For 25 years, Liquid Web has strived to help small businesses make money online. Join us in recognizing some of the Most Helpful Humans in Hosting® who have helped us get to where we are today.
Nick Campbell remembers his first day at Liquid Web. “It was 2006, and there was no formal training program. You got workstation hardware and were expected to build your system and install your favorite flavor of Linux on it without help,” he says. Everyone had high expectations for Campbell as he took over for a previous employee who had built Linux from scratch. “Phones were busier than usual, so I actually started taking support calls on my first day with no training.” When he started at Liquid Web, there were no real departments. “We were all expected to do everything, and we did so in rotations. So I like to say that I’ve done every job from Tech Support to unofficial COO—it’s true.”
But Campbell hasn’t always worked in tech. Born and raised in Lansing, his first job was working for AMC Movie Theaters. “I love movies, so it was the greatest—and worst paying—job I ever had. Being able to see free movies, take home memorabilia, and prank coworkers were a handful of the perks that made the job worthwhile.”
A tech career has offered Campbell a front-row seat to rapid change. “When I got my start in tech, dial-up was in decline but still a thing. The world had not yet met the iPhone,” he says. “It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come in such a short time.”
In his early days at Liquid Web, Campbell (who is now Senior Director of Security & Compliance) worked primarily 3rd shift support, a tight-knit group that had a lot of fun in between helping customers out. “I miss the electric scooter rides between DC1 and DC2,” Campbell says. “We used to ride them into DC2 all the way up to a customer’s server when we needed to reboot it. We also used to get to name a shared server if we built it, so there were quite a few back in the day that I built and named after pretty much every character from Futurama.”
What Campbell loves most about Liquid Web is that tech is always a challenge. “There is always a problem to solve fast and on your feet.” It’s the people and the mission, however, that have kept Campbell at Liquid Web for so many years. “Back in the day, I was responsible for many of the ‘above and beyond’ articles in the Wiki,” he says. “A customer would have a problem. We didn’t exactly support it, but I liked to solve problems, so I would figure it out. I have had the privilege of working with many amazing people over my tenure. The SecEng and OfficeIT teams now are an amazing group of hard-working individuals.”
For Campbell, there have been plenty of memorable office moments. “There were a lot of classic pranks that you can still find videos of,” he said. “One year, I rigged the phone system to change everybody’s phone ringer to ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley. That was a good one.” Campbell also once took apart somebody’s workstation when they were on vacation. “I completely stripped it down to components and neatly arranged them on their desk. Although to be fair, he did fill my desk with packing peanuts a few weeks prior when I went on vacation myself.”
His proudest accomplishment is that the company is what it is today thanks to work he’s been involved in or has influenced for almost 16 years. “I learn and grow from all of my interactions with my coworkers. I’ve had the great opportunity to work with a lot of interesting and talented people.”
Ironically enough, Campbell’s favorite way to spend a day is to unplug from technology. “I enjoy rustic or back-woods camping, preferably someplace where there isn’t a cellular signal,” he says. “I just like to get back to nature.”
What excites Campbell most about the future of Liquid Web is that the company shows no signs of resting on its laurels or accomplishments. “The customers’ needs are always changing, and I think we are keeping up with shifting demands very well.”
The Liquid Web Family of Brands has delivered software, solutions, and managed services for mission-critical sites, stores, and applications to SMBs and the designers, developers, and agencies who create for them for the last 25 years. Our world-class team of industry experts provide outstanding support and assistance 24/7/365.
Join us in celebrating 25 years of helping businesses grow with many more years to come!
