Thursday, February 21, 2013

Changes.

Just an update for friends and family.

I made a move on Feb 7, 2013. I left the big beloved/hated/well-at -least-we're-known place of my employment of 6.5 years to pitch in at a little startup where even the locals who should know about it say "where?" I travelled internationally and managed multi-million dollar global ad campaigns at my last job. I load and unload the dishwasher and park in a gravel lot three blocks away at my new job.

So far, so rad.

I wasn't actively looking for a new gig, but life has a way of telling you what's next. You can either jump on board or tell life to mind its own business and stop tapping you on the shoulder. I've often dreamed about getting in on the ground floor of something small and special. This is not the first opportunity I've had to move on, but I'm sure glad I waited for this one.

6.5 years may not seem like that long to some, but CP+B years are like dog years. I don't know the exact multiplier, but I can tell you that I lived in three cities, moved four times, worked on several large, iconic accounts, a few smaller niche accounts and grew from an assistant content (account) manager to a supervisor. I was not once, ever, ever bored. At times it felt like struggling through and eventually earning a few MBAs in marketing, creative project management, dynamic workload juggling, tenacity-maintaining, and the largely abused and mistreated but paramount skill of human communication (aka storytelling, also sometimes as simple and common as the modern art of "email."). In short, it was my school where I studied and eventually felt like I became an assistant professor. My salary slowly and steadily grew over 6.5 years and I never felt a sense of entitlement. That said, I felt I worked hard and smart for every pre-tax penny. I left happy, on my terms and I was able to hold my head high and thank many people there for blessing my work life with their inspiring partnership. I was a bit nervous about leaving the familiar culture where I "grew up" in my professional life, but I was very much surprised at how liberating and comfortable it was when I resigned.

I started my new job the very next day, 8:30am sharp. I'm a Grenadier now. #10. An elite nimble clan of brand strategy, management and creativity warriors, all happy to be doing the dishes and taking out the trash. ("Passing the savings on to YOU.") We grill every Friday and we treat each other well. We don't tolerate slacking and we tell it like we see it. I'm proud to be associated with these guys and gals. I wouldn't have made this move if I didn't think it was built on principles that kept me up at night with excitement.

In the meantime, my life outside of work is also evolving, as per usual. Henry's growing fast, we traded in our Jetta lease for new TDI and I'm really excited about my new duo project with Sarah Gee - NY Broadway performer turned recent Coloradan who nails harmonies like it's her job. 'Cause it was her job. But now it's Forsyth & Gee. More to come on that. Just you wait. First gig this weekend, then a house concert on 3/1. Then a few more. Then a record.

A'ight, then.


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