A commitment to innovation and customer service has made it possible for Widen Enterprises — a Madison, Wisconsin-based digital asset management (DAM) software and premedia services company — to not only survive through uncertain economic times, but grow. Since the start of 2011, Widen has hired 16 full-time employees, along with several part-time or temporary ones.
Since January 2011, Widen has hired talented people in software development, project management, customer support, quality assurance, page assembly and marketing.
“We continue to advance the Widen employment culture which allows us to attract new talent that can immediately contribute to our mission,” said Widen CEO Matthew Gonnering, who was recently named one of InBusiness Madison’s 40 Under 40. “Our recent hires — most of whom graduated from Wisconsin universities — have all been active contributors to our team. They are wicked smart and have extraordinary work ethic. We have aligned our talent with both customer demand and our plans to grow in new directions. And we’ve done it in a fiscally responsible way.”
Widen is a trusted provider of premedia services, with a legacy that has made its work the industry standard in many spaces. It is also, far and away, the oldest company in the DAM software industry — an arena the company entered to keep itself viable in a high-tech age. This combination of longevity and innovation has made Widen an attractive place to work for people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
“Since I started at Widen, I’ve learned of established history this company has in the premedia and marketing industries. This really gives the company stability, which is a truly unique feature for a company with such a small, almost start-up-esque atmosphere,” said Nathan Mall, a Widen software developer who was hired in May.
That “small start-up” atmosphere and openness to new ideas is among the things Ray Nicholus has enjoyed most about working at Widen since he started in January 2011.
“At Widen, I have the ability to constantly try new technologies to solve problems. Plus, I’m in an environment where I’m encouraged to learn new things and use them in everyday work,” said Nicholus, also a software developer.
Widen employees come from a diverse set of experiences and professional backgrounds. Nina Brakel-Schutt, a Wisconsin native, had spent her career in branding in the Chicago area. Now, she’s back in Wisconsin and helping Widen update its brand through (among other things) an overhaul of its website. Widen’s employees are among the aspects of the brand that she has found most compelling.
“The people here are really unique. Employees are doing amazing things outside the office — whether it’s touring Japan with their bands, democracy promotion work in Cuba, or volunteering in the local community. That diversity of experience leads to rich ideas, and the company encourages efforts to bring those ideas to life. I love that freedom to explore,” said Brakel-Schutt.
On both the premedia and software sides of its business, Widen has its sights set on continued expansion over the coming months and years. The company’s project management, help desk, marketing, product management and software development are all expected to grow.
“The exciting thing about recruiting employees at Widen is the continual growth and evolution of the company,” said Human Resources Manager Amy Esry. “The job that you’re hired for today can be different down the road. That gives each employee opportunity to learn and grow.”
Widen’s open atmosphere also means employees aren’t shy about suggesting ways for each other to improve.
“Nina’s a Bears fan,” said Chris Streber, a Widen color production specialist. “Nobody’s perfect. We’re working on it.”
About Widen Enterprises, Inc.
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Widen has honed its more than 60 years of experience in premedia services and color management specifically for assisting customers with building brand equity and supporting consistent brand representation across print and Web communications. Through its inventive suite of Web-based digital asset management applications, Widen software services provide marketing networks with real-time, Web-based access to clients’ digital asset libraries, subsequently eliminating manual search and file preparation time, costs related to replacing images and videos that cannot be located, and added costs for hardware, software and upgrades. For more information, visit: http://www.widen.com.