What's Next is Everything
I wrote this piece originally as a post on LinkedIn after I left SapientRazorfish. It ultimately became the inspiration for this blog, so I’m reposting here.
A 20+ year logo journey
Twenty years.
Actually, nearly twenty-two.
It’s a long time to stay at the same company. But it went by in the blink of an eye - as things tend to do when you’re having fun.
I began my tenure as the first full-time employee at Philadelphia-based i-FRONTIER in January of 1997. In those early days, the founder's spare bedroom was my office, and I worked pretty much every piece of the agency business as we experienced strong growth. When Avenue A came calling (and acquiring), I jumped at the opportunity to relocate to Seattle and help guide integration while cross-selling and managing new services. I helped drive client business forward alongside brilliant strategic thinkers and soaked up knowledge watching some of the best leaders I have ever known work their magic. Art and science blurred as the pace of change accelerated. We became Avenue A | Razorfish and then just Razorfish. Microsoft bought our parent company (aQuantive) and sold the agency to Publicis Groupe a few years later. I had a blast through many different logos, business cards, and job titles.
Ultimately, I found a niche that stayed true through the swirl of change: helping our teams and our clients understand what’s coming next ... and then figure out what to do about it. I became scout, filter, architect, and incubator rolled into one. Repeatedly, I helped clients navigate a sea of technology noise, find what was real, and bring high-performing campaigns and products to market. I built or drove substantial growth in new offerings like emerging media, mobile app strategy/design/development and product/service innovation. But mostly, it was about one thing: identifying (and capitalizing on) new opportunities at the intersection of technology and evolving customer behavior. It’s not easy amidst endless hype and grandiose proclamations from founders, pundits, analysts and more. But I got really good at it, and our teams and clients were made better because of it. There’s an incredible spark when you find (or create) that next thing, and you know it’s going to be big. I’ve watched it happen and helped it along more times than I can count.
Now, after two decades of helping others prepare for what’s coming around the bend, it’s time to turn that skill inward and find my own version of next. I’ve left SapientRazorfish and I'm currently exploring a variety of different directions for my next career step. There are already a bunch of little smoldering embers floating around, and one of them will explode into that magic spark. I don’t yet know where it will come from or what it will look like - but I can’t wait to find it.
That’s where you come in. Please take a moment to consider if you can help in one or more of the following ways:
I’m looking to do some consulting work while searching for that next full time move. Conversations thus far have involved strategy, positioning and go to market, startup curation/matchmaking, thought leadership and event planning. I’d welcome any referrals.
If you know people with whom I should simply have a networking conversation, please send along.
Finally, if you happen to run across opportunities that feel right, please send those my way as well. I'm open to any and all discussions at this point. In the early going, I'm focusing on client side (marketing organization or product management), consultancy, or something in the startup ecosystem (incubator/accelerator, VC, corporate venturing, etc.). Those focus areas may shift as I get deeper into the search, and/or as you brilliant people in my network point out other avenues that may align with my unique skill set.
Among the many lessons I’ve learned, this one seems especially relevant: most things worth doing take a village to get done. I am eternally thankful for all of the opportunities I’ve been given, and to those who’ve helped along the way (you know who you are). If there’s ever anything I can do to return those favors, please do not hesitate to ask.
