We don't know exactly what challenges we'll face or what opportunities will arise. But we do know this: we'll face them together, with the same spirit of innovation and determination that got us here.
To our team, past and present: thank you for your brilliance, your dedication, and your willingness to dream big with us.
To our clients: thank you for trusting us with your visions and challenges. You push us to be better every day.
To our community: thank you for supporting us, challenging us, and being part of our story.
And to the next ten years: bring it on. We're ready.
