Today, I’m excited to announce that Thrive Themes is joining the Awesome Motive team led by Syed Balkhi.
This is a big step for Thrive Themes and the future of this company.
It’s a big milestone and as one of the founders, it sometimes still seems unreal to me that the company has grown as much as it has.
Paul and I launched the first Thrive Themes product (back then called “Thrive Content Builder”) all the way back in 2013. When we started, we were the almost perfect image of the scrappy startup: 2 guys working out of a garage…
…except there was no garage. We were working out of a little apartment that we shared.
Thrive Content Builder wasn’t our first product, but as soon as we launched it, we could tell that this one was different. There was more demand for it than for any other product we’d ever created. There was palpably more excitement around it, too.
We kept working on the plugin, started expanding the team, started adding new products and built what would eventually become Thrive Suite.
In the early years, I was the face of Thrive Themes in many ways. I even sometimes get recognized by strangers and they invariably know me as “the Thrive Themes guy”.
From the outside, it may have looked like I am Thrive Themes and Thrive Themes is me. But that is giving me far too much credit.
From my insider perspective, it has always been crystal clear: the story of Thrive Themes is not my story.
Even in the early years, the growth we experienced was only possible thanks to the team we started gathering. And the direction Thrive Themes grew in was only possible thanks to the enthusiastic, active and switched on crowd of customers and supporters we’ve always been blessed with.
Thrive Themes grew fast. Sometimes almost too fast. And along the way, I learned that I’m quite good at building a scrappy little startup, but I’m rather rubbish at managing a team of 50+ people.
That’s why delegation was the name of the game, for many years. My work was about finding people who are better than me at various things and helping them take over my roles in the company.
And soon, there were no more roles to replace. It’s with great pride that I say that my involvement in Thrive Themes has been minimal in the last 2+ years.
This team consists of people who can do everything I can do, but better. So much so that I’ve considered my role in Thrive Themes to be “Nr. 1 Fan” for quite some time now.
Today, I’m officially and fully stepping out and handing the reins over to Awesome Motive.
With a transition like this come many questions, so let me take a moment to answer them.
Who is Awesome Motive?
Awesome Motive is a company started by Syed Balkhi of WPBeginner fame. Their mission is to help small businesses grow and compete with the big guys – which has always been our kind of thing at Thrive Themes, as well.
Even if you’ve never heard of Awesome Motive before, you’ve almost certainly seen or used some of their products.
They’re behind some of the most popular plugins and resources in the WordPress space, including:
Syed Balkhi, the founder of Awesome Motive, is perhaps the most skilled entrepreneur in the WordPress space and I doubt there’s anyone with more experience or know-how when it comes to running, growing and improving a business like Thrive Themes.
We also share one key value: putting people first.
Of course, every company says they care about their people and their customers, but anyone who has worked closely with Thrive Themes or with Awesome Motive knows: for us, this is not just lip service.
As you can probably see now, this is a core reason why I decided to take the step of passing on ownership of Thrive Themes. I believe that the best thing I can do for the growth of this company as well as for the team and the customers is to put it into the best hands in the market.
What Does This Change Mean for Existing Users?
First, let me tell you what it doesn’t mean:
Yes, the owners of Thrive Themes are changing, but for the most part, it will be business as usual.
Like I mentioned before, I’ve been watching Thrive Themes from the sidelines for a long time anyway. So my stepping away changes nothing on that front. And the team – the people who have brought you all of our amazing products, features, upgrades and content – they stay the same.
Brad will be leading the Thrive Themes team, with the support and mentorship of Syed Balkhi, to continue delivering the level of value you’re used to from us. This too, is not a change in any way since Brad was going to take on this leadership role anyway, after proving himself over the many years he’s worked with us.
It will still be the same people building the products, and the roadmap we laid out for 2023 and beyond won’t change because of this acquisition.
What the change of ownership means is that Thrive Themes is now integrated in a larger family of products and companies, and the team has access to a rich pool of expertise and experience.
Awesome Motive will help Thrive Themes grow better and faster than before and I’m sure you’ll see some of this starting to play out soon.
Thank You
Whenever I think about Thrive Themes, how far we’ve come and what may come next, I always arrive at the same emotion: gratitude.
I can’t express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to build a company like this. How grateful I am for the people I met and worked with through this company. For the countless memories I have of difficult times and good times. I’m thankful for our customers, who made all of this possible and who have generally been a delight to work with.
As a founder, this has been an adventure for me and it was never just a job. I’m grateful that I get to say: for many years, this was my life.
Yes, this sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth. Ask some of the team members who’ve been around for a while, and they’ll probably remember me choking up while trying to express just how grateful I am during one of our team meetings.
Equally, I’m grateful to be able to acknowledge that the company outgrew me and to have found who I think of as the perfect new owner for Thrive Themes.
And so, when I try to think of how to end this blog post in the most appropriate way possible, all I can think of is:
Thank you.
Thank you!! For who you are, and showing up, sharing, inspiring and I’m wishing you the best on your new adventure 😀
Thank you very much, Maroeska!
Sorry to learn you are stepping down. Not altogether surprised given the recent personnel changes and your new venture Ikario. All the very best for the future.
Thank you for your support!
Congratulations, Shane! Looking forward to hearing about your upcoming endeavours with ikario or whatever comes after that!
Thank you, Jan!
Shane, thank you for your role, energy, time and passion in building a product and company that truly serve the world and makes it easier for small business owners to start, grow and succeed.
I’ve been with ThriveThemes from its early days and the continuous improvement alongside stability has been amazing.
It also speaks volumes of the maturity of your leadership to determine when the step aside because you want what’s best for your employees, customers and the vision of both your company and yourself.
I’ll be continuing to cheer for you in whatever comes next.
Wishing you all the very best and once again – thank you.
Thank you very much for your kind words, Gregory. That means a lot.
Thank you for the reassuring article Shane! Best of luck for your future plans. Vahn
Thank you, Vahn! Best of luck to you as well. 🙂
Thanks Shane! You and your team deliver a great product, great training and are reasonably priced. With a little effort, I’m getting all the value at a much more expensive $2400/year Kajabi membership. Congrats on your success and best wishes on your next ventures!
Thank you, that’s good to hear!
Congratulations Shane. It has indeed been a wild ride with the business going from strength to strength, developing incredible plugins, becoming a leader in the WP sphere. You’re a true inspiration to others. Thank you for everything.
Thank you, Chris!
What a tremendous piece of writing. And what a tremendous leader you are. Many congratulations on what you’ve achieved. Looking forward to the continuing brilliant service and products from your team. Meanwhile, much love and respect, and good luck with the next stage for you.
Thank you so much, Lysette! You’re too kind, really.
That’s hard!First Hanne and now you. You two have been the face of Thrive Themes for me and I really liked you both. The way you presented your products, ideas, videos etc. was great and the way you behaved as human beings was even greater.
Hope this will remain within the new company and the will take your spirit over. Thanks Shane & Hanne! Wish you all the best.
Thank you for your kinds words, Jörg!
Ditto!!!
