Interview with Envato Founders Collis and Cyan
Aug 20th in News by Collis
One of the best things about working here at Envato is that we have an awesome team of people building, managing, writing, reviewing and working on our sites. Yep, things have come a long way since the early days when there was just a few of us trying to do everything!
Recently our awesome Tuts+ interviewer Emil asked if I minded being video interviewed with some questions put forward by the Psdtuts+ readers. Since no-one really wants to see my enormous head on screen for too long a period of time, I asked my lovely wife and partner in crime Cyan if she'd be in on the interview and we thought we'd put up the video to help celebrate 3 years of Envato.
Hello! I started Psdtuts+ because years ago reading Photoshop tutorials was how I got into design. You can find me on Twitter or on my blog theNetsetter.
The Interview
So without further ado, if you've ever wondered about how Envato started or about who we are, I hope you enjoy this little interview of us!
Don't like Blip.tv?
View the interview on
YouTube as individual questions
Here's to Another 3 Years!
It's kinda hard to believe it's been three years already! I still think of us as a startup. I can't stress enough how thankful we are for all the readers, users, authors, buyers, and staff who have helped us these last three years. Something that's really come home to me since we started Envato is that you don't build great companies without lots and lots of great people. From all the positive comments we get, the good natured communities that have grown around our sites, the amazing files that get sold on our marketplaces and the kick-ass tutorials that people contribute to our blogs. I know I have a tendency of overusing the word awesome and I am guilty of typing far too many exclamation marks in my day, but hey what else can I say ... it's pretty awesome!!!
So enjoy the rest of our celebrations. I'll be back tomorrow with some announcements of upcoming Envato sites that we'll be releasing in the forthcoming weeks, so stay tuned!
Don't Forget ...
Meanwhiles there's lots happening during this birthday celebration, so don't forget to check out:
- $300 of Files for Just $20!
If you haven't already taken advantage of this amazing deal, head over and grab it while it lasts! You won't find better value anywhere! Get All The Details
- Tuts+ iMac Giveaways & Bonus Tutorials
The iMac giveaways are now well underway on Tuts+ and tomorrow there'll be a whole stack of free tutorials and source files in the Tuts+ Birthday Bundle.
- FreelanceSwitch Birthday Giveaways
There's Job Board subscriptions, Pixelmator, Billings, ForkLift, Freshbooks Shuttlebus subscriptions and copies of Rockstar Freelancer all up for grabs! Get all the details
User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Hyder August 20th
Awesome, it was great working with you all as well. Congratulations on the anniversary.
( )abhijeet August 20th
awasome interview Thanks to Collis and Cyan and ones agin happy happy bday
( )shedh August 20th
yey, finally was waiting for this. Best of luck with the nxt few years!
( )lawrence77 August 20th
Aha… going to see….
( )Mike Smith August 20th
Awesome video. So many great notes. I’ll be rewatching again and actually writing them down this time.
I’d love to see you guys do more video blogs. I think it works.
( )kiziel August 20th
Fix you greenscreen
Great and loong one, love the into
( )Steven Couper August 20th
You’s have been such a breath of fresh air & inspiration to me with web & graphic design.
Thanks for all your help!
( )shedh August 20th
totally inspirational, got some great ideas.
( )Aaron August 20th
Very inspirational. I know 1001 people are going to say that about your interview, but to have seen the beginnings of your journy – the orginal psd tuts and flashden – to what envato is now…
…wow…
… like i said… very inspirational.
Good job, and good luck? But I guess you don’t need “luck” anymore. Thank you for all the hard work!
( )Owz August 20th
Congratulations on your 3rd birthday…
I’ve learn’t so much the last couple of years from you guys…
You really are raising the standards…
Thank you…
( )Luis Lopez August 20th
Awesome interview guys I love the honesty and style of Collis and Cyan, that’s this couple is inspiring for some of us, just strrating our blog or businesses. Keep growing and working that way because I think every new idea can become a huge success as all you have.
( )I just spend 28 min really well.
Happy birthday!!!
Kim Dolleris August 20th
You seem like really dedicated and cozy people!
About expanding; maybe live lessons. You know some sort of webinar. Would be awesome! Good to see that other people can be business confused at 25 to
Great interview – i enjoyed it.
Kim
( )Fabio Sasso August 20th
Wow thank you very much for the mention
I don’t even know what to say…. great interview!!!, you guys rule!!!
( )Kajik August 20th
Very inspiring! Thank you for this interview and the invaluable advices.
I wish you all the best!
Kajik
( )AdrianMG August 20th
Thanks for the interview guys!
It’s always amazing to hear about other people experiences.
Hope you go well!!
( )Diego SA August 20th
God bless you guys for have founded the Envato. Your tuts plus websites always helped me a lot with my works.
( )I wish you guys have so much luck in the future and bring us more excellent and useful tutorials! Oh, and I just loved the PhotoTuts!
Thanks a lot!
Thomas August 20th
Great Interview!
( )Ryan Turki August 20th
Awesome interview !!! Thanks to Collis and Cyan for advice ! Very inspiring !!
( )Thanks again !
