{{Short description|American business magazine}} {{Other uses}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox magazine | title = Fast Company | logo = FC logo transparent.png | logo_class = skin-invert-image | image_file = November 2023 cover of Fast Company magazine.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Winter 2023 cover, featuring Marques Brownlee | editor = Brendan Vaughan | editor_title = Editor | frequency = Quarterly | total_circulation = 757,858<ref>{{cite web |url= http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |title= eCirc for Consumer Magazines |date= June 30, 2012 |publisher= Alliance for Audited Media |access-date= December 2, 2012 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20170123200306/http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |archive-date= January 23, 2017 |url-status= dead }}</ref> | circulation_year = June 2012 | category = Business magazine | company = Mansueto Ventures | publisher = ''Fast Company'', Inc. | firstdate = November 1995 | country = USA | language = English | website = {{official URL}} | issn = 1085-9241 | oclc = 33444063 }}
'''''Fast Company''''' is an American business magazine published monthly in print and online, focusing on technology, business, future of work and design. It releases six print issues annually, in addition to various ranking lists, podcasts, and newsletters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gagne |first=Yasmin |date=2025-03-18 |title=The most innovative companies in media and news for 2025 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91269631/media-news-most-innovative-companies-2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250529132633/https://www.fastcompany.com/91269631/media-news-most-innovative-companies-2025 |archive-date=May 29, 2025 |access-date=2025-07-30 |work=Fast Company |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fast Company Podcast Network |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts |website=Fast Company}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Introducing Compass, a new newsletter from Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90341700/introducing-compass-a-new-newsletter-from-fast-company |website=Fast Company}}</ref>
==History== ''Fast Company'' was founded in November 1995<ref>{{Cite news |last= Vanderbilt |first= Tom |title= The capitalist cell |newspaper= The New York Times|date= March 5, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/05/magazine/the-capitalist-cell.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Alex French|title=The Very First Issues of 19 Famous Magazines|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/50299/very-first-issues-19-famous-magazines|access-date=August 10, 2015|work=Mental Floss}}</ref> by Alan Webber and Bill Taylor, both former ''Harvard Business Review'' editors, and publisher Mortimer Zuckerman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/103/history.html|title=A Brief History of Our Time|work=Fast Company|date=March 1, 2006|access-date=October 27, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404190540/http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/103/history.html|archive-date=April 4, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>[http://www.fastcompany.com/about-us "About Us"]. ''Fast Company''. Retrieved February 27, 2012.</ref> Early competitors included ''Red Herring'', ''Business 2.0'' and ''The Industry Standard''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bercovici|first1=Jeff|title=Business 2.0 is put up for sale|url=http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2001/feb01/feb19/2_tues/news1tuesday.html|access-date=November 25, 2014|work=Media Life Magazine|date=February 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208080600/http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2001/feb01/feb19/2_tues/news1tuesday.html|archive-date=December 8, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 1997, ''Fast Company'' created an online social network called the "Company of Friends", which led to the formation of numerous meeting groups.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/14/business/cultivating-cult-audience-fast-company-magazine-takes-community-readers-idea-new.html |title=Cultivating A Cult Audience; ''Fast Company'' Magazine Takes 'Community of Readers' Idea To New Extremes|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 5, 2009| author=Alex Kuczynski|date=December 14, 1998}}</ref> At its peak, ''Company of Friends'' comprised over 40,000 members across 120 cities, though membership declined to 8,000 by 2003.<ref name=slow-lane>{{cite news|last1=Carr|first1=David|title=Fast Company's New Life in the Slow Lane|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/11/business/the-media-business-advertising-fast-company-s-new-life-in-the-slow-lane.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=November 25, 2014|work=The New York Times|date=August 11, 2003}}</ref>
