After LinkedIn launched in 2003, it took the company almost a year and a half to win 500,000 members. In April 2004, the startup's tiny crew assembled in a room in Palo Alto, California, to celebrate the occasion with a photo.
Since then, LinkedIn employees have gathered to commemorate every milestone. At first, it was every million. Then the numbers started flying by — every 5 million new members, every 10 million.
Today, 67% of users come from outside the United States, and milestone photos are taken from all around the world.
LinkedIn shared an exclusive collection of historical photos from its archives with Business Insider, and those photos tell quite the story.
The first photo from April 2004: LinkedIn employees celebrate 500,000 members.
LinkedIn
In 2005, LinkedIn employees celebrated 2 million members. That same year, LinkedIn started charging for job listings, and membership doubled by the end of the year.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 2 million members
LinkedIn
In March 2006, LinkedIn hit 5 million members.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 5 million members
LinkedIn
Then, there was a big jump, and LinkedIn employees celebrated 13 million members in 2007.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 13 million members
LinkedIn
Co-founder Reid Hoffman was notoriously late for photos, so former executive Adam Nash constructed a life-size "Paper Reid" to stand in for him.
You can spot Paper Reid in 2008, when LinkedIn employees celebrated 20 million members.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 20 million members
LinkedIn
Paper cutouts for everyone! Well, not really. We think this had something to do with the 2007 launch of profile photos on LinkedIn. In early years, LinkedIn eschewed photos, on the theory that that kept things more professional.
In May 2009, LinkedIn celebrated 40 million members. Jeff Weiner took over as CEO a month after this photo was taken.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 40 million members
LinkedIn
The team grew a lot by October 2009, when LinkedIn snapped a photo celebrating 50 million members.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 50 million members
LinkedIn
When LinkedIn hit 100 million members in March 2011, there were getting to be so many LinkedIn employees that they'd have trouble finding themselves in the photo.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 100 million members
LinkedIn
LinkedIn went public in May 2011. This photo — in February 2012, celebrating 150 million members — was the first taken after that.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 150 million members
LinkedIn
A little over a year ago, LinkedIn employees celebrated 200 million members at the Mountain View, California, headquarters.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members at LinkedIn HQ
LinkedIn
And as international expansion becomes crucial for LinkedIn, the celebration went global. Here's Brazil ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Brazil
LinkedIn
... Dublin, Ireland ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Dublin
LinkedIn
... Hong Kong ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Hong Kong
LinkedIn
... Melbourne, Australia ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Melbourne, Australia
LinkedIn
... the Netherlands ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in the Netherlands
LinkedIn
... Stockholm, Sweden ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in the Nordics region HQ
LinkedIn
... customer service in Omaha, Nebraska ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Omaha, Nebraska
LinkedIn
... Singapore ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Singapore
LinkedIn
... Sydney, Australia ...
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Sydney, Australia
LinkedIn
... and Tokyo.
LinkedIn employees celebrate 200 million members in Tokyo
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is facing an uphill battle in Japan, where it was late to launch and faces domestic competitors as well as Facebook, which many Japanese use for professional networking.
And now here we are today: 300 million users! In Q4 of 2013, LinkedIn had more than 5,000 employees in 27 offices around the world.
Tyler & Christina Mussetter
Now, for some suggestions on how you could be using LinkedIn better ...
