The Huffington Post is very well-known in the publication world. In case you haven’t heard of it, the Huffington Post is an American online news blog. The site was launched May 9, 2005 by Arianna Huffington. The Huffington Post offers news, satire, blogs, and original content that covers politics, business, entertainment, environment, technology, popular media, lifestyle, culture, comedy, healthy living, women’s interests, and local news. Sounds like a one-stop shop?! The CGS Team is sharing how Arianna Huffington went from teeny-tiny blogger to running a 1 million+ viewed online publication.
Early Years
Arianna was born in Athens, Greece and eventually moved to the United Kingdom during her teenage years. During the 80’s she moved to America where she worked in New York as the co-host of BBC1’s late night talk show. She appeared in 12 editions before the show was dropped from the program.
Also in the late 80’s Huffington became a well-known author publishing several articles, and biographies. More prominence came to Arianna during an unsuccessful senate bid by her then-husband Michael Huffington in the early 90s. She became known as a reliable supporter of conservative causes.
The First Blog
Prior to launching the Huffington Post, Arianna used to write a blog called Ariannaonline. She turned set her sights on launching The Huffington Post as a liberal outlet and alternative to what was out at the time (specifically the Drudge Report). Alongside 2 other peers, Arianna founded the publication and became the editor-in-chief.
Just one year after launch and with a vastly growing popularity, it was announced that SoftBank Capital would invest $5 million into the site to help it grow. This allowed the Huffington post to hire full-time employees, 24 maintenance and support, as well as media reporters. In November 2008, The Huffington Post completed $15 million in fundraising from investors to finance expansion, including more journalism and the provision of local news across the United States. There was no sign of the site slowing down.
In 2011, it was announced that AOL would acquire the Huffington Post for $315 million and make Arianna the President of additional AOL properties. As of August 2016, Arianna declared that she would be stepping down from her position at the Huffington post to focus her efforts on a new startup called Thrive Global which provides health and wellness information.
Since her time in politics and her work on the Huffington Post, Arianna became a popular LinkedIn Influencer, writing about success and sharing her professional insights. In addition to becoming a LinkedIn Influencer, Arianna has been listed on Forbes’ Most Influential Women in Media list and made the 2014 Forbes’ list as being the 52nd most powerful woman in the world.
Related: How’d She Do It? Jen Sincero
Let Arianna’s story inspire you to have a voice! Arianna wasn’t afraid to state her opinions and people listened. She was able to turn her voice into an empire, and you can too! If you have something to say, let it be heard! Start a blog, get active in your community, and always do the right thing! Are you a fan of the Huffington post? What do you think of Arianna’s story? Post a comment below to share!
