A yearbook is a great way for students to reflect and look back on memories from the school year.  It’s also a good opportunity for students to sign each other’s yearbooks and wish each other a great summer, otherwise known as H.A.G.S.  However, these yearbooks can only connect students so much – after all it’s just a physical book.  Seeing this problem, siblings Dave Cook and Catherine Cook decided to invent myYearbook – an online social networking site based on the concept of the yearbook.  The siblings were fairly typical 15 and 16 year olds in high school at the time, but within a few years they had launched a successful company that made them millions of dollars.

In 2005, Dave and Catherine talked about the frustration of seeing people in the yearbook but not really being able to meet them.  myYearbook solved this problem by allowing students to digitally connect with each other while also sharing memories from the school year.  Dave and Catherine also wanted myYearbook to go beyond just high school.  Their hope was that students could continue talking and connecting with each other after graduation as well as network with potential employers.

By 2008, myYearbook was the fastest-growing social network in the U.S – it had about 11 million members at the time.  In addition to social networking and sharing, the Cooks came up with some unique features to add to the site.  Users could play games, contribute to charitable projects, take quizzes, or even use a dating service on the site.  Another unique feature of myYearbook is that it allows individuals to connect to those with similar interests, whether it’s the same school, hometown, or favorite activities.

myYearbook continued to innovate with mobile apps, partnerships, and more features. In 2012, myYearbook combined with Quepasa to become “MeetMe.”  Although other social networks have somewhat “replaced” myYearbook and MeetMe, Dave and Catherine continue to be a testament of hard work and young entrepreneurial minds.