A Lot of Explaining to Do….

So, it seems like forever since I have last written…. and it has been a while.  I feel I have a lot of explaining to do.

Let’s start with the stark realities…. I am now looking for work, again.  For the second time in less than a year, I am in need of finding new gainful employment.  The first time (late last summer / early fall) I was laid off from RIM after almost 10 years.  The organization was needing to make some pretty big adjustments, and I was caught in the cross fire.  I had been thinking it was time to leave – so wasn’t terribly upset at the proposition — especially since I had a very good “package” from the company and lots of runway to find a new job.

And with any life changing event, many different thoughts crossed my mind.  Should I continue down the path I was on? Stay in the “wireless biz” or move to something else?  Stay in technology?  Go back to consulting?  Find a marketing job in completely different industry – like triathlon / cycling / sports?

Well, all the “thinking” was put aside when I ultimately received a job offer with a small technology company in Toronto that wanted to make a big strategic shift from consulting to software sales.  They needed a good marketing plan to guide them through that shift, and strong sales support to help them execute the change.

And so, In January I started that job – and worked hard to help the organization achieve its strategic objectives.  I went into “consulting mode” and spent the first month or so absorbing new information like I was “drinking from a firehose”.  After more than 10 years in wireless, I needed to understand a new industry – who are the buyers?  What are their problems?  What motivates them?  What makes them tick?  How does what my company does help them achieve what they are trying to achieve?  And how do we do it better (or differently) than others who are also trying to help them solve their problems?

I managed to learn a tonne.  To pull together a solid marketing plan.  And to begin the long and slow process of executing that plan.  One element at a time.  One program.  One component.

Unfortunately, as is the case sometimes with a small organization they ran into a few hiccups with cash and needed to make some short-term cutbacks to preserve the long-term success of the organization.  I was, as the only member of the organization in the “Marketing Department”, collateral damage in that process.

Its been about a week since I got notice.  Officially I am still “at work” – though all of my transition planning is complete and I am no longer being asked to come into the office. and with the luxury of a little “space and time” from the day-to-day grind, I think this move is the right one for the organization (while being a little difficult for me). I say that in the sense that really what they probably needed was for someone like me to come in and “consult” with them on what they should be doing from a marketing perspective.  To build the plan.  And then to hire on a junior / mid-level marketing “doer” who could execute on elements of the plan at half the salary I would expect as a Vice President.

And for me, one lesson I take out of this is that, perhaps some of that thinking I was doing before, I need to finish.  I need to make some decisions as to what I want to do with my career.  I left consulting many years ago on the assumption I would go off and get “client side experience” and return more seasoned and valuable.  Perhaps its time to return to those roots.

I take this as a bit of a sign that the universe was not pleased with my decision or path.  And its time to make some more fundamental changes.  ….

Hope that explains my recent absence from writing.  I hope to be back with a vengeance over the remaining 10 weeks or so to my Ironman.