What is the first step to start with when you are planning to start a business? Well, in this digital world, it’s your business website, which can showcase all the features, services and products you offer. But how can you start if you don’t know the coding part?
A group of friends, good at coding and after creating hundreds of websites for their clients, usually got clients saying, “We wish we could build our own websites. If only the coding part wasn’t so difficult.” It was then that Christian Springub, Fridtjof Detzner, and Matthias Henze got struck with the idea of Jimdo, a tool that makes building your own website fun.
Jimdo is the easiest way to create a website on a computer, smartphone, or tablet—no coding necessary. With a simple intuitive interface, Jimdo enables anyone to create a customized online presence with a blog or online store. Founded in Germany in 2007 by Christian, Fridtjof, and Matthias, the company set a new standard in website creation. Jimdo has a passionate team of around 200 people in Hamburg and Tokyo. Jimdo is available in 8 languages and has helped people build over 20 million websites.
How It All Started
Fridtjof and Christian started coding websites back when they were still in school. By the time they turned 16, they felt the moment was right to start their own internet agency in Cuxhaven, Germany. Of course, they had to ask their parents to get the business license for them. They then created hundreds of websites. After getting feedback from clients about wishing they could create a website on their own without any knowledge of coding, they talked to Matthias and the idea for Jimdo was born!
They had no budget, so the three of them moved into an old farmhouse that was owned by Fridtjof’s parents. They would work all night, have breakfast with Fridtjof’s mom in the morning, then go to sleep for a bit. They created the first version of the website builder in an old barn at the back of the house.
Get your Website Ready in Just Three Minutes!
After ten years, all three of them thinks the website building industry is ready for a change. The current tools have a lot of power, but they require a large investment of time and effort. Which is why they have created Jimdo Dolphin, a new website builder so that entrepreneurs can have a personalized, ready-to-use website within under 3 minutes. Dolphin gets to know you by asking just a few simple questions. Then it combines your existing information with professionally-crafted content based on your industry. The result is a unique website with text, photos, and your own information all ready to go, completely tailored for your business.
You don’t have to do any prep work ahead of time. Dolphin works with what you already have. The ideas is simple—to support entrepreneurs, not expect them to learn an entirely new skill set and become a web designer! You only need to know your own project/business. Jimdo takes care of the rest, so your website doesn’t take time away from your business.
Fulfilling the Need of Entrepreneurs
Over 20 million websites have already been built with Jimdo and the three founders are extremely proud of that. “We know that behind every website there is a person with a story. Entrepreneurs, musicians, photographers, people who were inspired to share their project or business online, and who want to share their passion with the world just like us” says Matthias.
Their success stories remind the three on a daily basis of what they went through. “They also remind us of the simple truth that if you do what you enjoy, and share it with the world, you can achieve great things. It’s made Jimdo the sustainable, values-driven company that it is today, and that it will remain in the future,” adds Matthias.
Jimdo wants to empower entrepreneurs, SMBs and people who do what they love to be competitive and get the best online presence possible. In order for their ideas to catch on and spread, small businesses need to be able to compete on equal footing and get their voices out there. That’s where Jimdo comes in.
Suggestion for the Budding Entrepreneurs from Matthias
Running a company teaches you thousands of new lessons on a daily basis. But I would say keep your mission in mind. It will help you to make difficult decisions that you eventually need to take as an entrepreneur.
Another lesson that stands out to me from the past years is the importance of embracing healthy conflict instead of avoiding it. Steering clear of conflict comes from a well-meaning place. But “artificial harmony” can do more harm than good. Some important conversations just don’t happen, which leaves people feeling frustrated and unresolved. And avoiding a conflict doesn’t make the source of the conflict go away, of course.
Everyone on a team has to know that a conflict isn’t meant personally. And they have to see the results too—that when we’re honest about what’s working and what isn’t, positive changes happen. Once you resolve to face conflicts head-on, you actually start having fewer of them.
