Omaha World-Herald columnist Matthew Hansen indicated recently that, “You don’t need to be a genius to understand how Flywheel is changing Omaha. You don’t even need to fully grasp what the Omaha tech startup actually does.”
“Omaha startup has grown sales by more than 1,445 percent in 3 years. What’s its secret?” by Mathew Hansen. Omaha World-Herald (November 11, 2018- print edition).
Mr. Hansen explained that, “Five short years ago, this company that sells products and services to web designers had three employees: [37-year-old CEO, Dusty Davidson] and co-founders Tony Noecker and Rick Knudtson.
“Now, fueled by millions of dollars in outside investment, the number of Flywheel employees is nearing 200. Most are millennials who on a recent workday made sales calls, did product design and offered online tech support between guzzles of free sparkling water and games of fetch with [the office dog] Sharky.”
The World-Herald column stated that, “Flywheel’s aggression is interesting because it’s so un-Nebraskan in some ways. Davidson and his co-founders are seemingly succeeding at building a tech business from scratch, turbocharging its growth and then planning to sell it — likely for a whole boatload of money — within a decade.
“That’s a common move in Silicon Valley, but still uncommon on the so-called ‘Silicon Prairie.'”
Mr. Hansen added, “And, in the coming years or months, it seems likely that Davidson and his co-owners will sell to a larger company, completing the circle that happens weekly in Silicon Valley but not so often here.”
“[Davidson] said Flywheel’s owners will wait for the right price but also for a buyer who values what Flywheel values, including its Omaha location. The company’s founders would likely work at the newly acquired company for some period of time, he said.”
