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Thread: Celebrating 8 years - OrchidTalk Orchid Forum Anniversary!

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  1. #1
    Real Name
    Bruce Brown
    My Grow Area
    Greenhouse
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Cattleyas & Slippers
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    35,133
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    Default Celebrating 8 years - OrchidTalk Orchid Forum Anniversary!

    HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ORCHIDTALK!!
    Nine years ago today, the OrchidTalk Orchid Forum started with just two members (LJA and me.)


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    A little history ....
    We had been working on a website, River Valley Orchidworks, for a few months and were beginning to actually see some orchid sales from our nursery that were not local. (An exciting time for sure) LJA, Louis, had the idea that we needed to add a forum to the site to help people with their orchids and show them that they are not so terribly difficult to grow as long as you have good information and someone to talk to when there was an issue. And so, we set up the OrchidTalk Orchid Forum.

    At that time when a surfer on the internet visited our link: www.rv-orchidworks.com they went right to the sales catalog. There was a link where they could ask for help and post about their orchid. Our site was very basic, but it was new and so were we to the internet. This new forum begain 8 years ago today, March 31, 2003.

    By August of 2005 it became apparent that no matter our extreme efforts, selling orchids online at our size was never going to be sustainable. The day that we decided to stop selling orchids was a difficult day for us. We had worked so hard, especially Louis. The monetary investment in the company was tremendous, but the amount of effort put into advertising and customer relations was ten fold the monetary costs. We felt like we had failed ourselves and our goals. We invested so much into this business that it was like loosing a family member when it ended. I will never forget the day that Louis put up the notice on the home page that the River Valley Orchidworks Catalog was closed.

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    But, as is said, when one door closes, another opens....
    RVO’s OrchidTalk Orchid Forum has been a wonderful blessing to us and to the community that populates its pages. After closing the sales catalog, we decided that we would attempt to keep the forum open. We had met so many wonderful people and made such great friendships, closing the forum along with the catalog would be just devastating to us. So many people relied on the forum for help and community. At the time we had close to 750 members - a huge feat for such a new site. Louis decided that he really couldn't focus much more on the site since we had lost so much money with the orchid business, so I took the front seat position and learned as much as I could about managing a website. LJA still participated in the community, but took a less and less active role on the front end deciding to focus more on the technical details over the years.

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    In early 2007, we changed the entire design of the site, updating the software and began the process of search engine optimization. Long story short, the forum community took off...

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    And with a big jump, we now have over 6K members, a new design with custom graphics, a super fast high-speed dedicated server, a strongly moderated community free of dangerous links/ spam, and most importantly: many, many loyal members who frequent this site and participate every single day of the year.

    So, happy anniversary OrchidTalk. You have come a long way and only have a bright future ahead! Here is to a great new year and to all the members of the community who make this site a home for orchid lovers from all across the planet.



    Cheers,
    BD

  2. #2
    Real Name
    Jason
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phragmapedium
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Posts
    130
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    Congrats BD! I'm glad to be a part of such a great forum!

  3. #3
    Real Name
    Amey Bhide
    My Grow Area
    Greenhouse
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Cattleya alliance
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Pune, India
    Posts
    5,363
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    Congrats BD, that is really an achievement to be very very proud of ! Also thanks to all the members that make this community such a flourishing place. It was nice to read the entire history behind this forum !

  4. #4
    Real Name
    AL
    My Grow Area
    Greenhouse
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Vandaceous Types
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    3,776
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    Bruce and Louis; I am glad that you decided to keep this Forum going. The members here are neat people and such a diverse group from all around the globe makes it so interesting. Your time, experience, and efforts are appreciated. All the best! AL

  5. #5
    Real Name
    Aaron
    My Grow Area
    Outside 24/7.
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    vanda
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Davao City
    Posts
    16
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    Happy anniversary! Good to be here.

  6. #6
    Real Name
    Don Keim
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Cattleya
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    South Bend, Indiana
    Posts
    660
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    I am so glad this exists. I have been through many a forum only to be disappointed when it went commercial, political or viral! You guys rock and are much appreciated. It is incredible to think that we can sit at our desks and talk to people all over the globe on a subject like signs of spring or Wardian cases or potting media, just about anything - and yet Bruce keeps it clean, and on track and a wonderul resource for the orchid community. When people ask me for orchid advice, I share what I can and then give them the link to the OrchidTalk Forum. I support the forum financially and I hope you do too! Thank you Bruce and (behind the scenes) Louis. We all love you guys.

  7. #7
    Real Name
    Annette
    My Grow Area
    Greenhouse
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Cattleyas
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Brisbane, Australia
    Posts
    444
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    Happy Anniversary from me to you both. Many more to come.

  8. #8
    Real Name
    Borza Gabriel Mircea
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    catts, phals and paphs
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Romania
    Posts
    336
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    Congrats Bruce, and hope for 90 more years!!!

  9. #9
    Real Name
    Bill
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Paphs, Oncidium,and Catts
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    3,526
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    Default

    Congratulations and a BIG THANK YOU! May you be rewarded with beautiful orchids and a peaceful journey through life.

  10. #10
    Real Name
    aja
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    phal, paph, dend
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Minnasota
    Posts
    189
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    much love and joy to you both!! i am so glad you are here!!

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