In 2000, Zuckerman sold ''Fast Company'' to Gruner + Jahr, majority-owned by media giant Bertelsmann, for $550 million.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnston|first1=David Cay|title=Bertelsmann to Exit U.S. Magazine Market|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/business/media/bertelsmann-to-exit-us-magazine-market.html|access-date=July 7, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=May 2005}}</ref> The sale coincided with the dot-com bubble burst, resulting in substantial losses and a drop in circulation. Webber and Taylor departed in 2002, and John A. Byrne, formerly a senior writer and management editor at ''BusinessWeek'', became the new editor. Under Byrne, the magazine received its first Gerald Loeb Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fast-company-gets-the-help-it-needed|title=Fast Company finally gets some 'help'|first=Jon|last=Friedman|website=MarketWatch}}</ref> However, the magazine couldn't overcome its financial decline following the dot-com bust. Despite not focusing specifically on Internet commerce, advertising pages decreased to one-third of their 2000 levels.<ref name=slow-lane/>
In 2005, Gruner + Jahr put the magazine, along with ''Inc.'' magazine, up for sale. Byrne contacted entrepreneur Joe Mansueto and assisted him in the acquisition. A bidding war ensued between ''The Economist'' and Mansueto's company, Mansueto Ventures. Mansueto, promising to keep Fast Company afloat, won the contest, acquiring both magazine titles for $35 million.<ref>Seelye, Katherine Q. (June 21, 2005). [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/21/business/worldbusiness/21iht-mag.html?_r=1 "Gruner + Jahr sells 2 U.S. magazines"]. ''The New York Times''.</ref> As of March 2025, advertising sales make up 55 percent of the company's revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2025-03-26 |title=Fast Company and Inc. tighten up paywalls to grow consumer revenue amid traffic volatility |url=https://digiday.com/media/fast-company-and-inc-tighten-up-paywalls-to-grow-consumer-revenue-amid-traffic-volatility/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Roush |first=Chris |date=2025-03-26 |title=Fast Company/Inc. tighten paywalls |url=https://talkingbiznews.com/media-news/fast-company-inc-tighten-paywalls/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Talking Biz News |language=en-US}}</ref>
Under former editor-in-chief Robert Safian,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fox|first1=Rebecca|title=Breaking: Bob Safian Named Editor/Managing Director of Fast Company|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/breaking-bob-safian-named-editormanaging-director-of-fast-company/|access-date=July 7, 2017|work=Adweek|date=January 2007}}</ref> ''Fast Company'' was recognized by the American Society of Magazine Editors with the magazine of the year in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Magazine Awards 2014 Winners Announced|url=http://www.magazine.org/industry-news/press-releases/asme-press-releases/asme/national-magazine-awards-2014-winners|work=American Society of Magazine Editors|access-date=August 4, 2015|location=New York|date=May 1, 2014|archive-date=July 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719142738/http://www.magazine.org/industry-news/press-releases/asme-press-releases/asme/national-magazine-awards-2014-winners|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Stephanie Mehta was appointed editor-in-chief in February 2018,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dool|first1=Greg|title=Breaking: Fast Company Names Stephanie Mehta Editor-in-Chief |url=http://www.foliomag.com/fast-company-names-stephanie-mehta-editor-in-chief/|access-date=April 11, 2018|work=Folio|date=February 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412145858/http://www.foliomag.com/fast-company-names-stephanie-mehta-editor-in-chief/ |archive-date= Apr 12, 2018 }}</ref> after having worked at ''Vanity Fair'', ''Bloomberg'', ''Fortune'', and ''The Wall Street Journal''. ''Fast Company'' is owned by Mansueto Ventures and has its headquarters in Manhattan.