Congratulations for a very long innings Shane. I guess I was one of your first customers having bought Thrive Content Builder on 11th Feb 2014 (perfectly timed for a small agency I set up and which is still going strong today along with everything Thrive Themes). I wish you the very best for the future and look forward to seeing what Awesome Motive bring to the table.
Thank you for your support through all those years, Quentin!
Congratulations to you! I’ve been a member since 2015 and wouldn’t change a thing regarding my decision to remain with you all over the years. I’ll be following your next chapter. Great luck!
Since 2015! Wow, you’ve seen many changes here over the years. Thank you for sticking it out with us through it all!
Thank you very much Shane for creating and developing such a great company with wonderful dedicated people in it. As a customer I’ve always felt appreciated. I truly hope that the nature of Thrive Themes will continue to thrive within Awesome Motive. Best wishes and good luck!
Thank you for your supportive words!
Dear Shane, I wish you all the best for your Future! Thank you for the amazing products you helped to bring to us with starting thrive content builder which I already loved all these years ago. I am also glad to hear that the long term comitment will be honored with the new owners! Would be shame to change this thrive characteristic!
Thank you, Petra!
Thanks so much for all you’ve done! You will be missed. Best wishes on your new adventure.
Thank you, Lynda!
Man I’ve been with you since Hybrid Connect! Sad to see you go.
Thank you for sticking with us through all this time! I really appreciate that!
I’ve been with you for a long, long time – I am not worried about this transition at all. You’ve done a really great job with developing ThriveThemes to where it is now, and I wish you all the best in the future. 🙂
Thank you so much for your support and kind words, Clairre
Thank you Shane, however it will not be the same product without you. When you were in charge – everything was better and was working without any bugs. Already now is different. It won’t be any better, because nobody puts as much heart in it as you did. All the best to you!
Thank you for your kind words! I hope you’ll be proven wrong, of course. 🙂
Thank you for putting out these amazing products over the years! The WP community will miss you
Thank you, Joey!
I started with TCM in 2015 and have loved Thrive ever since. So, I wish the team well. You have built a fabulous business which the founders and staff should take great pride in. Thank you.
But I do worry that AM’s business model is very different – each tool priced separately, and at high prices with time limited discounts. These are two things TT avoided and were so much better than the competition for it.
I do hope that Syed learns from Thrive the value of your commercial model, but I fear that, in 3 years’ time, we’ll see each part of the Thrive suite priced separately. And the prices will be showing at excessive rack rates, with time-pressure discounting.
I realy do hope I am proven wrong and look foolish.
Thank you for your comment, Mike!
Pricing changes may happen and may need to happen (unfortunately we all have to keep up with inflating costs, somehow), but I believe that it won’t be predatory. And the product quality and support quality always comes first.
Thanks for the the leadership, creativity and stewardship. This handoff sounds wonderful. The new owner is a gem in the marketplace and while he has big shoes to fill in the hearts and minds of the loyal TT users, I think he is up for the tasks.
You and H are going to be missed. I guess there are tutorials on YouTube we can watch. 🙂
But, this announcement leaves us hanging as to what’s next for you — in and outside of your mythical garage spaces.
Peace. Bravo! Thanks again.
Thank you for your supportive words, Mark! And thanks for being an active Thrive Themes member and reader. We couldn’t have made it without people like you.
He’s been at this for a few years already: https://ikario.com/. Good stuff! I’m sure other things will happen.
I’m Hybrid Connect OG and Thrive has changed my life! Thanks for everything you’ve done and congrats on a successful exit ????
Haha, no way! Hybrid Connect feels like a lifetime ago.
Thank you for your support though all of these years, Mike.
Thanks Shane for building a great team and delivering awesome products. Best of luck to you in your future ventures. It’s so “Thrive” that you have thought about the users and things like the grandfather deal when finding a buyer for the business. Thank You and Keep being great.
Thank you for your kind words, Michael.
First Hanne, now you. I sincerely hope that what you have described in this blog post is not just a PR change to be communicated outwardly, but will indeed be so in the future. Unfortunately, I have seen many businesses go bust in the past after a change of ownership. To me, the name of who bought it says nothing, as you wrote. You were the face of Thrive, you and Hanna delivered the training. I hope Christine does not come to the same conclusion.
I am sorry this is happening, although I obviously understand why you made such a business and financial decision.
I hope Thrive Themes remains what it has been because we need it.
From the outside, it may seem like that, but the 2 changes have nothing to do with each other and both were a long time coming.
Hanne stepped out to start a family, which has nothing to do with Thrive Themes in that sense. It was a personal decision, which we all support her in. And the transition to a new owner was more than a year in the making as well. The change only looks sudden from the outside.
Shane, I am not a current client of Thrive Themes but have come to respect your knowledge and integrity over the years. Congratulations on this new development and I agree that you have found a perfect leader for the continuing growth and success of Thrive Themes. Thanks to you and the Thrive Teams.
Thank you, Douglas!
Congrats and thank you for this message and for the incrédule products you issued.
I hope that I’m going to be able to explore and take benefit of all their capabilities and features … but it’s a enormous and ever growing work !
Thank you, Jean-Luc!
Thank you Shane for creating such an amazing products!
I hope this change doesn’t affect the awesomeness of Thrive Themes.
Only in positive ways, I’m sure. 🙂
I will miss you. I love the way you present things and I love your humble spirit. I wish you the very best and hope you’ll do well at what you will do from now on as well, and that this is not the last time we see something from you.
When it comes to Thrive Themes I hope growing bigger does not mean that the solutions you have will grow more complicated. For me who definitely is not a tech person – that’s only something I have to do in order to do what I love to do – I really hope the simplicity of things will remain. It’s complicated enough as it is already.
Thank you very much, Aase. The aim is always less complicated – more powerful. I don’t think that will change. 🙂
Oh my! Let me be honest: I am about to cry. I had several experiences with Monsterinsights and do not like working with them. I am very afraid that your great support will not continue.
Over the last years I grew to a big fan of the entire Thrive Team and always felt safe for my website to work. Let’s pray that they can catch on to that.
To Shane:
I really appreciate your work so much. You built a trusted brand with so much energy and I was always impressed how you manage your team.
Your videos always inspired me in various ways so to make it short: “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”
Wish you all the best for your next adventure.
Thank you so much, Christine! Your words really mean a lot. And I am sure that the work the team will continue to do will make you feel better about all this. Maybe some trust has to be re-earned, but they will do it.
You’re a HERO. Amazing what you have accomplished. Wishing you all the best in life to come.
Thank you very much, Frank!
Thanks for the wonderful product and company you built and best wishes on your next adventure ????
Thank you, Christa!
Dear Shane
Thanks for the note, and thanks for Backlink Battleplan (was that it’s name)? That’s when I first came upon one of your products!
All the best
No way, another Backlink Battleplan OG! I really had no clue where all of this would lead, back then. 🙂
You were the reason that I signed up for Thrive Content Builder back in 2014 and I have been a fan of yours since then. If you say that this is good me as a user – I trust you!
Good luck with everything going forward ????????
Thank you, Birgir! Really grateful for you sticking with us through all these years!
Thank YOU, Shane!
