Busy busy…
I find it hard to describe how busy I have been in the last few months. In the last few weeks the amount of work has fallen to what might be more normal levels, and I’ve caught some rest. But really, for a period of months there I quite-literally did not have a single night or day free it seemed.
Not that there were not enjoyable moments. For example, I squeezed a much wanted trip up to Seattle where Frnkzk was a wonderful host for myself and Sue. We spent a wonderfully packed long-weekend seeing the sights of that good town, and also were able to enjoy the train ride up and back.
But aside from that, there were other things. Let’s see if I can sort them mentally now.
I quit my job for one. I walked away from what has been the highest paid position I have ever had. Believe me, any reaction you had reading that sentence is but a drop in the bucket to the thoughts in my own head screaming at me about doing it. But I did.
Two years ago, I had been working for a small consulting company. About 20 people in all, it was mostly full of those shockingly bright and irreverently creative people I love to be around.
Then we were bought by a big giant, behemoth company. And for the first time in a long time I had something like a retention bonus offered to me. I was happy for this.
Most of the employees from SmallCo hung around both for their retentions, and also out of respect for their bosses and coworkers. We truly all gave it a shot.
It turns out though, that BigCo was not a good fit. They had all the pains of a big company, (Rather more, IMHO. By big-company standards, this place is dilbertesque.) but none of the benefits: No good sales channel for our work. No real partnership for our previous sales channels.
At the end of the year, I had spent most of my time “on the bench.” Which means I wasn’t earning the company anything, I wasn’t doing, and I wasn’t learning. I suppose that would have been nice if I was able to have had the time off, but my boss in a mistaken bid to keep me and the other workers “engaged” effectively handed us bullshit busy work during those down times. Just enough to make sure I couldn’t say… take the day off and go hiking, or such.
I felt my skills atrophying. And I felt them doing this at a time when my current skill-set is highly in demand. Naturally, the sharks were circling in on us. Everyone from SmallCo was getting calls from recruiters and former partners looking to poach us.
So rather than getting poached, I opted to eat shark meat.
Looking at various people tempting me with work at their company, I (and eventually some friends who had left SmallCo) turned the tables on them. We hit up our resources and started our own partnership. And then asked each of the sharks if they’d mind getting us as subcontractors instead of direct employees.
Most opted for it.
So on top of the trips running around, family, music and all else, I’ve been starting a business. I’m already on my first batch of booked work that will keep me busy through Thanksgiving.
I hesitate to declare success in any form, as it is far too early, but it does seem to be working. After I’ve booked two or three more gigs, I might. And maybe after we have formal health insurance in place for a year or so, then I’ll know it’s true.
Right now it’s all very, very fragile and new. But keep you fingers crossed for me. I hope it will work well.
[ Published from Notes and accidentals. You can comment here or there. ]