Handling 30 million users and staying financially sustainable – Interview with Marieke van de Rakt

How do you scale from a small team to 30 million Users — and stay financially sustainable while doing it?

That’s the story of Marieke van de Rakt, co-founder of Yoast, one of the most influential WordPress companies in the world. In this episode of Osom to Know, Marieke shares the journey of growing a plugin from a side project into a global product used by tens of millions — without compromising on community values or product integrity. From sustainable business models to open-source ethics, Marieke offers rare insights into what it takes to scale responsibly, maintain profitability, and keep users’ trust over the long term.

We provide insights into investment ventures and open-source software.Marieke shares her experiences with diversity in the WordPress community and the evolving tech ecosystem. Join us for a thought-provoking exploration of innovation, inclusivity, and the evolving role of technology in our lives.

Building for Users: From Plugin to Global Platform

Marieke begins by recalling Yoast’s early days — a small plugin that solved a real problem for real Users. She stresses that growth was never the primary goal; impact and usefulness were.

“At the start, we didn’t think about numbers. We thought about making SEO easier for WordPress Users.”

As the user base expanded into the millions, Yoast maintained a strong feedback loop with its community. Every release, feature, and documentation update came from real-world conversations with Users — not assumptions.

“The community told us what they needed. Listening to them was our product strategy.”

The result? A product shaped by genuine demand, not investor pressure or marketing trends.

Key Takeaway:

Focus on solving real problems for your Users, and scale will follow naturally.

Sustainable Growth Strategies for Scaling Businesses

One of the central themes in Marieke’s leadership is sustainability — not just financially, but also personally and culturally.

“You can’t build a long-term business if your team burns out after two years.”

She explains how Yoast prioritized balance and transparency as the company scaled. Profitability was essential, but never the sole metric of success. Sustainable growth, in her view, comes from a healthy team, loyal Users, and long-term decision-making.

“We reinvested early revenue back into people — that’s what allowed us to handle millions of Users without losing our soul.”

Her approach contrasts with the high-speed startup mindset, focusing instead on stability and purpose-driven innovation.

Key Takeaway:

Financial sustainability begins with human sustainability. Protect your team as carefully as your margins.

Profitability and Open Source: Finding the Balance

When asked how Yoast managed to thrive in an open-source ecosystem, Marieke is direct:

“Open source doesn’t mean free labor — it means shared value.”

She emphasizes that Yoast’s success came from finding equilibrium between contribution and commerce. The company gave back to the WordPress community through sponsorships, events, and code contributions — while also running a premium product line that funded innovation.

“We believed that giving back would make the whole ecosystem stronger — and that, in turn, benefits all Users.”

This philosophy made Yoast both sustainable and respected within the community. The brand became synonymous with ethical profitability — proving that open-source companies can thrive without exploitation or overextension.

Key Takeaway:

Aligning open-source ethics with business strategy builds trust — and trust scales.

Leadership Lessons: Managing Millions of Users

As Yoast grew beyond 30 million Users, Marieke’s role evolved from daily operations to leadership and mentorship. She reflects on the emotional challenge of letting go — a shift many founders struggle with.

“It’s hard to step back from something you built, but it’s necessary if you want it to grow beyond yourself.”

She highlights the importance of delegation, especially as teams and User demands multiply. Empowering others to lead allowed the company to stay agile without relying on a single voice.

“You can’t personally manage millions of Users. You build systems — and trust the people running them.”

Marieke also shares her belief that founders should focus on vision, values, and education — helping others make good decisions independently.

Key Takeaway:

Leadership at scale means trusting others to protect the values you started with.

The Future of Sustainability and User Trust

In closing, Marieke looks to the future of digital products and communities. As AI and automation reshape how Users interact with technology, she believes authenticity and transparency will be the defining competitive advantages.

“The future belongs to companies that are honest with their Users — about data, pricing, and purpose.”

She stresses that maintaining User trust is not a marketing tactic but a business strategy. For Yoast, that means continued investment in education, privacy, and accessibility.

“When Users trust you, they stay. That’s what sustainability really means.”

Her words echo across the open-source world: growth without integrity isn’t success — it’s short-term survival.

Key Takeaway:

Sustainability isn’t about slowing down; it’s about building something worth lasting.

Scaling FAQ with Marieke van de Rakt

How did Yoast reach 30 million Users?
By solving specific SEO pain points for WordPress Users and consistently improving based on community feedback.

What’s the biggest challenge when scaling a plugin?
Keeping support and development aligned with User expectations — not just adding features for growth’s sake.

How can open-source companies stay profitable?
By combining free community contributions with premium offerings that fund long-term innovation.

What advice does Marieke have for startup founders?
Build slowly, listen constantly, and measure success in trust, not vanity metrics.

What’s next for Yoast and its Users?
Continued focus on education, inclusivity, and collaboration within the WordPress ecosystem.

Final Thought: Growth with Integrity

As Marieke van de Rakt reminds us, true success isn’t about reaching millions of Users — it’s about serving them responsibly.
Scaling sustainably means choosing purpose over pressure, clarity over chaos, and people over profit.

“We didn’t grow because we wanted millions of Users. We grew because we cared about the people using what we built.”

At Osom Studio, we share that belief. Whether building digital products or managing content platforms, growth with integrity is the foundation that keeps both businesses and Users thriving.

Full conversation with Marieke van de Rakt

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