A great entreprenuer and “teacher” (I always love your videos!) gives his most loved “baby” into the hands of someone he seems to fully trust regarding the future well-being of the company that he founded and developed so successfully.
So, as a convinced Thrives user/customer I can only with you all the best for your personal future, and I will also try to end my little post in the most appropriate way – in fact in the very same way as I started it:
Thank YOU!
Thank you for your support and your encouraging words, Michael!
I have been A Thrive Suite owner for about five or six years. When I watched your tutorials, I thought your style of presenting was so natural and authentic that I became fully engaged and consequently a Thrive Themes advocate. Even though I haven’t seen your videos for over two years, to this day when I think of Thrive Themes I think of you.
Thank you Shane, I wish you the best in all you do.
Thank you so much, Michael!
10 yeas ago I started using Thrive Content Builder. From that moment on, I decided to use only ThriveThemes products to build our customer’s funnels and websites.
During these years, tutorials from Hanne and Shane were the most viewed by my colleagues and me. You were just like a sort of friends to me 🙂
Hearing about your departure is hard to accept, but I’m sure you are leaving us in good hands.
I wish you all the best!
Ciao
10 years! Thank you for being with us through all of that time, Fabio!
Thank you, Shane. Since becoming a customer of Thrive Themes back in 2018 I’ve been really impressed with the consistent progress.
I would also like to thank you personally for your online course content. Your advice has led to some amazing results. Sad to see you go, but you can be proud of the many achievements. Good luck with whatever you do next!
Thank you, Jonathan! Very happy to see that you have implemented ideas from my courses and gotten results! That’s always really rewarding to hear about. 🙂
Thank you Shane! Any other projects you’re working on?
I’ve been working on a project called ikario for a while and also on a few micro brands here and there…
Hello Shane,
You’ve done a great job with Thrive Themes and before you ‘disappear’ my conscience would like you to read the following:
I’ve had a note to contact you since you posted the ActiveGrowth video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbLgg3AogRY&t=10s
I believe you are a passionate and compassionate person with personal beliefs and subconscious conditioning that make you take on a lot of responsibility which overwhelms you and the people you work with. There are probably many layers to this and resolving it is step by step exercise and too personal to talk about here. It’s not a bad quality but the lack of delegation could prevent growth.
This is the reason why I’ve had a note in my diary and tasks list to contact you since the video about 4 years ago. I literally moved the task last night to 8th Feb 2023. I haven’t been in contact as I’ve been busy managing my own challenges. However on reading about the merger, I thought I get this to you as I may not have an opportunity to contact you.
If anyone reads this comment before Shane, please point him here.
May you Shane and the rest of the Thrive Themes carry on creating awesome products with the awesome service and may we all prosper and be well on our journey in life.
Best wishes,
Bharat
Thank you, Bharat!
I think you hit the nail on the head. I do tend to take on too much responsibility. I’ve definitely suffered from that and so have people I work with, perhaps.
Gives me something to think about…
Thank you very much for all you’ve done Shane!! Been a customer since the beginning of Content Builder and love the way you build and expanded this software and the company! Good luck on your new adventures.
Thank you for being along on this ride for so many years, Victor!
I’ll miss not only you but also Hanne.
The way you teach is so simple and easy to follow. Add to that, you guys built a great a suite of product. I wish you all the best in what the future brings.
Thank you, Tola!
Thank you Shane Melaugh
I can feel the emotions in your words. Likened to having your first child go off to school for the first time 🙂
I am sure Thrive will continue to grow from strength to strength. However, I wanted to let you know that whatever you choose to do now, there may well be another winner somewhere down the line! A great forward thinker, I thoroughly enjoyed this blog!
Take care of yourself and keep safe
Thank you so much, Jannett. It’s really touching to read a comment like yours.
I will confess, I am afraid a bit 😀 In my eyes Thrive always seemed a non-traditional business – no BS, products working great, approachable price, awesome support. I hope that doesn’t change 😀
Don’t be scared! 😀 Be excited
I honestly doubt it will. Awesome Motive run their operation very similar to how we’ve done things – maybe just a bit less disorganized than me. 😉
I really hope this won’t change the quality of the products!
Only for the better, I’m sure.
Thank you, Shane, for your vision and for your dedication to create Thrive. You and Paul have accomplished something amazing and memorable. Your products have been the cornerstone of my web presence for ten years, now. Wow!
I hope that Syed and his team understand, and indeed take advantage of, the integrated strength that Thrive offers.
Thrive is not simply a collection of plugins and services. It is a unique workflow exclusively dedicated to conversion, and to optimizing both the developer and the customer experience.
Rather than absorbing Thrive, I am hoping that Thrive’s products become the template and the footprint for what Awesome Motive can now offer its customers.
In essence, although you are being acquired, what would be really great from a functional point of view is if the “little fish swallows the big fish,” lol.
Best of luck to you in your future endeavors! You have left an indelible mark on my business and the way in which I approach making websites.
That is really high praise! Thank you very much, John.
Thank YOU Shane! You built something incredible in TT and I’m so grateful to you. All best wishes for the future
That’s kind of you to say. Thank you, Abigail.
Big thank you back Shane, for being part of creating the amazing products in Thrive suite. Wishing you all the best for the future and looking forward to see your next scrappy little startup!
I’m very happy you’re leaving us in good hands and am excited to see where this will lead us!
Thank you, Gita!
Thank you as well, Shane, for your great work at Thrive Themes. You’ve built up the company to an impressive suite of tools that is helping many people run their business. I trust that Thrive will be in good hands with the new owners. Wishing you the best of luck in your future career, take care!
Thank you, Michiel!
It’s not everyday that you find a business that you can truly trust. You’ve helped Thrive Themes be one of those rare, shining stars. Best wishes to you in all you do!
Thank you very much!
Thank you for the amazing job you’ve done, Shane. I use Syed’s WPForms so I know you’ve placed ThriveThemes in good hands. Thank you for the lovely hand-over letter to reassure us all. Wishing you the very best of everything. Cheers, Thea
Thank you, Thea!
I am extremely happy for you! I have been with you and a customer since the birth of your company. We met in Las Vegas even before Thrive was a thing with James Jones. It’s been awesome to watch Thrive Grow into such an amazing company! You deserve all this and more!
Haha, damn! That’s a long time ago…
Crazy how far we’ve come since then. Thank you very much for your kind words!
This is completely unacceptable. Undo it immediately.
I kid, of course. Exiting a business is always a sweet & sour ordeal. I know you must be going through a lot Shane, so I want to wish you the best in everything you do from now on.
We owe you a LOT for developing such an awesome suite of tools. They’ve been really helpful and thousands of businesses wouldn’t be where they are without your software.
Congratulations and godspeed!
Haha, thank you Miguel. It is bittersweet for sure, but I also feel lucky to have had the opportunity to build something like this and to have the opportunity to step away when the time feels right for it.
Wow, yes, I saw that coming -of course- like many others. I am in since 2013 with the first plugins and the first version of the Content Builder… with tokens and stuff… I am also a fan, Shane. When we develop new sites, and I hire developers for building the site, they have to do it with the Thrive Suite. My motto was and will be: I don’t want to be dependent on anybody and this is what I wish our customer the same!
