… like a new one.

When I moved to Utah from Colorado, I went to work for a small start-up company that did web software. There were 5 people working there, including me. After 2 weeks, one of the contract programmers was let go, leaving me and my “manager” on the development side. A month later, the designer was let go, leaving me, the programming manager and the president.

A month later, the programming director was laid off. He was too busy with his other day job to provide any real direction, and so the task of the entire development process was left to me. But, I’d made a commitment to myself, and my family that I was going to make this new career move happen, so I buckled down. I was invested, and I spent weeknights, mornings, and weekends working as hard as I could with what I had been given.

Three months later, after a string of disappointing milestone misses, and with funding being reduced to almost zero, the president and I came to a mutual decision that I would no longer work with the company. He would continue to seek funding elsewhere and try and launch the product independently, and I would find another job. Basically, I got laid off.

At first, I was devastated. I hate leaving something undone, but this product, while finished, was not even launched into production. There was no customers, no revenue, and no marketing strategy to speak of. The president launched the product as a one-man-band, with no resources, while I was left to start all over again.

When I was interviewed by the people who eventually hired me, I was skeptical. It was another small company, only 5 employees (deja vu), and they had recently gone through some turn-over, leaving basically a fresh staff still transitioning into a new company structure. At the time, I was hoping to find a nice cubicle job where I could do my projects and leave the stress and worrying to someone else.

What I found exciting enough to brave all those risks was the promise of two things: A leadership position, and an ability to make good on my original plan of becoming more than just an employee. Sure, I could have taken the cubicle job, but six months from now, would I be satisfied, or left looking for more?

After a month at my new job, I’m glad I am where I am now. Yes, it’s a small company, but it has a customer base, revenue coming in, and a vision for the future. I am challenged on a daily basis, not only as a developer, but as an emerging leader in my area, and looked at as the expert for my company. It is an investment, and I probably spend more time at the office than my 34-weeks-pregnant wife would like, but I am no longer regretting the failures of missed opportunities of the past.

I’m finally looking forward to the future…