I have some pretty big news: after 7 wonderful, transformational years at 33 Sticks, I’m moving on to a position as a Manager of Analytics Engineers at PlayStation (still working remotely from Georgia). I’ve been in essentially the same consulting role (analytics implementation consultant) since I started at Omniture in 2006 (shortly after I graduated college), so going client-side (much less to a Management position) is a pretty big change (and frankly, a bit scary).
To be clear, I love 33 Sticks dearly. But this was too good an opportunity pass up (PlayStation!?!), and I am excited about the change. I’m sure I’ll post later about the new role, but for now, I want to dedicate some time to the team at 33 Sticks.
33 Sticks is like my family. I don’t mean this in the cliche “this company is like family” way that gets thrown around on LinkedIn, but that in a “these people have seen me at my best and my worst and continue to love me (and vice versa)” way. We’re not perfect, and that’s ok. It’s a bunch of deeply human humans doing their best, and it works because everyone there cares so deeply- about each other, about our clients, about doing the right thing.
Leaving a company like that is hard. I’m going to miss this culture immensely. It’s a rare gift to be able to post “at the aquarium with my fam!” at 11am on a Wednesday and to not have to worry about my boss seeing that I’m taking random time off. If anything, I’d want to tag him in such a post because I knew it’d make him happy: seeing his employees living full lives and spending time with family meant he was achieving the company’s mission.
But it isn’t just Jason. Yes, Jason has quite the online presence, and I doubt anyone will be shocked to hear he’s a thoughtful, supportive boss and just a genuinely good person. Hila, the other founder, may be quieter on social media, but she’s every bit as essential to 33 Sticks. She’s a force to be reckoned with, and I love her like a sister. And I’ll miss Jim and Jon as well- Jim and I, particularly, have been through the trenches together (and I’ve loved watching his little family grow up).
33 Sticks has supported me, celebrated me, and gave me the space to grow. I’ve gotten to travel the world (and even bring my family along sometimes). I’ve been encouraged to build products and speak at conferences. They asked a lot of me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and they treated me like a rock star. And my confidence grew immensely because of that.
Even before I started at 33 Sticks, I was saying I didn’t want to stay a consultant forever. And don’t get me wrong- even at 33 Sticks, it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows. But the fact that 33 Sticks kept me in consulting for 7 years (twice as long as any other job) says a lot.
I was never asked about utilization rates, and never had to mess around with time sheets. Some weeks, I’d work 30 hours, and some weeks I’d “work” 60 hours because I spent a lot of extra time going down some rabbit hole and learning about some technology that was only tangentially related to my client work. I was trusted with my time.
This trust created a culture full of unforgettable memories:
- That timeI I joked my office would get more use out of a cotton candy machine than a coffee maker… and weeks later, a commercial-grade cotton candy machine showed up at my door. (We’re the coolest house on the block at Halloween.)
- That time Jason and Hila, knowing how much I missed the concert harp I used to play, arranged for a harp to be waiting for me in the 33 Sticks suite during Adobe Summit. They even conspired with my husband to sneak my old harp sheet music into my luggage so I’d have something to play!
- That time I was enlisted to work the t-shirt cannon when Hila presented at Summit… and I miscalibrated the pressure and blasted a shirt at the ceiling at full force, nearly taking down a chandelier in the Venetian (oops)
- That time I had a major health incident on a trans-atlantic business flight and the only person I could think of who could be awake (and who I trust) was Hila (via the only channel available, FB messenger), who then worked to wake up my husband and get in touch with my travel contacts to make sure I was taken care of, all while I was still in the air.
- That team dinner where we got to watch a prostitute (successfully) make her sales pitch at the bar near by (they sealed the deal with a handshake. No joke.)
- All the good times at the “33 Sticks Suite” at Adobe Summit- a nice quite place anyone can come and play with puppies, eat good food, or just chill away from the craziness of the busy conference. Conferences were about PEOPLE (and puppies!), not leads and sales pitches.
- All the times Jason and Hila tried valiantly to expand my palate (and I ordered the same boring steak anyway).
I love that my husband has a real relationship with my bosses (and my kids know all of my coworkers’ names and personalities). I love that when my dad died, and when my mom had various health scares, I never had to worry for a moment about the time I’d need to take off or whether or not I’d be supported. When certain world-breaking political events happened, we were given time off to be with family and protect our mental health. 33 Sticks always put the human first, in a rare and special way.
As excited as I am about this new opportunity at PlayStation, every step of the application process, I was dreading the prospect of saying goodbye to my role at 33 Sticks. Even this farewell post, I’ve been putting off, because I don’t know how to put it all into words.
Jason and Hila, you have built something truly unique here, and I’m so grateful that you made me such a big part of it. Thank you!