The 1980s were a turning point for technology companies, as they figured out what they would become. For SAS, it was the decade where early ambition translated into global scale – not just through software, but through a distinct approach to people, culture and growth.
What started as a small team in North Carolina in 1976 began to expand rapidly, alongside a broader shift in how organizations were using data to inform decisions.
Building the foundation: growth shaped by people
By 1981, SAS had 100 employees. Facilities like a recreation and fitness center, a childcare center and a health care center weren’t part of a long-term blueprint – they emerged in response to what people needed. At a time when many companies were scaling quickly, these kinds of decisions stood out not as perks, but as signals of how the company intended to grow.
Moments like this reinforced a philosophy that would become the cultural north star and employee experience: Treat people like they make a difference, and they will.
Scaling alongside a changing world
Throughout the 1980s, businesses began adopting computing at scale. Mainframes were giving way to more accessible systems, personal computers were entering the workplace and organizations across industries were starting to see data not just as recordkeeping, but as a source of competitive advantage.
Within that broader shift, SAS emerged as one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States, recognized by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years. At the same time, the company expanded globally, opening offices across four continents and launching its first U.S. regional sales office.
By the end of the decade, SAS was 1,500 employees strong. Behind the headlines and expansion were the people who experienced this era firsthand: building teams, shaping the culture and defining what it meant to work at SAS in an exciting era of big hair and even bigger growth and change.
Here’s what they remember…
Jon Flaherty, Sr. Sales Manager, remembers the early days of supporting our customers.
He recalls the all-hands-on-deck attitude that everyone had: “In the early years, there was a startup environment where everyone did multiple jobs and didn’t think twice about jumping in to assist others. The entire company was a family,” he shares.
Nigel Law, a Technical Consultant in the United Kingdom, was a SAS user who became an employee in 1988. He also spoke to this collaborative spirit: “There were a total of 40 in the Marlow office, and we were jacks of all trades, doing support, consultancy, training and more."
He also remembers the “great storm” of 1989, where the estate lost 48 trees and power: “A handful of us ended up grabbing available chainsaws and cutting ourselves out of the estate and re-opening the main road outside, to the gratitude of police!”
Moments like these, he says, capture the spirit of SAS and the people who have made it special: “Long before joining, my experiences with the product and the people had convinced me that SAS was where I wanted to spend my days and I never had any intention of leaving,” he reflects. “Which is why I’m still here 38 years later!”
Stay tuned for next month’s story, where we dive into the technical side of the 1980s at SAS.
