Last week, young professionals working for start-up companies around the world got an added burst of motivation when Instagram, a company with only thirteen employees, was purchased by Facebook for $1 billion dollars in a cash and stock deal just before Facebook was scheduled to go public. Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing service, was founded two years ago in San Francisco and has since signed up more than 30 million users despite its modest size. Facebook naturally wanted a piece of this.
As details of the massive deal were still being sorted out, Instagram co-founders, 26-year-old tech-duo Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, lived it up like the millionaires they have become in Vegas over the weekend, where they received the VIP treatment, celebrated their success and made their mark on the famous strip – as documented by Instagram pics, of course.
On Friday night, the pair hit Wynn and Encore Las Vegas where they dined at the resort’s Botero restaurant with superstar DJs Deadmau5 and Avicii, along with Jesse Waits, the managing partner at Encore’s XS nightclub. After the dinner, Systrom and Krieger headed to XS to see Avicii perform, where they sipped drinks at the owner’s table before moving to the stage for a better view during Avicii’s set. With success comes access, after all.
These two didn’t get to where they are now by fluke, however, and their Vegas trip did demonstrate a general “work hard, play hard” mentality and a degree of fiscal responsibility. Instead of splurging on $3,000 a table at the club like most Sin City-frequenting celebrities, or toasting their success with the 30litre Armand de Brignac ‘Midas’ – the world’s biggest bottle of champagne with a $150,000.00 price tag – the pair remained relatively tame and low-key, leaving at 4am, which is early by Vegas standards.
Perhaps it is too soon to tell if this mentality will change (recently we outlined the potential negative by-products of success at a young age) for the young entrepreneurs. What is certain, however, is the inspiration they provide for driven young professionals, start-up companies and good ideas everywhere.