Known as the co-founder of one of the world’s most visited websites, Alexis Ohanian represents a unique figure in the technological realm. Born to an Armenian-American family, the internet entrepreneur has been instrumental in shaping the digital landscape, with a career that spans across a number of notable ventures. Beginning with his formative years, this essay offers a comprehensive look into Ohanian’s intriguing journey. We delve into his upbringing and early experiences that reflect his budding passion for technology.
From there, we elaborate on the birth and rise of Reddit, revealing Ohanian’s strategic decisions and resilience that propelled the site to its current global prominence. Beyond Reddit, we survey Ohanian’s entrepreneurial exploits, highlighting his ongoing affiliations with provocative start-ups, and his advocacy for an open internet and access to tech entrepreneurship education. Lastly, we unravel Ohanian’s life away from the boardroom, concentrating on his personal relationships, and philanthropic activities.
Early Life and Education
Alexis Ohanian was born on April 24, 1983 in Brooklyn, New York to Chris Ohanian, an Armenian-American whose ancestors were survivors of the Armenian Genocide, and Anke Ohanian, a German-born woman. Ohanian spent his early years in the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland, where he was raised with a strong emphasis on the importance of academics and hard work.
Growing Interest in Technology
From a young age, Ohanian showed an affinity for computers and technology. He began dabbling in programming and web design in his early teens, indicating an early interest and aptitude for the digital world. He spent countless hours creating his own websites and experimenting with early forms of social media. During his high school years, Ohanian’s hobby in technology morphed into a budding passion as he saw the growing potential of the internet and digital platforms.
Education and Influences
Ohanian graduated from Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland in 2001. He then decided to pursue higher education at the University of Virginia, where he majored in Commerce and minored in History. During his college years, Ohanian often spent his spare time on internet forums and discussion boards, getting invaluable first-hand experience of the online communities he would eventually help to shape.
While at university, he attended a lecture by Steve Huffman, a fellow student at the time and future co-founder of Reddit, which would significantly influence Ohanian’s career path. Huffman’s lecture, which highlighted the potential of internet entrepreneurship, inspired Ohanian to consider the possibility of launching a start-up of his own. At university, he further refined his programming and business skills, setting the stage for his future career as an internet entrepreneur.
Jumping into the World of Start-ups
Upon completing his degree at the University of Virginia in 2005, Ohanian and his university friend, Huffman, participated in the premier run of the Y Combinator, a start-up accelerator program. They pitched an innovative app idea named “My Mobile Menu”. Even though the initial concept was turned down, the founders of Y Combinator recognized something promising in both Ohanian and Huffman, inviting them to explore and conceive a new idea, which ultimately led to the birth of Reddit – a site that would later become a major player in the internet world.
The creation of the “front page of the internet” was something that Ohanian’s background had aptly prepared him for. His youthful fascination with technology, paired with his holistic learning background and deep comprehension of internet trends, all played a significant part in his journey towards becoming a successful internet entrepreneur, and in his seminal role in crafting Reddit.
Career Beginnings and Reddit
Alexis Ohanian: Seeds of a Genius
Born on April 24, 1983, in Brooklyn, New York, Alexis Ohanian was raised in the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland by parents of Armenian and German descent. He nurtured an early fascination with technology and the internet in this nurturing environment. Excelling both in studies and extra-curricular activities, he completed his high school education at Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland. His next academic venture was at the University of Virginia, where he pursued studies in management and history. This part of his life was crash-hot significant as he crossed paths with Steve Huffman, the person with whom he’d later co-found Reddit.
Inception of Reddit
While still a student at the University of Virginia, Ohanian and Huffman conceived the idea of creating a website that would become known as “the front page of the internet.” In 2005, during their senior year, Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman applied to the first class of Y Combinator, a seed accelerator program. Their initial idea for a mobile food ordering site “My Mobile Menu” was rejected, but Y Combinator’s co-founders, Paul Graham and Jessica Livingston, were impressed by the duo’s tenacity and teamwork, and encouraged them to come up with a new idea.
Their second proposal was Reddit, which was immediately accepted into the program. The co-founders began building Reddit in June 2005, funded by a Y Combinator’s seed funding of $12,000. The idea behind Reddit was to create a platform where users could share links and determine their relevance through upvotes and downvotes.
Development and Success of Reddit
Reddit was officially launched on June 23, 2005. The site quickly gained a following for its unique content and user-centric platform. Users could post links to content on the internet, other users could vote the content up or down, influencing the placement of the content on the site’s front page. Over time, Reddit became well-known for its open forum where users could discuss various topics, from news events to niche interests.
Ohanian’s role in Reddit was largely in dealing with marketing, public relations and users experience. His charismatic personality played a big part in Reddit’s community identity. Ohanian filled the site’s pages with useful, fun content and maintained an active role in coding and strategy decisions.
Reddit’s quick popularity drew the interest of Conde Nast, the media company which bought the company in 2006, just a year after its launch. Ohanian and Huffman then moved to San Francisco to work under the company. However, Ohanian left the daily operations of Reddit in 2010.
Challenges and Triumphs
Despite the success, Ohanian’s journey was not always smooth. The sale of Reddit to Conde Nast in 2006 while exciting, represented a loss of control. The subsequent years were challenging, as Ohanian and Huffman navigated the tensions of sustaining a website under new ownership.
However, the co-founders’ entrepreneurial spirit evident from their university days never left. In 2015, Ohanian returned to Reddit amid a rankling period of executive-level instability to serve as executive chairman, aimed at steering the ship through troubled waters. Under his leadership, Reddit has continued to flourish as one of the internet’s most popular websites.