I always could hold to that promise and I hope this is the continuous case for the future.
I thanks you for everything and wish you all the best in the future, Shane!
Thanks again.
Warm regards,
Tom
Wow, 2013… crazy that we’ve been at it for so long already, eh?
Thank you for all your support over the years, Tom!
Hey Shane, I´m shocked! I´m a Grandfather member since 2016-04. I always thought YOU are Thrive Themes. And yes, like Jörg says: the way you presented all was great and the way you behaved as human being was even greater. Thank you, Shane and thank you Hanne!! Best wishes and be happy!
Thank you for your trust in us for all this time, Mathias!
I love Thrive Themes. It’s great to have every resource an online marketer needs all in one place all because of you and the team you have built. I have great trust in Syed because I’ve gotten many great recommendations from WPbeginner. It’s a little bit sad of course, that you’re leaving. I feel like we’re watching you and your men hang on that cross all over again Spartacus… er, I mean Shane. A big thank you from me as well.
Best of luck in whatever you want to do next.
Thank you, Dave! This was always to goal with Thrive Themes. To create the kind of resource I wish I had had as a small startup founder. 🙂
I wish you all the best as well.
Thanks. To you, and to Hanne too. For being human in a difficult world. And for remembering it, always (I think), throughout those thriving years of incredible development. Good luck to you. 🙂
Thank you, Corinne!
Congratulations Shane. The company may well have outgrown you but what got it to where it is today is the culture that you fostered along the way.
Few tech providers have earned my trust like you have and even though you’ve had a back seat in recent years, the team has clearly been operating with some Shane Melaugh DNA in their thinking.
I know Brad is a product of that culture so hope that the new owners will let the Thrive team do what they do best.
My best wishes to you and I’ll finish as you did… Thank YOU!
Thank you, Brett!
I have absolute trust in Brad and his ability to keep fostering that culture. And I also trust that Awesome Motive will be smart enough to let Brad do his thing. 😉
What is next? Will you create a new product? I have really appreciated your business startup and marketing courses.
Thank you, Dan!
New products, new businesses may come at some point. At the moment I am on a quest for self improvement and learning how to create growth experiences for people.
I have always had a drive to learn and teach and want to pursue that more deeply.
I’m so happy for you Shane. I have been an avid supporter and evangelist of Thrive since 2015 but when I think about why I’ve been so willing to share Thrive Themes with other people it’s that I can FEEL the passion in the company. You were always vulnerable about the challenges, and clear about the future. I have continued to follow your journey in the last 2 years and am still learning a lot. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world. Thank you for knowing who you are and who you are not.
Thank you, Amanda! That really means a lot.
Thank you for all Shane, you are a legend!
QUESTION:
Thrive University will be kept like it is?
Thank you, Josè! Yes, TU will remain. 🙂
Congratulations Shane!
My first encounter with one of your products was Hybrid Connect which later got improved, renamed and converted to Thrive Leads and since then I have been a customer of Thrive themes.
I have always felt that you guys were different which was one of the primary reasons for me switching to Thrive Architect from Optimizepress.
This change is something I will now be watching with curiosity and skepticism. Irrespective of whatever one says or, feels, two people and their philosophies, especially when it comes to a business can never be the same.
While I know Syed is an amazing entrepreneur, I will still be a little skeptical on how this change will impact Thrive themes overall.
Regards
Thank you for being with us for so many years! That really means a lot to me.
Wow… just wow. Did not expect that for my Monday morning. Very bittersweet. Happy for you Shane as you have built an incredible business and deserve all of the success.
However I can not imagine someone I would NOT want you to sell your business to more than Syed. When I read that name my heart sank. The way he treats is customers is the opposite of the Thrive Themes culture. You have always under charged and under promised and over delivered, and Syed over charges and under delivers. You have always rewarded loyalty. Syed takes loyal customers and charges them twice as much on year two. There is NOTHING about the culture of Thrive Themes and Syed that is symbiotic.
I write this maybe in hopes that Syed’s team will see it and find a way to adopt the culture of Thrive in Syed’s empire. They should hire Shane and Hanne as consultants to turn THEIR business culture around because Syed is one of the few WP businesses I refuse to work with.
I’ve been an exclusive Thrive user for probably 5 years+ at this point. I’ve been an ambassador and sent countless people to this product. Syed better go on a spiritual retreat and get his heart values changed before he screws this up for all of us. Thrive Themes is one of the greatest services I have ever used in my online business career. I just hope and pray it doesn’t change.
I’m sorry to hear that you feel this change is not a good move. I do hope that the future direction of the company will assuage those fears.
Thank you for being with us on this journey so far, Jeremy!
Congratulations! I’m guessing that selling the company was a difficult choice. However I’d also guess that the rewards you gained from creating such a wonderful and helpful product and valuable company are gratifying. Good luck in all your future endeavors.
It was a very difficult choice, no question about it. But I also believe it was the right choice. Onwards and upwards!
Shane, thank you for letting me be part of your journey. I can attest I have become a better marketer by watching you and learning from you. You have been an immense figure in my marketing journey.
Thanks to you and Hanne for all these amazing years of valuable knowledge and empowering.
All the best always.
That’s really nice to hear! Thank you!
Congratulations, Shane (and Hanne) of course. Very well executed. I love TT so much, that I cannot imagine working with something different when it comes to WP (maybe that’s why I have been with you since 2016).
I also remember the good ole days before Thrive (what was that product called again, Hyperconnect??) and the announcement that you are now diving into “WordPress Themes” 😉
I hope that the new owners recognize what an awesome business this is with a very loyal customer base that does free promotion for TT day in day out.
As I have been a Shane fan for nearly a decade, I wonder if there is any place where we can follow future endeavors because I would assume, people like Shane, cannot retire that early 🙂 I already missed your videos and blog posts, let’s see if something new comes around.
Ah yes, I remember that announcement as well. It was really only through the active back and forth communication with customers like yourself that this idea formed and Thrive Themes started.
So thank you very much for being part of this journey!
I am hooked to Thrive T from 2016 on and its development accelerated every year more and more. Amazing. But that’s not what touches me. Your way of communicating, presenting and creating your team, that Shane way, makes TT nearly feels as family for me. As others mention, I hope that spirit and DNA will stay at the core. And although I aspected a move like this, still it is a shock you and Hanna seeing go. I am curious to your next episode, maybe a zendojo? Wish you good times and a joyfull life. Gratefull for all you have given I thank you.
Thank you for your kind words. I wish you all the best as well!
Thanks for all you’ve done with Thrive. I’ve always enjoyed your videos, both Thrive related and productivity related. I still look for you on YouTube. You have great insight and so much to give.
Thank you very much, Maurice!
Knowing this is the last Shane Email i have to move from promotions to inbox is very sad.
All things come to an end. It was really a pleasure to be able to build this company. Thank you for being part of it.
Well earned! I just hope you guys negotiated the lifetime subscription pricing with them. Lol! Really, this product helps my little small business appear legit!
Thank you, Cheryna!
I just read the entire Post! Thanks for all you have done to deliver such great customer care…even on your exit! Whatever next great thing on the horizon for you… Well Earned my friend.. well Earned!
