Not Another Marketing Blog

*Originally posted February 8, 2024*

I'm not exactly some big content creator. The idea of being an "Influencer" gives me the creeps. I just happen to like to write, and LinkedIn seemed like as good a place to do that as any. So if you're reading this, you either worked with me at one time, or you probably saw a LinkedIn post.

The absolute last thing I'd want this blog to be is a generic, self-congratulatory business development vehicle. I don't have a course I'm looking to sell, or a newsletter - which are oddly named to begin with, because they never actually contain anything newsworthy.

So then, what is the point? Truth be told, I don't know yet. Perhaps none! This could become a one-post-and-dead blog pretty easily. But what I'd like for it to be, is a few things:

• Entertaining. Life and work are hard enough at the best of times. Sure, I'm happy to share my thoughts on marketing, industry trends, and all that. But those thoughts are a dime a dozen. That's nothing new. If I can create a sort of lifestyle blog for working professionals, that'd be awesome.
• Inclusive. The echo chamber is real. If I get the opportunity to feature other writers on here, I would hope they'd be from a diverse background, with unique challenges and perspectives. As long as they're incredibly hilarious and like all the same things I do, they're free to share their lived experience.
• I think that's it. But you can't have just two bullet points. We live in a society!

So ya. I'm about to hop on LinkedIn and share that I've created this. I'm fairly anxious about it. Partly because putting yourself out there is HORRIFYING but also fun and exciting. It's also a bit nerve-wracking, as I kicked off this whole project because I was recently laid off. Which sucks. And telling people that sucks!

But, it's the reality. An organization I absolutely adored eliminated my position. If you're anything like me, you see posts about this all the time. It's alarmingly common, often in the name of "shareholder value." How often does an enormous corporation layoff hundreds, then post record earnings? I try to be an empathetic person. I really do. But I quickly learned I'd been minimizing the experience of a layoff, perhaps because I've simply never been through one before.

Obviously it's surprising at first. Maybe a tad humiliating. Then there's the moment where you're offboarding your stuff, and you think "I did ALL this and I'm gone?" I try very hard not to be resentful. I'm sure it wasn't a whole lot of fun for the people doing it. But I can see how people get incredibly angry or hurt.

I don't think I am, though. It was a great experience. I wish them well. I really do. I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Really good friends. I learned a TON, and did stuff I never thought I'd be able to pull off.

Do you remember when Conan O'Brien got forced off the air? He was going to take over the Tonight Show, but then Jay Leno un-retired (or something) and he ended up going to TBS? In his final show, he said

“Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism – it's my least favorite quality, and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.”

I've thought about that quite a bit over the years, and it's quite comforting as this new chapter of my professional career unfolds. Work hard, try to be kind, be willing to have some fun along the way, and things will probably shake out alright.

So that's what I'll try to do here.