Just over two years ago I made a change professionally that was a catalyst for my career. I joined the proverbial "Dark Side" of IT working at my first OEM as a solutions architect. My years at DataGravity were simply amazing. Contributing to product launch, developing a channel business, building a customer base, and always being the internal advocate of the customer. All invaluable experiences that have forever shaped me.
I have heard it said "The person that you will be in five years is based on the books you read and the people you surround yourself with today." If this is in fact true, then my five years look bright - and it is not because I am good at reading. The people that I have had the fortune of surrounding myself and developing friendships with over the last couple of years has without question, been the most incredible part of the journey.
As my time with DataGravity begun starting to wind down, I drew on inspiration gathered from a couple of episodes from one of my favorite podcasts, The Geek Whisperers. In particular, Scott Lowe's advice to never underestimate the power of your own community and Kenneth Hui's genuine vulnerability, absolute trust & reliance on his network to call in quits without the next job lined up. Thank you both, and of course the Geek Whisperers crew for providing such timely inspiration because when the rubber meets the road, the community did not disappoint.
In fact, things can happen very FAST...sometimes TOO FAST and before I knew it my head was swimming, combing over what the next career move would be. Drawing on good advice from several friends I realized quickly that I needed to take take a break before jumping back into the fast lane. I was fortunate enough to enjoy some much needed time at home, as well as take a few trips to see some old friends. A key highlight during this time off was observing Andy Banta in his natural habitat - an absolute bucket list item for those who have not had the experience. Trust me.
And so the journey continues. I am very excited to announce that I have begun working at River Point Technology with a focus on emerging technology, predictive analytics, and cloud enablement for a strong and ever growing customer base.
During this time, not a resume was transferred nor a suit put on - yet there was plenty of opportunity. I don't say that to boast but rather to draw upon and confirm that my greatest professional assets are the very people I meet, help, and get help from on a daily basis. Thank you all.