Thank you, Chernya!
Shane,
Thank you and the whole Thrive Themes family. I really hope that the business change is for the best of all.
I truly hope that Hanne, Brad and all the fantastic people in your team, continue developing Thrive Themes to the next level.
You have me as a loyal customer, for sure. Actually, I am currently working on the final migration for my WP Blog, which consists on changing my theme from Genesis to Thrive Themes Theme Builder.
One question:
Will the online courses and all of the Thrive Themes University content remain available for us?
Other than that, I can only say thank you for your help, guidance and leadership in the industry.
Wishing you all the best. Please do keep in touch, just don’t disappear.
Best regards.
I can’t stop thinking about this major change, I am still processing it.
I am afraid It’s not going to be the same, it won’t be.
Hey Luis, yes of course— Thrive University and its courses will remain. We have no reason to change that, though Shane won’t be involved in creating any more, of course.
I understand your concerns, but I trust that the future is, if anything, brighter after this change. And yes, like Brad mentioned, all the Thrive University material will remain available to you.
Thanks Shane. Thrive is awesome and am sorry to see you go. Take care and enjoy your journey
Thank you, Chris!
Thank you for making Thrive themes.
It has served me for so very long. 🙂
I hope the new owners impresses us even more with a wonderful welcome bonus. 🙂 wink wink.
I hope you’ll continue to be impressed! 🙂
I don’t know where I would be today without you and Hanne. Thanks so much to both of you. Shane, I wish you luck!
It was truly a pleasure! Thank you and all the best to you too, Stefan.
Thank you Shane and wish you all the best.
Thank you, Vincent!
Congratulations, Shane. A transition like this is only natural and well-earned for you and Paul.
Having been an agency customer from the very beginning, I can say your products have made my life and my clients a joy to create and edit websites, even with the growing pains of a new product, your team was always there to help out.
I hope your next venture fulfills you and I’m sure I’ll see you around on the web.
I’m happy to hear that and thank you for sticking with us through said growing pains.
Thank you Shane, its been a great ride with you but I guess its time for you to go and sit on a beach somewhere for awhile 🙂
Something along those lines, yes. 😀
Thanks for creating Thrive Themes. The software has changed the lives of a lot of entrepreneurs – including mine. Good luck in your future endeavors!
That is very good to hear. That was always the goal!
Wow… congratulations on passing on the reins, Shawn! Although I won’t lie – I am sad to hear this news. You and Hanne have been my go-to for so many things beyond just incredible ‘templates’ – which is where I started with Thrive in my last business (which I closed the doors on after a decade, but have remained with Thrive Themes as the constant biz growth tool).
Not only have you created incredible tools, but your delivery of this product and service has elevated and simplified the way I desire to show up in my business too. An excellent example of powerful simplicity. Best wishes in whatever adventures lay ahead. You will definitely be missed.
Welcome, Sayed! May success and growth be abundant for everyone you touch.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jennifer!
You’re welcome, and it’s all true, Shane, lol.
PS – I typo above (not Shawn, omg… the horror when I saw it – I had already pressed submit, lol). Onward!
Best of luck to you, Shane. I’ve really enjoyed watching just about every video you’ve put out. I hope to still see you on YouTube from time to time sharing your immense wisdom. Thanks for thinking of us long-time users as well.
Thank you for your kind words, Eric!
Very sad day for me. I loved your style of training and thinking. YOU are the reason I have stayed with Thrive Themes. Good luck with all of future dreams. Hope to see you down the road.
Thank you, Jim!
Shane,
I’ve been a member since the very beginning. You will definitely be missed! The hardest part is for them to going to be replacing the TRUST factor I had with you, along with the great support and innovation you brought us. You are a one-of-a-kind talent and I will be most interested to follow your next step. Thank you so much for such a great product over the years, and all the best to you—it’s been a wonderful ride, my friend!
David
Thank you for your long standing loyalty, David!
I think I’ve been a customer between 6 and 7 years … and I’ve got to say, I’ve got alarm bills ringing in my head. I’ve been with Shane almost from the beginning, and the only reason I’ve brought every bit of my business over to him, is the ethos of HIS company.
I decided just this year not to renew with Opt-in Monster and instead go with Thrive Themes for everything, and now I’m finding out the company that owns it is buying Thrive. Well okay then. Two competing products under the same roof. Definitely sounds like a good idea to me. :/ Which one will they update and put their resources into? We don’t know that.
I don’t know who this new guy is but WP Beginner is a site that may have been useful years ago, but it’s as far as I can tell, it isn’t updated regularly. It’s an ad money making machine IMHO. I stopped using it for WordPress help years ago because it’s largly out of date when I click. No offense intended.
I’m not renewing with Opt-in Monster because frankly their service isn’t great, Thrive’s is better. I can’t tell you the last time I got a customer email from them; the answer is almost never.
This feels like selling out to big corporate and I do feel blindsided by Shane. I’m sorry I’ll just say it. I wish him well, and I hope his ethos is honored because honestly… I’ll believe it when it happens.. I wish dear Hanae the best, but now Shane too.. ????????
I understand your concern, but Thrive Themes will still be run by the same people. And there won’t be a choice between OM and TL when it comes to what gets developed and what doesn’t.
Stick around and see how it plays out. After all, the proof is always in the pudding.
A bit sad to read this….
I sounds silly… but I am emotionally attached to this brand and I was one of the hot traffic users in the thrive-funnel 😉
I know you since the active growth era and I listened to your podcast with Hanne and you are like a kind of an online digital mentor with all the personal growth stuff you are doing before and now with ikario.
Let me tell you this: you made a difference to a lot of humans here. User of WordPress and in the personal development field.
Thank you Shane.
That’s very nice to hear and thank you for being a customer and listener and reader. Making a difference is pretty much the only thing I care about, so thank you very much for this.
I have many concerns. As I built a business around Thrive I’m not very excited about this news. It may not be immediate, but changes will be coming and the big question will be “Will they be for the better or worst?”.
I’ll be optimistic but highly skeptical.
I hope that your cautious optimism will turn into full blown excitement soon. 🙂
Shane, you have been the “face” of Thrive-everything from the time I got addicted, and I for one will truly miss you! Your videos were a perfect blend of content, practical application, and unique personality! I am waiting with bated breath hoping you are correct in saying things will not change, only get better! I love, love, love your products, and hope the company continues to be such an incredibly customer-focused group! Thanks for all you have done to bring non-techies like me into the tech world with ease and grace! Best wishes for extraordinary success!
Thank you so much, Cher! I am sure that the Awesome Motive guys will prove me right and take Thrive Themes to a new level. And I can’t wait to see it myself.
I can not believe it! I have been your customer long before Thrive Themes existed, probably bought all of your products ever created. Thank you very much for that and especially for being fair and trustworhy person. I have learned so much from you. I wish you good luck and all the best in the future. I am sure we will miss you. And again: thank you!
Thank you so much, Matej! I can’t express what it means to me to have had the support from people like you, all through my winding journey (even before Thrive Themes). I’m really grateful.
