The story of One: How an Apple II computer set off a movement for change

It’s hard to believe Pluralsight One launched just over a year ago. Already we’ve piloted our platform with more than 40 nonprofit organizations across 16 countries, with the goal of helping them use technology to improve lives and make the world a better place. Our products for nonprofits, which allow organizations to accelerate their missions, launched this month. And we recently announced partnerships with Code.org and CSTA to provide equal access to computer science education for girls and underrepresented minorities.

Even though it’s only been a short time since the launch of our social impact initiative, the journey towards its creation began decades ago when I first discovered my love of technology. When I was 8, my father brought home an Apple II computer and taught me to code at a makeshift work station in our basement. It was magic. In that moment, my father unlocked so much opportunity for me. It was a gift that would change the course of my life.

Through Pluralsight One, we want to unlock opportunity for people all over the world.

Reaching communities at scale

When Pluralsight co-founder Fritz Onion and I started Pluralsight in 2004, we were teaching in a classroom, reaching a few hundred people a year. Once we started moving our content online, we realized the potential to turn the world into our classroom. If we could reach millions of people, we knew we could drive immense progress.

Our commercial business has grown to do just that, but on its own, it can’t help us fully realize our mission to democratize technology skills. That’s why Fritz and his wife Susan joined my wife Monica and I to launch Pluralsight One in 2017.

I invite you to take a few minutes and watch the video above to learn more about the story of why we founded Pluralsight One, and how we see it impacting communities around the world.

Technology as a spark for change

In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing stories from people who harness technology and Pluralsight One to empower themselves and those around them. To build a better tomorrow.

These stories have touched me personally. Seeing how technology creates agency, powers the hopes and dreams of people across the world, and witnessing the power in one individual, confirms to me we’re moving forward in the right direction. That as individuals, as one community united for change, we are one.

And that’s incredibly powerful.