It’s the start of 2019. So let me start it by looking back and do a review of 2018. It was a heck of a year. There were tons of changes and a lot of those changes started early on in 2018.
I got accepted and started Praxis.
In late December, I reached out to my friend Chuck Grimmet. About the company he was working for, Praxis. I was unhappy with my job at the time, and I had no idea how to go about getting a new one. Chuck encouraged me to try Praxis, and I did.
It had been a while since I had to apply to anything, and the average Praxis applicant isn’t 27 with a Masters Degree. It was nerve-racking and humbling. I had to write essays. I even had to give quick responses to an automated interviewer. But I completed the application process and was accepted.
I Quit My job at General Motors
This was the one of the toughest decisions I had ever made. I hated the job. There was too much bureaucracy, and I was in the wrong field: IT. But it was my safety net. I was making six figures. I had a healthy 401k and great healthcare benefits. I was on my way to a house with a white picket fence and the mandatory 1.5 children that comes with it. I just had to live for the weekend, and say things like, “It’s five o’clock somewhere” and “Happy Friday” for the next 40 years. That sounded like Hell, so I opted out. I broke the mold.
I learned About Marketing
I am now a data analyst for a digital marketing firm. When I started out the year, I thought marketing was creating posters in Photoshop. And coming up with annoying jingles/slogan. Don’t get me wrong. That’s a part of it. The other part is highly analytical and strategic. Data could be and should be at the heart of every marketing campaign. Not only that. The data is fascinating, and I enjoy the hell out of this field.
I moved to Harrisburg Pennsylvania
I moved to Harrisburg Pennsylvania from Austin Texas. I loved Austin. It had really become my home. It’s a place full of weirdos, and the weather is fantastic. I have nothing but fond memories and I consider it a part of me. But I left for my new job. And living in Harrisburg is the beginning of my post-Austin life. Austin is an accepting town with beautiful weather. It’s an easy place to get comfortable. And comfort doesn’t lead to growth.
There were so many other little things along the way. But these are the ones that stick out, and that I still think about.