Times Square — also known as the “crossroads of the world” — was recently the site for a huge electronic ad for IntraLinks. Attached to the side of the W hotel at 47th and Broadway in the heart of New York City, the 30x40-foot ad dazzled on the largest high definition screen in the city. Seen by 1.6 million people every day, the promotion was one element of an ongoing co-branding campaign with NYSE Euronext, the home of IL shares.
For many, today is just another uneventful and normal Wednesday. For IntraLinks, however, it marks the company’s 150th day as a public company. It seems fitting to take a moment and reflect on my own personal journey with IntraLinks — a voyage that started out feeling a little like touring with an older boy band, but with a lot more performances.
You see, my second day on the job was the start of a two and a half week long IPO road show organized by our investment banks. The IntraLinks team participated in 88 meetings, met with more than 200 institutional investors, and traveled to 16 U.S. and three international cities. Sometimes we had meetings in two cities in one day. It wasn’t uncommon to be having dinner at 9:30 P.M. and then be up at 5 A.M. to prepare for another meeting or get on a plane. While the road show was grueling, it was also exciting.
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been just over a month since the IntraLinks team rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The excitement within the halls and offices of IntraLinks certainly hasn’t died down. As I had hoped, every employee felt like they were part of this historic company event. And now that some time has passed, it feels like a good time to reflect on those few fantastic days in early August.
We were at the NYSE for two consecutive business days, with the first day commemorating the initial trading of the first IntraLinks shares. If you ever have the opportunity to be on the NYSE trading floor, don’t miss it. You’re surrounded by traders making markets in technology companies like IBM, McAfee, Salesforce.com and now IntraLinks. It was great to see the “IL” ticker symbol roll across the screen on the “Big Board” for the first time.
After spending several weeks on the road meeting with potential investors, I am pleased to announce that IntraLinks is now a publicly-traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange — trading under the ticker symbol “IL”. We are excited and proud to be associated with the New York Stock Exchange. We have achieved an important milestone for IntraLinks, as well as for all the investors and other stakeholders who have placed their trust in our company’s success.
By becoming a public company, we have now increased our financial resources and flexibility, enabling us to grow our business and further establish IntraLinks as a leading provider of SaaS-based solutions for collaboration between businesses. While the past few months have inevitably presented their challenges, the process of “going public” has allowed us to truly articulate and reinforce our corporate vision. It’s been a rewarding experience both personally and professionally.