In 2016, I embarked on a journey that started with a simple yet ambitious vision: to create extraordinary employee experiences for enterprise customers on the ServiceNow platform. That vision led to the creation of NewRocket, a company that would not only embody my passion for web development and user experience design, but also become a home for many other like-minded individuals driven to make a difference. Today, I share some highlights of NewRocket's journey, from its inception to its acquisition, and my transition to exploring new opportunities.
The Prelude
Prior to founding NewRocket, I had been involved in the ServiceNow ecosystem for several years, working for a customer, an implementation partner, and directly at ServiceNow. While at ServiceNow, I had the opportunity to lead the development of the Service Portal framework under company founder Fred Luddy.
Launching NewRocket
Seeing the demand for Service Portal based user experiences, I founded NewRocket, Inc. on May 1st, 2016. After making the announcement via my blog, serviceportal.io, two of my good friends (Mike Lombardo & Matt Kite) offered to help cover expenses to attend the Knowledge conference that same month. With back-to-back meetings the whole event, I finally closed our first deal with nothing more than a handshake.
Coming back home, my friend and former coworker from ServiceNow, Todd Bashor joined me as co-founder and Executive Vice President of NewRocket. Together with my friend, Mark Griffo helping as a contractor, we completed our first project, securing our first case study and reference customer. Within a couple months, we were able to lease our first office space, a former dance studio that was connected to my two younger brothers' microbrewery, Booze Brothers. With the help of friends and family, we remodeled and furnished the office with used desks from Craigslist.
By November 2016, NewRocket's growth reached a new milestone when we hired our first two full-time employees. Among them was Ryan Wilson, who is still with NewRocket today, and has since risen to become one of the development managers and global capability leaders within the organization.
Building the Team
In April 2017, the team expanded to seven, including Phil Windyk coming on board to lead the UX & UI design team. By May, we continued our commitment to support within the ServiceNow ecosystem, releasing a free theme, a collection of free widgets and tutorials, all designed to help educate users on the Service Portal framework. The momentum continued into July with the introduction of our RocketFuel and LaunchPad products, which quickly became key components of our offerings. By the close of 2017, we had hit a remarkable benchmark, reaching a million dollars in revenue.
Continued Expansion
Throughout 2018, NewRocket experienced significant growth, both in terms of our team size and the number and size of our projects. As we welcomed more members to the team, it quickly became apparent that we were outgrowing our current space. Tearing down one of the office walls we were able to expand with the suite next door, adding the necessary office space for continued growth.
Going Purple
In 2019, we refreshed the brand identity, choosing our iconic color purple, launching a redesigned website, and rolling out updated visuals to better represent our growing brand. We also grew the leadership team with the appointments of Matthew Allen, Chad Bishop, and Shannon Kennedy. In September, our efforts were recognized as NewRocket was proudly named a Premier partner by ServiceNow. Continuing the year's momentum into December, we expanded our services to offer native mobile apps and corporate Intranets, bolstered by the introduction of “Orbit CMS” to our expanding product lineup. These additions enhanced our capacity to deliver robust multi-department portals unified into a one-stop-shop digital workplace experience.
The Pandemic
In January 2020, NewRocket found itself outgrowing its office space once again, prompting a search for a new location that could accommodate our growing team. This search led to the purchase of a 6000 sq. ft. office building just down the street. However, as March rolled around and COVID-19 led to office shutdowns, we swiftly adapted to remote work. Despite the pandemic's challenges, we began the build-out of our new office, envisioning a space that would not only cater to our creative needs with additional conference rooms and a developer bullpen but also support for the well-being of our team through amenities like a weightlifting gym, and an 18ft tall rock climbing wall. Throughout 2020, despite the global upheaval, NewRocket managed to double in size, with the increasing demand for improving workplace experiences.
The Acquisition
By May 2021, NewRocket had grown to nearly 50 employees, a milestone that coincided with being named one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in the US and securing a spot on the list of Best Workplaces of 2021. This recognition reflected not only our rapid growth but also our commitment to fostering a positive and dynamic work environment. In August of the same year, NewRocket embarked on a new chapter as we announced our acquisition by Gryphon Investors. This strategic move brought us together with Iceberg Networks, Fishbone Analytics, and Highmetric, expanding our capabilities and reach. With this transition, Matt Stoyka was appointed as the new CEO, and I assumed a key role in the expanded organization as the Chief Creative Officer.
Coming Together
In January 2022, a significant transformation took place as Highmetric, along with the recently acquired companies, unified and rebranded under the NewRocket name and logo, making us one of the largest pure-play ServiceNow partners in the ecosystem. The momentum continued into February when NewRocket expanded its operations in to India through the acquisition of Service Stack Technologies. By July 2022, NewRocket had substantially grown its global footprint, boasting five offices and over 500 employees worldwide, demonstrating not only the scale of its operations but also its commitment to delivering exceptional service and solutions across the globe.
The Challenge
Merging six companies into one under the NewRocket banner, reorganizing all the staff, and unifying under a single set of platforms and systems was a real challenge to say the least. Beyond the operational hurdles, the emotional journey of letting go—as a founder, facing the reality of my original company evolving beyond its initial identity—was particularly challenging. Letting go of what NewRocket once was to embrace what it could become required a profound personal and emotional adjustment.
The Transition
As of March 2024, I find myself embarking on a new chapter beyond NewRocket, following the elimination of my position due to internal reorganizations. This transition marks the end of a significant era and the beginning of many opportunities to explore new start-ups, investing, and sharing of my experience with other up-and-coming entrepreneurs. While the departure is bittersweet, I'm stepping into this next phase with great excitement as it opens the door to new ventures and possibilities. I will remain a major investor in NewRocket, and will continue to support my former employees, and promote the success of the company.
April Update: I've decided to join ServiceNow Technology Partner, ShareLogic, coming on as the Chief Creative Officer. I've known James Neale and Tim Attenborough for over a decade, and really excited to help showcase the power of the best integration engine available for ServiceNow!
Special Thanks
Reflecting on this incredible journey, it's clear that none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of my wife and kids. Their patience and understanding through the long hours and the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship have been my rock. I'm deeply grateful to Todd Bashor and the entire NewRocket team for embarking on this adventure with me, embracing the risks and the challenges along the way. The dedication and contributions of the NewRocket management team have been instrumental in turning our collective vision into reality. Together, we've navigated the highs and lows, and it's this collaboration and support that have been the cornerstone of our success.