In September 2022, the Fast Company website, fastcompany.com, was compromised in an attack, and racist messages were sent to Apple iPhones.<ref>{{cite news |title=Media company hacked, racist push notifications sent to Apple iPhones |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/27/fast-company-hack-apple-news/ |first1= Joseph |last1=Menn |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-10-05 |issn=0190-8286 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220928032310/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/09/27/fast-company-hack-apple-news/ |archive-date= 28 Sep 2022 }}</ref> The site was accessed to send push notifications that the company identified as "obscene and racist". Consequently, the site was taken offline for eight days.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fast Company shuts website after hack sends 'obscene' Apple News notifications |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/fast-companys-website-shuts-after-apple-news-feed-hacked-2022-09-28/|access-date=September 30, 2022|work=Reuters|date=September 28, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Fast Company returns after attack that saw obscene Apple News alerts pushed to readers |language=en-US |work=Engadget |url=https://www.engadget.com/fast-company-back-after-obscene-apple-news-alerts-hack-085808021.html |first1=Mariella |last1=Moon |access-date=2022-10-21 |date=2022-10-06 }}</ref>
In March 2025, ''Fast Company'' and ''Inc.'' tightened their paywalls to grow consumer revenue amid traffic volatility, with four daily stories being reserved only for paying subscribers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2025-03-26 |title=Fast Company and Inc. tighten up paywalls to grow consumer revenue amid traffic volatility |url=https://digiday.com/media/fast-company-and-inc-tighten-up-paywalls-to-grow-consumer-revenue-amid-traffic-volatility/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref> Mehta said that "traffic is really fickle, and we have to find more ways to build a direct connection with our audiences."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2025-03-26 |title=Fast Company and Inc. tighten up paywalls to grow consumer revenue amid traffic volatility |url=https://digiday.com/media/fast-company-and-inc-tighten-up-paywalls-to-grow-consumer-revenue-amid-traffic-volatility/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref> She also predicted Mansueto's consumer business (one-third of the company's overall annual revenue) to see double-digit growth in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=2025-03-26 |title=Fast Company and Inc. tighten up paywalls to grow consumer revenue amid traffic volatility |url=https://digiday.com/media/fast-company-and-inc-tighten-up-paywalls-to-grow-consumer-revenue-amid-traffic-volatility/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref> In June 2025, Mansueto Ventures laid off 13 employees, including numerous editors and reporters at ''Fast Company'' and ''Inc.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roush |first=Chris |date=2025-06-04 |title=Inc., Fast Company parent has laid off 7% of staff |url=https://talkingbiznews.com/media-news/inc-fast-company-parent-has-laid-off-7-of-staff/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Talking Biz News |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Website== Launched in 1995,<ref>{{cite web|title=ICANN WhoIs fastcompany.com|url=https://whois.icann.org/en/lookup?name=|access-date=July 7, 2017}}</ref> FastCompany.com provides coverage of leadership and innovation in business, environmental and social issues, entertainment and marketing, and, through its Co.Design site, the intersection of business and design, spanning architecture to electronics and consumer products to fashion. ''Fast Company'' also previously managed sites called Co.Labs, Co.Exist, and Co.Create. Co.Exist and Co.Create were rebranded as Ideas and Entertainment sections in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Clendaniel|first1=Morgan|title=Some News From Your Friends At Co.Exist|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/4069073/some-news-from-your-friends-at-coexist|work=ICANN WhoIs|access-date=July 7, 2017|date=June 2, 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Alt|first1=Eric|title=A Message To Our Readers|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3069134/a-message-to-our-readers|work=fastcompany.com|access-date=July 7, 2017|location=New York|date=March 22, 2017}}</ref> Co.Labs was discontinued in early 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Robischon|first1=Noah|title=What's Next For Co.Labs?|url=http://www.fastcolabs.com/3040498/whats-next-for-colabs|website=Fast Company|date=March 24, 2015|access-date=11 January 2016}}</ref>
==Franchises== ''Fast Company'' runs several franchises, including "Most Innovative Companies", "World Changing Ideas", "Innovation By Design", and "Most Creative People".
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website}} <!-- hidden maintenance category --> {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fast Company (Magazine)}} Category:1995 establishments in the United States Category:Business magazines published in the United States Category:Magazines established in 1995