For the past 3-4 years I’ve become a fairly avid runner. Not lightning fast but it would seem respectable for my age and level of fitness. There are few things that clear my head as well as a nice lunch-time four mile run outdoors when the weather is nice. Try as I may, I’m not so sure I’m up to running a marathon; but I’ve played with the idea.
One thing’s for certain it would seem I am not a Career Marathoner. Let me explain. For those of you who know me well you knew it couldn’t last forever; this month I’ve moved on - again. In what is becoming a far too familiar tale someone I’ve worked with in the past called wanting some help, it looked like I could make an impact so I switched jobs. Maybe I should wear a disclaimer on my forehead: bore me, I leave.
Some would criticize me for being a job-hopper. Some will say I outrun my problems. And others might even say I stay too long. My view? Life is too short to not enjoy what you’re doing. I’ve been blessed by having a passion and talent for an industry that usually pays well and offers clean and safe working conditions. I would hope that my view would be no different if my passion were otherwise placed.
Before I get into where I landed let me look back over the past 14 months. Life was mostly good at the end of 2005 but for lots of reasons I felt the need to grow up and get “a real job.” You know, one of those 8-5 gigs where the pace is predictable, the work can occasionally turn interesting and regrettably the bureaucracy can be suffocating. I landed at a local big company and I will admit at times it wasn’t bad and others it was absolutely miserable.
We’ve all heard “ready, aim, fire.” My most recent big company experience was more like “Ready, aim, aim, aim, aim..” The problem was how hard it was to really make decisions. Decisions that stuck, engaged other departments and pushed life forward. Despite this along the way I discovered there were lots of good, smart, caring and well-meaning folks at the big company but even with all their effort it seems hard to turn a big ship. Mind you, I wanted it to work; just that I think my stripes don’t run that way. In the end I found a strange sort of respect for those there who have the stamina to keep up the good fight. So while I love to run it would seem I am not a marathoner.
So now I find myself at a small software company named iModules. I’ll get to run our marketing efforts and will be a member of the executive team. The hours will be longer, the pace faster and challenges greater but even after only two weeks I already feel like I’ve got my life back.
The company builds social networking software, primarily for the education market, that is used for alumni relations and admissions. The product does much more than that we just need to find creative ways to promote the product and the company to this and other vertical markets. Interestingly one of the potential markets for our offering is the association market so I might again run into old friends.
I plan to stay pretty busy. My family is always going in every different direction and I try to keep up. Side consulting is still going well and I have a near-dead renewable energy site still to care for. I don’t plan to be bored anytime soon. And while I’m not built for it, someday I still might run that marathon. I’ll keep you posted.