Thank You Shane for your vision and hard work in making Thrive Themes what it is today. I’ve been with you for a long time… I started with your Viral Quiz Builder (not Thrive), then I ordered a single theme in 2015 “Pressive” and quickly upgraded to the Thrive Themes Membership and been with you ever since. You have inspired me in so many ways through your software, courses, and content not only with Thrive, but I follow you on Active Growth and Ikario because that’s how much I mess with you. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors and I’ll be secretly stalking you wherever you go lol. I hope the new owners have as much integrity and grace as you have, but I’m sure you chose the best people you could to take over because that’s the type of person you are!
Thank you so much for your support and your kind words, Latrice!
It really means the world to me.
Thanks for the opportunities you created in my life and for my customers.
It has always been a pleasure and privilege to serve our customers.
Blessings, Shane on your journey and thanks for creating Thrive Themes and making it great for all of us. You will be missed. Thrive Themes without you and Hanne just won’t be the same. I join the other grandfathered members in hoping the new owners will not mess up a good thing.
Thank you for being along on the journey, Evan!
I purchased your Backlinks Battleplan many years ago. It’s been great to watch Thrive Themes grow. I’m happy to hear that “Grandfathered memberships will continue to be honored.”
I wish you the best in your next venture.
Oh wow, a BBP callout! It honestly blows my mind that there are still customers from back there. I’m so grateful for all your support over the years.
Wow, Shane! It’s not always easy to let go of one’s “baby” as it grows and makes its way in the world. You have grown Thrive into an amazing ecosystem of tools that makes working and designing in WordPress a delight. Thank you for that. I too echo some of the concerns that Thrive might morph into something not quite as wonderful as it is as I hope to be using Thrive right up to when I slip into my dotage. (big grin)
Anyway, thanks again for creating this incredible suite and I wish you all the very best in all your future endeavors. Cheers!
Haha, yes this has felt a bit like watching a kid grow up and become all independent. 🙂
I trust that it’s only going to keep growing in positive ways.
You shane and what you had build thrive themes changed all my life. Thanks for being there.
Wow, that’s high praise! Thank you, Barış!
Only the best –
Thanks, Shane, and Team! Good luck for your future.
Personally, this is unsettling though, as I don’t relate to Motive in any way.
As a grandfather member, I’ll vote with my wallet at the next renewal…
Let the AM people prove that they’re worthy successors. I have no doubt they will be.
Shane, could you please write a blog post about what your biggest takeaways were, from running Thrive Themes? I really enjoyed Hanne’s blog post about lessons learned so much. Thanks for your consideration
I’ve tried to always share my learnings as I went along. But yes, perhaps I’ll be able to speak or write about the big picture, looking back, at some point.
Thank you Shane! YOUR product is the reason I am interested in building websites! GOOD LUCK and let us customers know when you release your next product…
Wow, that’s amazing to hear. Thank you Shawn!
Shane, thank YOU for stewarding such a great product and being an exemplary example of how to grow a company with integrity. Best wishes on all your future endeavors!
Thank you for your kind words, Kronda!
Sad to hear you are leaving Shane, I just looked up how long I´ve been a member and it´s been since 2015! I love the ease of use and hope that stays the same, but I trust you created a team that will keep up the good work. I wish you all the best. Thank you!
Thank you for sticking with us since 2015, Kelly!
Wow…sad news but exciting at the same time. All the best with whatever is next on your plate.
Thank you, Tracy!
Thanks Shane (and team) for building such a great business. Good luck in the future
Thank you, Shelley!
Shane, I guess it must be a HUGE decision for you and your inner circles. And you lay out the conditions firmly to ensure your team and existing customers don’t suffer after the merge. Appreciate that. Well, humans (esp your team) do take time to transit and connect with the new leadership. After all, it’s two different culture. Hopefully, Brad and existing awesome team are well treated while they are still in and after this transition. Time will tell. Wishing you all the best, Shane (and Hanne)
Thank you for your long time support, Cheefoo!
A transition like this can be a bit scary, but you really are in good hands. I’m excited for what comes next for Thrive Themes!
Well, there you go. I guess it had to happen sooner or later and I’m just glad you’ve been able to do it on your terms and hand over the reins to like-minded people. Onward and upward for all.
Onward indeed! Thank you, Aaron.
As a former Thriver, longtime thrive user, and loooong time fan of yours Shane, thank you and good luck in all you do man! That goes for everyone at Thrive Themes. :* Mwaaaaah! -love, sam
Thank you, Sam!
I just hope it remains the same quality platform. It’s always stood out in so many ways. We’ll see.
I have no doubt it will!
Wow. This is big. From one side I’m very happy for you with the exit. Brad is good for the lead role. From other side with new owner always comes some downsides. But I hope I’m wrong and more upsides will be revealed soon.
Thank you for your comment, Martin.
Change can be hard, but I’m more than optimistic about this one.
I’ve loved everything about Thrive Themes since purchasing about 4 years ago. I tell everyone about TT.
I read your email and blog post and feel very sad to see you go. I hope things don’t change, as what you have built and the team ethos is unlike other businesses, but I understand your reasons.
I hope we hear and see more from you in the future and I wish you the best of luck Shane.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for developing something awesome that non designers like myself can use ????
Thank you for your kind words, Naomi!
I trust that you are in good hands and things will only get better from here.
Hey Shane I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and Paul. I have been with Thrive Themes since the beginning. I have seen the company grow and evolve over the years. I feel blessed everyday to be using the Thrive Themes Suite. It makes my job so much easier. I can design websites like a professional thanks to you and your team. Whatever you do I know it will be a success because you always bring all of you to the table. That is the magic you bring to the world. The world needs more people like you who stand in their authenticity and in doing so make a difference to lives of millions of people. In gratitude Jule
Thank you, Jule! I’m touched by your words.
Reading your words of gratitude makes me feel the grief and heartbreak of losing someone special. But I’m deeply thankful to you too, Shane. I hope to run into you one day, not to only say thank you, but to give you a big hug. (You too, Paul). May everyday in this new year and beyond be exceptional.
Big love,
Giuseppe
Thank you so much, Giuseppe! I wish you all the best as well.
Hi Shane,
I think this is the moment when someone should build “the Shane statue” outside some shiny building, or perhaps on a big bridge. It would be quite ironic and funny, but also well deserved.
I found you about 2015 and was a follower for a couple of years, reading and gathering a feel for it. Your personality and ability to show sincerity while explaining things well is what made me certain. I’ve been a customer since and will stay.
I assume you got an impressive number of Dollars for this sale. I can’t think of another person better suited for that responsibility! You’re welcome to enjoy being really rich, by all means, but I have no doubt you have plenty of ideas for what else you could improve. Looking forward to hearing about it.
In Thrive Themes, I keep noticing a very nice company culture among both employees and customers, which I think is partially originating in you. Kindness, idealism and enthusiasm. That’s serious value! I’m also in Ikario, so I’ll be getting my Shane fix now and then. 🙂
Either way, thanks for a job extremely well done!
Stein, thank you for your long standing support! You’re one of the people I immediately recognize because we’ve had so many exchanges in comments like these over the years. Thank you for being one of the voices that replied to my messages. Not only does that feel a lot better than shouting into the void, but these interactions have formed Thrive Themes in more ways than you know, over the years.