Sean Hodge August 20th
Great interview and some exciting possibilities in the future. I look forward to seeing the Tuts+ network continue to grow. A conference would be great and of course can’t wait for the tropical meetup. Thanks.
( )Paul August 20th
You guys are a real inspiration and wonderful on camera. I couldn’t think of better people to run envato marketplace. I just hope it keeps growing and growing.
All the best
Paul – Pixelcriminals
( )Tom Ross August 20th
Awesome interview guys! You’ve always both seemed very down to earth and inspirational, and this video only confirms that.
( )lawrence77 August 20th
What about the unanswered questions?
( )Abhijeet August 20th
which Q your takling
( )tommao August 20th
I have a questions..
lawrence77 August 20th
@Abhijeet See this page its full of questions…
http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/news/interview-with-the-founder-of-envato-collis-taeed/
( )dp August 20th
that was a good interview. you both seem rather sweet and kind. I hope you help infuse the next gen business model with a code of ethics and love that seems to have been lacking in previous generations.
Don’t change. -dp
( )Ricardo Ortiz August 20th
Thanks for the inspiration in this three years, and So amazing interview.
( )Gabe Diaz August 20th
Congrats! It’s awesome to have seen the family of sites grow, here’s to many more years!
( )Mr_LeE August 20th
go aussies!
( )lly August 20th
bad chroma key
by the way happy birthday
( )John August 20th
I’ve seen you guys grow from the very beginning and it’s nice to see you’re very down-to-earth, friendly and inspirational people.
I wish you the best in all your endeavors and thanks for putting so much effort on creating sites that help people learn!
( )Swift August 20th
Amazing interview Thanks to Collis and Cyan.
( )Happy Birthday Again
Alvaro August 20th
Tropical meeting!!!
( )Jess August 20th
Awww, you guys are awesome! Keep up the great work! I know I’ve definitely learned a lot from this family of sites (many ‘A-ha!’ moments in the middle of the night!). Sounds like some really cool stuff is coming on down the line.
( )lenin August 20th
I know you guys don’t need any more props but Great Interview!
I’m really inspired now; you should do a video podcast about something
( )seantpl August 21st
Hey guys, that was really an insightful interview. Enjoyed it as much as all my Plus membership benefits! All the best Envato!
( )Cynthia Stripperella August 22nd
That Collis is a real babe !!!!!!
( )Lolka August 23rd
You are awesome
Really nice, I wish you all the best. I like all of your sites and I read them on a regular basis. Quality content in a beautiful wrap is a perfect combination. I wish I could work with you
Greetings from Poland!
( )ims August 23rd
i don’t know how to describe my pleasure to watch this interview which i was looking for since i have been addictive to psdtuts
-
it is great to know you ” Collis ”
-God saves both of you to each other
wish to join ur community soon ..
peace
( )SoVu August 25th
Great interview Guys,(Girl)^^ You seem like nice people, and im glad Envato is
So great now!
Btw On The right There, I dont wanna say Collis or Cyan, Cause they could be both Male/Female Names And i dont know whos who, You remind me of Kirsty From Home And Away
Very pretty
( )Ruth August 25th
Dude has the most interesting accent. It’s like a cross between English and Yanklish. I love it.
( )Kendall August 27th
Wow–what a candid interview–it was a pleasure watching. I’m incredibly inspired by you two and all that you’ve done in such a short period of time. Hopefully you will put out more clips every once in a while?
( )Ryan Forshaw August 28th
Great interview! You guys deserve all the success in the world
( )loswl September 14th
Fantastic interview, great to see all the tuts sites! Envato is growing!!
o
( )Nate September 30th
I’ve been following the Tuts sites (PSD, NET and Vector) as well as FreelanceSwitch for some time now and I really love what you guys have put together through those sites.
In lieu of the latest makeover and this interview, Congratulations on discovering success where you have.
There are many designers and developers who are truly envious AND ESPECIALLY grateful for what you’ve accomplished as it not only helps us motivate ourselves but gives us the tools necessary to develop our skills towards that goal.
It’s great to see two real and genuine human beings doing something for themselves and thus really doing something for us small-timers as well. Thanks!
( )Nikos November 19th
Great comment!
( )Jonathan Anthony October 2nd
This interview is so inspiring. It is great to see how down to earth Collis and Cyan are. To know that everyday people (with excellent business sense, of course
can bring an idea, and other ideas, to fruition in such a way is just awesome. I can’t think of other words for it lol. All the best to the entire Envato network!
( )Robby October 21st
Wow, I didn’t know she’s such a honey!
Interesting interview, thanks.
( )Andrew Abogado October 29th
Congratulations to Envato, the rest of the team and the community. You did a really great job on educating the creative world of the web.
You guys rock in inspiring your audience.
Cheers to your success!
( )John Coonen October 31st
Wow, inspiring! You’re truly making the web a better destination.
( )Rockstar Sid November 2nd
Absolutely inspiring video.. in over 3 years the website have been grown to one of the top design sites on the web which is an splendid achievement indeed.
And you guys certainly do know how to present things before the visitors
Good luck, Collis and Cyan.
Best line of the interview – Get started… improve n improve. Start small and get improved
( )