Appcast’s humble beginnings can be traced to the Upper Valley of New Hampshire, in an unassuming small town that doesn’t have the same name recognition as Silicon Valley. But, around a borrowed picnic table in an old warehouse, founder and CEO Chris Forman found himself surrounded by the same level of talent and passion that you can normally find in the tech capital. This dedicated team wasn’t afraid to roll up their sleeves to drive the company forward – and drive it forward they did.
As Appcast’s reputation as a trailblazer in programmatic technology grew, our team did as well, and offices were established across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Now the proud employer of over 550 employees, Appcast has transformed from a small group of passionate, nerdy, hard workers to a leading innovator in the recruitment marketing space.
We’ve asked members of the founding team to reflect on their accomplishments and memorable moments from the early days of uncertainty to today, where their contributions continue to power Appcast’s success.
From the very start, Trevor McGraw was eager to learn. He stayed true to the principle that hard work will drive results. Since starting at Appcast, he has held many positions and is now the Vice President of Gig.
Here’s what Trevor had to say about his history at Appcast:
What would you tell the person who you were 10 years ago to encourage them before their first day at Appcast?
It’s okay – and even good – not to know everything. It’s scary to jump into something new, but being inexperienced can be an advantage if approached with the right mindset. When you come at things with an open and curious mind, you learn fast and often find new and creative solutions that others may not see. If you can keep this attitude as you progress, that’s even better, because there will be many times when someone else has a fresh idea or perspective that may be impactful if you keep your mind open to it.
You don’t need to find a magic bullet. Most of your wins will come from being hard working, consistent, and persistent. If you wake up every day and do the work, good things will come. The best part about this is that just about anyone can work hard if they decide to; from there the rest will fall into place.
What moment(s) in the last ten years at Appcast have you been most proud of?
There are many moments that I have been proud of over the last 10 years, but one that sticks out from the early days at Appcast was landing the first meeting with an important customer in 2016. I’m proud of it not because of the impact that this customer has had on our business, or because I exhibited exceptional skill in getting the meeting (because I didn’t), but rather because of the amount of directed effort I put into it. I decided this was a company that needed to be our client, then I rolled up my sleeves to get it done. After 200+ calls, emails, and InMails, I finally got them to talk to me. That’s when it really clicked for me that being smart is helpful, but it doesn’t mean much without hard work.
How has Appcast impacted your life?
Appcast has had a huge impact on almost every aspect of my life.
On a personal level, Appcast gave me the opportunity to leave New York, where I felt adrift after college, and return to my roots in rural New Hampshire. Living here and having the stability of a good job has been foundational for my growth as a person and is the springboard from which I entered adult life. While here, I married my amazing wife, Elise, built a house, and had our first child, Elliott, in 2022 (and baby #2 will likely have arrived by the publication of this). In many ways, Appcast facilitated the realization of many of my goals and dreams.
On a professional level, while at Appcast, I’ve been fortunate to learn all about building, growing, and managing a business, and the different challenges and opportunities that are present during each stage of that journey. The skills I have and continue to learn are invaluable and will serve me well wherever life takes me.
Read more of our founder profiles on our 10-year anniversary page and join us in the year ahead as we continue to celebrate ten years of Appcast.