Thank you.
I don’t want to take too much credit for the company culture. I started it, but great people picked it up and ran with it. 🙂
Wow, congratulations! What an exciting new change. Can’t wait to see what’s to come.
Good things, I’m sure!
I can’t believe this is true. You were one of the very few SaaS / WP companies I ever trusted since 10+ years. Just tell me what’s your new venture and I’m in. Best of luck, Shane!
Thank you for your 10 years of trust, Michael! That really means a lot to me.
Shane, I want to thank you (and by extension, everyone who helped) for not just creating the best tools there are. You went way beyond tools… you focused on helping small entrepreneurs succeed online. Your tips and no-BS advice became my #1 resource. Good luck with whatever is next!
That is very nice to hear. Thank you, it is good to know that my efforts were worth it.
Hi, Shane.
Congratulations and thank you!
Congratulations for what TT has achieved under your leadership and the whole team’s efforts. You truly did put people first!
Thank you for the awesome suit of solutions TT has become today. It took me a while to find the right suite to work with that I’m comfortable and happy with. It felt like I hit the jackpot when I found TT.
As a side note, when my WordPress journey began, WP Beginner was my ‘best friend’ for a while (their suite of products are awesome as well). Fast forward to this announcement, I’m excited on how TT will become even more powerful!
Best of luck on your new adventure! We’ll be cheering you on!
Cheers,
AC
Looks like this part of your WordPress journey has come full circle. 🙂
Shane, thanks for your humanity and superlative product. I remember in late 2016 coming across a simple, clear video about building conversion focused websites, delivered by a guy with an unpronouncable surname (at least it was at first) that just made sense. You made me believe I could – so I bought the product and did! Thanks for everything. Looking forward to the future and trust all goes well for you.
Haha, I bet you’re not the only one who has that reaction to my last name. 😀
Thank you for your kind words, Geoff!
I will miss you a lot Shane
I will miss being part of Thrive Themes as well. But it is time for a new chapter and I do believe this is best for the company.
Thank you Shane! For who you are and how you teach business and for what you created. I never tried any other product and teacher after I had found Thrive four years ago. You have been an inspiration to me! Sending love and luck for your next ventures!
Thank you so much, Sabine! Your words warm my heart.
It really shows how much watching many videos of the same person makes you feel like you know them! I am feeling sad too about having to build a new viewer relationship with a total stranger, but as a small business owner, Congrats are also in order. Well done, building and selling when you want to is a great achievement. I would love to know what you are moving onto.
Thank you very much for your supportive comment, Grace!
I’ve been working on a project called ikario for a while. There’s more to come on that front, soon. 🙂
Congratulations! I’ve been with you from the beginning, and you never disappointed me. To the next wonderful years!
That is wonderful to hear, thank you Laura!
Thank YOU Shane. I’ve always enjoyed your videos and shall miss you. Your integrity shines through.
Thank you very much, Stephen!
WAIT! I just joined the Thrive community and I am just getting to the beginning of my “learning curve.” What do I do now?
Keep going! There’s no dramatic change you need to brace for. 🙂
I was worried at first.
Then relieved learn it’s Syed Balkhi. (I’ve often followed his advice.)
And now, we’ll, am hopeful.
That’s good to hear!
The reason I joined back in 2015 were your videos, which oozed integrity and commitment. Since then Thrive has been central to our business as well as all the clients we referred. I want to thank you so much for all you’ve done, and Hanne, too! You will be missed. Best wishes on your new adventure.
Thank you, Juergen! May the suite continue to serve you well!
Thank’s to you and also Hanne – what an incredible job you’ve done – I’ve been with Thrive from fairly early and have learnt so much from you. I really respect the way you have done business – the amazing updates week in and week out – you may think you were unorganized but it never showed from the outside. You always were pushing us forward and your videos and posts were a university education in business, marketing and in how to be a decent human being!
Hope that all of your future endeavors will fill you with joy – I assume Ikario is your continued focus – and what you are doing there is also extremely valuable and bringing focus to being a better person in this world.
Thank you! Will be keeping tabs on you at Ikario and whatever you go on to do.
Thank you very much, Craig! It means a lot to get feedback like this.
Wow… price increase to $600 a year for new users. That’s a BIG jump.
Dear Shane,
Congratulations on your new position of being a great fan of Thrive… but now from the outside.
Hope this change is for good including us, now your former customers, because when new owners arrive to town the customer base is neglected in the search of profits only.
I wish all of the best, we’ll miss you.
Saludos from México! 😀
Carlos
Thank you, Carlos! I have no doubt that customers will continue to be well taken care of.
Thank you Shane, Thrive Themes was the inspiration for me for years, I felt really good being around. As I’ve got to know Ikario, it became more apparent why :-).
Wish you all the best on your quest and waiting for more growth experiences with you in the future.
Thank you, Joanna!
I’m saddened and afraid that Thrive Suite has fallen to Awesome Motive, a company without a solid reputation as an innovator. Buying up small Plugins and Themes without coherence is sad for me.
For the first time, I will disagree with Shane MeLaugh that this is good for Thrive subscribers. For instance, do you think that WP Forms, an over-priced and poor plugin that Awesome Motive owns will suddenly allow Fluent Forms or FluentCRM to survive inside the new Thrive ownership?
Shane and Paul have all the right and power to exit the company they labored so hard to create, but a small input from rabid subscribers is not a bad thing either.
I have a sick feeling that Thrive will slowly, but surely go down. It will be a shame when that happens.
Look at all the plugins that Thrive Suite has created, they’re coherently created, the total opposite of Awesome Motive with scattered and lacking any coherence.
Shane and Paul should have sold the company to Thrive Cart or some other company. I just don’t like Awesome Motive for so many reasons that I cannot enumerate here.
Finally, one consolation, for now, is that Brad is still there!
The companies under AM are an investment portfolio, they never aimed to create a coherent, interconnected suite of tools like we did. I don’t believe that this bodes ill for the future of Thrive Themes!
Shane, first congrats on having built this incredible suite of products in Thrive Suite, and now your moving on to new adventures is well deserved! As many others have said, you and your team have thoroughly earned our trust. To be genuine and no-BS in a BS-filled world rife with marketing hype is so rare. This is what I will miss the most. The new owners will have to prove they are worthy of our trust.
But here, let me say back to you: Thank you! Thank you for caring about your customers – and for proving that when you care and create products to genuinely solve people’s problems, the sales (and everything else) will take care of itself. Best of luck to you!
Thank you very much! That is very nice to hear. 🙂
I have some tears. And some fears. I think it’s natural. Change is not easy. Humans don’t like separation.
It’s hard to say goodbye. 🙁
Change can be difficult, but it is also necessary. I hope that soon, your fears will be reduced by the work the team will continue doing.
Be sure that seeing you start and grow ThriveThemes has been a fund ride for us customers too ???? The focus on conversion, the level of innovation, delivering many industry first features while keeping things simple, and while “putting people first”, all of this have had a great impact on my business, and I credit many of it to you personally:
Dear Shane, you shared this very humble goodbye message, but we know for 100% how much your personalty and disruptive skillset shaped ThriveThemes to what it has become. Whis you all the best for your next big thing and I’m curious on what you are up to next!
