After the realization had sunk in a couple of weeks back that I was leaving Capstrat, I decided to write down all the things I enjoy about my work. I wanted to document the things that truly excited me and I was passionate about. My goal was to identify what I wanted to do moving forward.
The highlights:
I wanted to:
- Focus my time developing successful social media and online marketing campaigns.
- Work with folks who understand the time, resources and costs necessary to deliver successful work.
- Work on projects with well thought out strategies. In my humble opinion, no marketing campaign will be successful without a foundation strategy, everything else is just tactics.
- Finally, I want to work in an environment where taking chances and risks are not only encouraged but required, to ensure the work is innovative.
I did not want to:
- Manage a team. While watching several members of my team grow into superstars gave me a great deal of pride and satisfaction, managing a team takes a lot of time each and every day. I did not want to use the amount of time required to manage a team effectively at this point of my career.
- Spend my time focused on any type of web design/development work. I am not saying anything negative about the work, it is just not something I am passionate about.
I had a plan on what I wanted to do and began executing, but as usual in life and one of the reasons why I get up every morning, something unexpected happened. I got together with a couple of folks who wanted to talk to me about a position. As they described the position, it was like they had broken into my computer and was reading off the list of things that I was passionate about and wanted to pursue. After our great discussion, my original plan required a revision as this position, this company and this team were too great to turn down.
I am excited to announce that I will be joining Ignite Social Media as their Director of Strategic Innovation. I have known Jim Tobin and Lisa Braziel for several years and have been so impressed with their work. I knew after a couple of conversations with the team this was an opportunity I wanted to pursue. I am very excited to begin working with the talented folks over at Ignite!
In the meantime, I am going to take a week or so off and potentially you know sleep and maybe hang with my wife and daughter. Thanks again for everyone’s insights, kind words and encouragement. As I said in my previous post, at times I forget what a wonderful community we have here in RTP and just how lucky I am to be a part of it. Thanks again.
Congratulations, Cord! It sounds like a perfect fit.
Thanks Karl! Congrats on your new position as well.
I don’t know what I love about this post more – the new position or how you arrived at your decision to find it and take it OR the fact that you are taking time to enjoy life before jumping right on in. My hats off to you, Cord. Go get ‘em. Let your brilliance shine at Ignite! I’m very happy you get to do what you love. It’s a beautiful thing!
Thanks Lisa for your incredibly kind words.
congrats Cord, I hope they know how lucky they are to have you!
Thanks JP! We need to do lunch.
Congratulations, Cord! This sounds like a wonderful development in your career, and I know Ignite must be thrilled to have you join their team. Can’t wait to see what happens next for you, sir! So happy for ya!
Thanks Camden! Though I will gladly come work for you anytime you ask.
Awesome! Congrats and the best of luck Cord!
Thanks Andy for all your great thoughts and insights. They are always appreciated.
Nice! Yep, that is a perfect fit. I am very happy for you and Jim! Good luck to you all.
Congratulations Cord! I love Jim Tobin & Gang at IgniteSM and I think you are joining them at an important growth point. Maybe you need to learn Korean! Good Luck!
Thanks Janet!
Congratulations on your new endeavor! I know you will be terrific. I can’t agree more about managing a team vs. working on strategy; it’s the same reason I left my last agency. Good luck!
Thanks Jenny for your kind words.
Cord this is great. It seems like a perfect fit, and they’ll be lucky to have you. I honestly think one of the hardest things to do, as I just did something similar myself, is be able to put your passions on paper. So much of it is intangible, but it sounds like you nailed it. Cheers to new careers in social media
Thanks Lydia. I will miss ya , but know you will kick butt is SF.
If I’ve learned anything about plans–they change for a reason and it’s usually good! Congrats Cord. Ignite and their clients are lucky to have you!
Thanks Heidi for your kind words and all your help and insights you have provided me over the last few weeks.
Congratulations on the new job!
Thank you.
Make sure you rock that awesome job title, Cord – its previous owner will be watching closely.
Best of luck, you’re seriously joining one of the best groups of people to work with that you’ll find in this industry, even accounting for Jim (kidding…).
Thanks Kevin. I have huge shoes to fill.
I wish you the best at Ignite. I know you will do awesome things. Hope to still see you around at AMA.
Awesome — I’m sure Ignite’s Strategic Innovation is going to ROCK with you at the helm!
Congrats, Man