Defining My Why.

This is me, on the vacation of a lifetime, realizing I’m not going to get the big promotion.

As a foodie, visiting Paris had been my dream forever. Last year, we finally went. I didn’t realize how the movies had influenced me. I subconsciously expected a very Carrie Bradshaw, Disney-esque fairytale land.

A funny thing happened after getting my expectations crushed.

It was a bustling city. With a vibe. And traffic. And good and bad smells. And a culture that embraced living a life of quality.

We stayed in an apartment instead of a hotel, so it was easy to imagine living there. I loved it. It made the city more real to me somehow. It made our corner of the city mine. So why weren't other areas in my life going according to plan?

Though I'd done the job for longer, my assessment period for VP was to be 6 months. That was up right before I left for vacation. I knew there was trouble when I was told we'd talk about it when I got back. I should have know by the fact there was an assessment period.

For the past few years, I've been an intrapreneur. I found a way to hustle and get things done in the context of a large organization. I admired my company and team. I managed a right-sized marketing budget, internal and external creative, the strategic plan, the advertising, all our deliverables, and the relationship with a professional basketball team for a sports arena we named.

After achieving all-time-high results on a number of fronts, I was ultimately passed over for the promotion. I was devastated. Absolutely crushed.

I took my time deciding what to do next. The job I still had was pretty cool after all. If I left, was I wimping out, ignoring lessons I still needed to learn? If I stayed, was I serving a company that undervalued me?

I took my time figuring out my next steps. For months, I put on a brave face and kept at it. My epiphany was gradual and very simple. The VP I was wasn't the VP they wanted.

I had a few leads, but I didn’t have another job lined up. The frustration of staying was greater than my fear of the unknown.

I wrapped up my projects and debriefed others on my responsibilities. I shared how I would have concluded the year.

I shook hands and gave a few hugs. I enjoyed the sheet cake and the lovely speech my boss gave the team on my last day. My smile and gratitude were authentic. But I was glad to go.

I went for long walks. I did a lot of yoga. I drank red wine and listened to Pink. I started making dinner for my family again. I went through my closets and my garage. My home has never been so organized. I read a ton. I re-read the note that Justine Musk, Elon’s ex, wrote in 2015 on what it takes to become a billionaire.

I realized I don’t have to wait to find the right company.

My entire career, in every job with every client, I’ve provided marketing sizzle with substance. I'm strategic, proactive, and efficient. I laugh loud, I walk my talk, and I get it done.

Projects come at a price higher than the obvious. There's an opportunity cost. I have to put something down in order to pick something else up. That means prioritization. Strategy is best defined by what you say no to.

For strategic efficiency to win the day, the decision framework needs to be obvious. Resources have to be empowered and trusted to make judgement calls. That requires managerial courage. Trying to do everything only means you won't do anything really well.

Professionals like me can rock what you thought was impossible. But that requires strategic trade-offs.

If you're nodding your head, we'd probably work well together.

Stellar marketing doesn't have to be mysterious. In fact, shouldn't be. It should synthesize the priorities of the whole organization. It should be a rallying point. That takes trust, focus, transparency, and guts.

I clarify where a company is, where they want to be, and craft plans to get them from A to B. It's the strategy that's been in your stakeholders's heads, or in the ether, articulated in a way that makes the end goal possible. I make the intangible tangible. I'm good at it.

Those are the features that come with this model.

I've been digging into what’s important. To me. I’m remembering my value. I'm defining my Why. It's okay that I'm not for everyone. I can bring more success to those I align with.

Maybe where I am today wasn’t the plan. But maybe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Maybe getting crushed was just a course correction.

If my Paris experience is any indication, there's value to the road being unexpected and real.

"So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways, all my underdogs..." - Pink