Moving On and Looking Back

June 17th, 2011

There comes a time in a man’s life when-

Ugh. No. Take a mulligan.

As the sun sets on an exciting period-

Len. What is wrong with you?

I dunno, man, I just want to get this perfect. It’s important to me.

It’s a frickin’ blog post, dude, not a high school graduation speech, you’re trying way too hard.

But it’s not. This was more than a job, and this is more than just a blog post. It’s goodbye. And I want it to be as awesome as my time at Skadaddle.

Okay. Whatever. Just skip the flowery nonsense and tell them how you feel.

Fine.

I feel sad. And excited. And grateful. And optimistic. And sad.

It’s not hyperbole to say that Skadaddle changed my life. I mean that in the most literal sense. Skadaddle gave me a reason to move to (and fall in love with) the city I now call home. And it gave me the opportunity to work, at every level, on projects that moved people, from nationwide brand campaigns to a hilarious web series that PGA tour pro Bubba Watson called “the worst thing I have ever seem! [sic]” I talked shit. I acted alongside a Food Network star (I swear, my role wasn’t “guy who can’t act”). I got physical. And I worked with some of the coolest, smartest and most creative people I’ve ever met.

If companies are built on the strength of their people, then Skadaddle’s foundation is rock solid. The creativity is epic, the work ethic undeniable, and the passion unparalleled. I’m lucky to have gotten the chance to work with and learn from everyone on this team. Truly. I guess what I’m saying is, If I were a brand that needed help (or just someone to drink with), I’d call Skadaddle immediately. So, if you’re reading this, do that right now.

Just kidding.

But seriously.

Do it.

But it’s not just the work we did. By some cruel twist of fate for the Skadaddlites, I’ve somehow managed to trick them all into becoming more than just coworkers. Whether we’ve been huddled over drinks, karaoke microphones, Wii remotes or bocce balls, I’ve had a lot of fun here, made some amazing friends, and I couldn’t be more excited that I get to take that part of the job with me when I leave.

And as I start the next chapter in my own career, I’m looking forward to watching Skadaddle continue to grow. When I first started here, the company was a year old, and I thought there might be something to this idea. Now, two years later, I know there is. And it’s only going to get better.

And now, something I’ve wanted to do for a while.

We’ve had a lot of inside jokes during my time at Skadaddle. And, the majority of them are either too personal, or far too inappropriate to print, so they’ll have to remain inside jokes. But one, in particular, stands out to me.

A few days after I had joined the company, I committed some grave offense to humanity at the office. I don’t remember exactly what it was, but it may have had something to do with setting the Skadaddle Pandora account to ‘Will Smith Radio.’

“Len, you’re fired.”

Wow. That was fast.

It took a second or two to realize that it was a joke, and that I’d have to step my own game up if I wanted to make it here (if you want to dish it out, you have to be able to take it). And over the next two years, I got “fired” for a number of things, from stealing a parking spot to missing a SkadFit session. And while I laughed along with everyone, I never got the chance to “fire” anyone myself, and to be perfectly honest, I feel like I missed out.

So with that, I’m going to indulge myself. And I think I know just who to fire.

Len. You can’t fire yourself. First of all, that’s stupid. Second of all, you’ve already told Skadaddle you’re leaving.

Shut up. It’s my blog post, and it’s my last day, and I’ll do whatever the hell I want.

You’re fired, Len.

___________________________

THANK YOU to Todd, Jon, Meg, B, Dan, Lisa, Dan, Olivia, Yen, Brett, Ashley, Jess, Dave, Natalie, BT, Harley and Tommy for making my time at Skadaddle such a kickass experience! You guys rock, and while I’m going to miss working with all of you, I look forward to many more Jager bombs together.