Celebrating 25 Years of Insite

Imagine how good you'd be at something if you did it every day since 1998.

We Started Out In A Closet

In the buzz of the dot com boom, the Dallas Infomart became a hub and central sharing location for start-ups. Because Insite was started on a shoestring budget, our first office was a storage and server space of a friend's company. Two cardboard boxes with a piece of plywood became founder Adrienne Palmer's desk. Insite's first signage was a piece of paper taped to the storage room door (always left open for ventilation!)

One of Adrienne's former employees from her last company took a chance and joined the party. The Internet access technology at the time (T1 lines) would have cost far more than Insite could afford so a network cable was discretely strung through the drop-down ceiling tiles to get a connection.

Fortunately the team's passion to help companies steward this confusing time paid off and the business grew rapidly…adding another employee and then another. By the end of 1998, Insite literally "cut the cord" and got its own Internet connection, becoming self-sufficient.

"I feel a sense of pride in what Insite has become. The early days included moments I wanted to give up, and others that let me shout with joy. It wasn't perfect, mistakes were made. But I wouldn't want it any other way."

— Adrienne Palmer, Founder & Board Member

Insite's First Website 1998-2002

Insite's first website didn't have the benefit of the tools we have today, but it still was ahead of its time. With an online contact form and playable music, we were setting the standards! (And yes, we too cringe looking back at those colors.)

Oh, How The Times Have Changed

Technology is known for disruptions. Throughout the years, we've welcomed the pace of change and thrived in turning the unknown into a useful tool.

It's almost hard to imagine, but here are just some popular technologies that didn't exist in 1998 when Insite was founded: Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006), Apple iPhone (2007), Chrome Browser (2008), Airbnb (2008), Instagram (2010), and Zoom (2011).

Web standards we follow today have changed throughout the years, too. When Insite was started, best practices and user protections were still in the works or not yet thought about. As the landscape changed, the Internet community evolved as did Insite, adopting Responsive Web Design, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and the General Data Protection Regulation.

Insite Website 2002-2008

With our second design, we used the latest technologies of the day which included better coding techniques for layout and Macromedia's Flash. Adding fluid animation and interactivity was finally possible all within a web browser. Mind blowing, at the time!

Not Just Clients, But Partners

Insite would not be where we are today without the many successful partnerships we've had with our clients. Our first few clients included this impressive list of diverse partners. Many of their solutions would stand the test of time: Holly Corporation (Energy), Ylang 23 (Fashion Jewelry Retailer), Michael J. Fox Foundation (Parkinson's Research), and Travel Texas (State of Texas Tourism).

More notable partners from those early years include Anthony Travel, Cisco Systems, Empire Today, Empower African Children, Furr's Fresh Buffet, Jack Rogers, BNSF Railways & National Academy of Railroad Sciences, Slush Puppie, SMU Cox School of Business, and SMU Temerlin Advertising Institute.

Insite Website 2008-2014

After a logo refresh, we came up with a new design that had a cleaner, sleek look. We also began to celebrate what made Insite unique by showcasing our team members, being a certified woman owned business, and started adapting our site for smartphones.

It All Starts With Our Team

When you work this hard, it shouldn't feel like work. In 2000 and 2001, Insite was still a small but mighty team with company retreats to Key West and Mexico. Even a new client would be an opportunity to celebrate with a sense of awe and wonder. Elaborate scavenger hunts through Dallas ending at a client's office would be planned to surprise the team. That culture laid the foundation for who Insite is today and our team boasts of members celebrating their 20th year as Insiters!

Insite Website 2014-2023

In 2014, we updated our site to be brighter, more open, and fully responsive for devices of all sizes! While good usability was always top of mind, we began to focus on web accessibility as well to ensure our site was as inclusive as possible.

25 Years Later We're Focused On The Horizon

The pace of change is faster than it's ever been and only expected to speed up. With the evolution of new technology like AI, this time in our industry can be both daunting and exciting. We use our history and experience to balance extensible solutions that mitigate risk from the unknown, while pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Our team would like to thank our clients, families, friends, and everyone involved in Insite's success. We look forward to the next 25 years!

"Collaborating with our clients to make a real difference in their business is not just a job, it's a shared passion. That's why investing in our team and our partners' success remains our foundation for the future."

— Nicki Purcell, President