From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of internet entrepreneurship, Alexis Ohanian’s journey epitomizes the trials and triumphs of the entrepreneurial spirit. His vision, relentless hard work, and stalwart commitment to the user experience have led him to carve an unassailable niche in the digital domain. As the co-founder of Reddit, one of the biggest platforms on the internet, Ohanian has etched his name solidly into the chronicles of American entrepreneurship.
Subsequent Ventures
Diversifying Entrepreneurial Horizons: Breadpig and Hipmunk
The tale of Alexis Ohanian’s entrepreneurial path didn’t end with Reddit. In 2009, he stepped away from Reddit and delved into new ventures. Breadpig, a unique online platform dedicated to geeks worldwide, was the first of these enterprises. It presents a trove of merchandise designed by innovative independent artists. In a heartfelt demonstration of support for creative minds and altruism, Breadpig redirects most of its profits back to the creators or charity organizations.
Return to Reddit: A Turnaround of Sorts
In 2015, Ohanian returned to Reddit, a company that, though successful, had seen its share of controversies. Ohanian’s return was not just symbolic; it signaled a new era for the platform. After his return, the site underwent a redesign, policies were updated to combat harassment, and new features were introduced to keep up with competitive social media platforms. Ohanian stepped down from Reddit’s board in 2020, advocating for his position to be filled with a black candidate as a response to the killing of George Floyd. His actions were seen as a powerful stand against racial inequality and bias.
Investments: Betting on the Future
Alongside these ventures, Ohanian has also made a series of investments through Initialized Capital, a venture capital firm he co-founded in 2012. The firm focuses on early-stage startups and to date, it has over $500M under management and has funded over 200 companies. The portfolio includes Instacart, Coinbase, Flexport, Ro, and Patreon among others.
Advocacy: Championing Open Internet and Tech Entrepreneurship Education
In addition to his entrepreneurial and investment pursuits, Ohanian has been a staunch advocate for the open internet. He played a prominent role in the protests against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). He co-founded the Internet Defense League, a group committed to organizing action against legislation that threatens internet freedom.
Ohanian has also used his platform to promote tech entrepreneurship education by creating and hosting a web series called “Small Empires.” The series focused on New York startups and aimed to highlight the startup culture and the entrepreneurial spirit.
Philanthropy: Gifting the Future
Ohanian joined the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by launching a national advertising campaign with AdQuick, his billboard business. The campaign offered up to $50,000 in media donation matched by AdQuick to help with the health crisis. Ohanian’s philanthropy also extends to charity work against poverty and his support for children’s hospitals and pet welfare.
From the very beginning of his career, Alexis Ohanian has exhibited a keen eye for spotting promising ideas and nurturing them into thriving businesses. Along the way, he has preached the virtues of ethical business practices, advocated for a free and accessible internet, and offered vital support to budding tech entrepreneurs. His life post-Reddit is a testament to his dedication to innovation, justice, and transparent communication online.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
About Alexis
Born on April 24, 1983, to parents Chris and Anke Ohanian in Brooklyn, New York, Alexis Ohanian has risen to prominence as a credible voice in the realm of online enterprise. In 2005, he graduated from the University of Virginia, holding degrees in both commerce and history. Alexis Ohanian’s name became widely recognized following the formation of Reddit, a social news aggregation website he co-founded, which was eventually sold to Conde Nast Publications in 2006.
On a more personal note, Ohanian shares his life with celebrated tennis player Serena Williams. The pair began their romance in 2015 after a chance encounter at a hotel in Rome. They were engaged a year later in December 2016 and got married in November 2017 during a lavish ceremony in New Orleans. Their daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., was born shortly before their wedding in September of the same year.
Of Armenian descent, Ohanian frequently speaks about his profound respect for his grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide. These familial ties and stories have instilled in him a tenacity and a strong sense of loyalty to his family.
Beyond his tech ventures, Ohanian’s interests are varied. His love for sports shines through, particularly for the professional football team, the Washington Redskins. This interest extends to the entertainment world, further diversifying his portfolio and reach.
Philanthropy and Social Contributions
Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Alexis Ohanian is known for his extensive philanthropic work. In 2010, he launched Breadpig, an incorporation that produces geeky items and gives the proceeds to charities. Some of its popular offerings have included merchandise for popular webcomics like “xkcd” and “Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal”.
Ohanian also actively uses his platform to advocate for the open internet, net neutrality, and women’s rights. He publicly supported the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act in 2011, and was instrumental in the 2012 online protests against these acts that resulted in their eventual defeat in Congress.
Ohanian’s commitment to social change is reflected in his investment strategy as well. In 2020, he resigned from Reddit’s board, urging the board to fill his shoes with a black candidate in an effort to combat racial disparity. Furthermore, he committed to using future gains from his Reddit stock to serve the black community, focusing primarily on curbing racial hate.
Additionally, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Ohanian donated thousands of masks to healthcare facilities, and actively supported various fundraising initiatives to provide aid to those affected by the pandemic.
In combination, Ohanian’s personal life and philanthropic acts reflect a figure who goes beyond his roles as an entrepreneur. From notable personal relationships to support for social causes, he presents an image of committed family man and a representative of social change in modern society.
Throughout the scope of Alexis Ohanian’s life, we witness a consistent pattern of intellectual curiosity, innovative thinking and an unwavering commitment to his principles. His journey from a student captivated by technology to the driving force behind Reddit offers a compelling lesson in the power of perseverance and ambition. Beyond his formidable entrepreneurial achievements, Ohanian’s personal life highlights his ability to balance his professional commitments effectively with his roles as a husband, father and committed philanthropist. His passionate advocacy for an open internet and technology education, his support of various start-ups, coupled with his dedication towards philanthropic endeavors, underscores his broader impact on society. Alexis Ohanian not only stands out as a defining figure in the tech world but also as a formidable contributor impacting the lives of many through his overarching initiatives.