Thank you very much, Julius!
Hi Shane,
I am a proud Thrive Affiliate and recommend your products day in and day out.
I am curious: What will you do with your time?
Any new projects?
Best regards from Germany,
Walter
Thank you for helping us spread the word!
I’ve been working on a project called ikario for a while. We’ll have some interesting stuff coming on that front this year. 🙂
Omg! I just saw this post! I echo all the thoughts of my fellow Thrivers. I’ve also been with you since the Backlink/Hybrid Connect days. You are a one of a kind, and you made TT one of a kind. This is SO bittersweet! While I’m thrilled for this new chapter in your life, I’m sad you’ll no longer be in mine. Congratulations! I hope you stay in touch! I’ll miss you. And I look forward to seeing what you do next. 🙂
Thank you so much for your well wishes!
Shane — your message had ME crying! We will really miss you. I have been with you since early 2015 and during all that time whenever I received one of your emails I was anxious to open it and learn what you had to say. And the same goes for Hanne. And now you are both gone!
You should certainly be proud of what you have accomplished! Like any entrepreneur who creates a successful start up company I am sure you have been financially rewarded — and good on you for that!
You and Hanne will both be missed, but it is reassuring to know that the rest of the team will still be in place. Perhaps we can hear from you from time-to-time. I no doubt speak for many other members when I say that we have come to think of you as good friends.
Shane, you have me crying!
As a Thrive customer since 2015 and a member since the inception of the membership program, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you Thrive Themes and your way of teaching and communicating. I have always looked forward to getting an email from you (and Hanne!) because I knew it would contain something valuable.
You should be proud of your accomplishments and I am certain that, like any successful entrepreneur who creates a profitable company, you have been well rewarded financially. Good on you for that!
Please keep in touch. I’m sure I no doubt speak for many when I tell you that you will be missed greatly! Continued success!
Thank you so much for your support through all the years, Bob!
It’s a sad day, Shane. Tough to see you go. Hoping the new owners maintain the quality and care Thrive Themes is known for.
I hope and trust that they will. Thank you, Don!
Thank you for creating an amazing company, products and courses! I’ve learned so much from you. A shining example of how to do things a little differently and also market ethically. Wishing you the best in whatever the future may bring.
Thank you so much! That’s a lovely compliment.
Wow! Epic news from your perspective. Look forward to seeing what you do next. Have fun and maybe see you in Bali. ????????????
Thank you, Jenn! You may definitely catch me in Bali at various times in the future. 😀
Thanks, Shane and Hanne for all you’ve done! It was disappointing to me to receive the email. But I get it. You helped make my business what it is today! We really appreciate your products and have been happy users since I think 2015 or 2016. Blessings on your next adventures!
Hi/bye Shane, You surely can be very proud of what you’ve done and the outstanding work you’ve delivered with this fantastic company.
I guess its the best place to confess that TT is the very first susbscription that I was more than happy to give money for. It helped me in many many ways to grow my business and still is in the center of it.
Many thanks to the team, many thanks to you ????
I wish you all the best ????????????
Good luck????♀️
I’ve been w/ you thru the whole TT journey, Shane; even before that. Sorry to see you go, and look forward to seeing what you do next, if anything. 🙂
Hi Shane, das war irgendwie abzusehen. Ich bin seit 2014 dabei und habe es nie bereut. Ich habe euch immer empfohlen und nutze die Suite bei all meinen Projekten. Ich hoffe, dass sich der Schritt für euch Gründer gelohnt hat und für uns Kunden nicht nachteilig auswirken wird. Wer kennt schon die Zukunft. Alles Gute und dir weiterhin Glück und Erfolg! Herzensgrüße!
People take note. Build a business with an exit strategy. Good job Shane.
Shane, thank you for all you’ve done to help us in this space. You are in a class all by yourself. You will be severely missed. Your leaving Thrive Themes hurts. YOU were the reason I joined the TT family; the tools ended up being secondary – as good as they are. Your leaving is like losing a family member. You were always there. Now you’re not. Please don’t stop helping us small “start-ups” trying to make a path for ourselves. You are a brilliant communicator, and your straightforward, honest and experienced advice is hard to find. I’ve signed up for iKario and look forward to your presence there. But on a day-to-day basis, I will miss your inspiration and advice on how to build my business. So sad to see you go…
Best of luck to you Shane, if you’re building a new product in WordPress/digital marketing space, please let us know! Thrive helped me create a 2nd source of income, and for that, I’m really grateful.
I won’t lie, the change in ownership is scaring me. I’m afraid that the quality of this product will degrade as they try to scale and turn it into a mass commodity – something that already happened to plenty of acquisitions.
On a side note, I hope you had a profitable exit! Best wishes.
Thanks for everything, Shane and all the best to you!!
Wow, Shane. As Jörg says, first Hanne and now you. I’ve been with you guys since 2014, and have been so grateful for how Thrive Suite just kept getting better and better over the years.
I’ve also learned so much from your videos and Hanne’s. Very few companies take the time to teach the fundamentals as well as the tactics. My journey would have been so much harder without that.
Very best wishes to you in whatever you do next. Best from Valencia
I’ve been so focused on my work that I took all this time to see this post.
I had many feelings when I read your words, gratitude, admiration and inspiration.
My husband and I are engineers, he works for a big company, I decided to be a solopreneur, a word I learned from you. He helps me every time he has a chance so he knows you exist ????. You have been a huge inspiration for both of us, you and TT have made our lives easier.
We are so happy for you, I’m SO happy for you, I know I will keep learning from your teachings.
Also, thanks for the new project you are working on, see you there.
I am saddened that I finally after years of following y’all two things have aligned. 1. I have the cash flow to afford a Thrive Themes and 2. I figured out how to change my whole tech stack to have Thrive Themes in the center and with my other trusted plugins raising their prices I am so excited to be with a plugin developer who values their customers. I can’t wait to get Thrive Themes and become part of its history in a tiny small way. I’m sorry that it could not be with both of you at its head but hope that with everything moving forward it will still have the same inspiration.
Wow, your work has made so much possible for me, I must admit it is concerning. You had already stepped away, but selling the company always has unexpected results. I will hope they are good ones! Anyways, thanks, good luck! I have some wonderful sites and made some wonderful classes which could not have been possible without you Shane. Good luck in any future endeavor. I have been a themer practically since the beginning.
Thanks Shane I have enjoyed your videos and company for many years.
Shane, you have built an amazing company and product and should be very, very proud. I wish you the absolute best and hope this means you can spend all the time you’d like traveling here and there and building the next wonderful “thing!” 🙂
I don’t know how I missed this, but now that I’ve read it I’m sad. You will be dearly missed, Shane. Hanne has already left a void. I wish you all the best in the future though and look forward to hearing about what you’re doing next.
Shane, all I can say is “thank you!” Thank you so much for creating Thrive and being a teacher. You’ve taught me so much and were a key figure in paving the way for me to become successful as an entrepreneur. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I will continue to use Thrive Themes, and I hope that it retains your touch.
Tight lines, Shane!