Sometime in the mid to late 1990s Elizabeth E. Ziph and Matthew W. Benjamin wondered why more people didn’t adopt Linux operating systems.

The open-source software was basically free and quite popular amongst the nerdiest of the nerds. But the duo came to the conclusion that it wasn’t taking hold as an alternative to PCs like Mac because it didn’t have a huge corporation standing behind it. That led to formation of Linux Box in 1999.

The Ann Arbor-based company provides support and consulting for Linux systems and has not only grown to 10 people, its revenues increased 29 percent last year.

"We end up adding one or two people every year," Ziph says. "We have grown every year, some years more than others but it’s fairly consistent growth."

She expects that growth to continue into the foreseeable future. The expectation for this year is 15-18 percent and as high as 20 percent next year. Most of this growth comes from helping corporations deal with their Linux systems, such as Borders and the University of Michigan.

And on schedule, Linux Box plans to add another one or two people later this year.

"We can't do it without the people," Ziph says.

Source: Elizabeth E. Ziph, CEO of Linux Box
Writer: Jon Zemke