Viant Technology reposted this
I keep getting asked about what it’s like to work for Viant Technology. Yes, Viant is traded on Nasdaq, but this place is unlike any other public company I’ve worked for. I absolutely dig it. I appreciate Chris’ words and the mentality is worth sharing. Upwards and onwards 🚀
Being public forces you to become who you say you are. I often hear executives complain about the downsides of being a public company. I’ll admit, it is a lot of work—the quarterly earnings reports, the never-ending investor meetings, the constant external pressure. But the way I see it, that’s exactly the point: going public instantly adds a level of rigor you just don’t have as a private company. You have to tell people what you’re going to do, and then you actually have to go do it (or better yet, beat it). That pressure fuels real innovation and progress. Here’s why we don’t regret going public: The Pressure Makes You Better. Going public forces a discipline that private companies never have to face. You’re accountable to what you say, which keeps the whole company locked on what actually matters and pushes the business forward. That rigor becomes a competitive weapon. Visibility. Access to capital is one part. The other is the platform. Our earnings calls give us a metaphorical megaphone — they move the market, drive news cycles, and put us into conversations we would never be in otherwise. Private companies don’t get that visibility, and many fade simply because no one knows what’s happening inside. Alignment Through Real Ownership. Viant employees receive equity, so everyone shares in the wins (and the losses) and is motivated to see the business grow and the stock rise. When people know the targets, listen to earnings calls, and understand exactly what we’re driving toward, the whole company rows in the same direction. Better Talent. Because we offer meaningful, liquid equity, we can recruit talent we never could’ve attracted as a private company. As we’ve built out our autonomous platform, that caliber of talent has made all the difference. In 2023, our stock hit a low of $3/share after hitting a high of $65/share. Investment banks were circling, telling us to delist, go private, take a payday, dividend out the cash — anything to escape the “distraction” of being public. But that’s not why we went public or why we built this company. We’re in adtech for life. We didn’t go public for a quick cash-out; we’re here to build something long-term and generational… and maybe change the world of advertising for the better if we’re lucky. We don’t care where the market is right now. We don’t care what the latest pundits say about adtech vs. the walled gardens (you’ve all been saying the same thing for 20 years!). We’re here to build our vision for the future — and that future is autonomous. So if we could go back in time, would we go public again? Every. Single. Time.