A sense of belonging
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As most of my corner of the world knows by now, I started a new job this week. This came as a shock to many people, not the least of which was actually me. For the last two years, I have exclusively run JayVig Media, LLC, a baby I raised since its inception in 2011 (there was a stint where it wasn't my full-time gig). I love the social space. I love marketing. I think it is the single most important evolution in communication since the telephone.
At the same time, this summer marks my 20th anniversary in technology, professionally. What many of you don't know is that my first computer class was when I was four years old and was on a Commodore 64, which was all the rage back then. When I got battery operated toys, I was the kid that took apart the battery (or tried to) because I couldn't figure how this cylinder brought toys to life. I've accidentally erased more of my dad's computers than I care to remember (or admit to, on the grounds that I may incriminate myself - again). In June of 1995, I started my first job in the corporate world doing help desk work for a financial firm. Since then I've been in the same field for a retailer mega chain (Best Buy), a local mom & pop computer shop, the New York Stock Exchange and the United States Air Force.
The USAF is what got me started in social media. Pre-social networks, my weekends were largely comprised of calling my friends and family to keep in touch from a distance - sometimes as close as South Carolina and sometimes are far as the Middle East. Then came Myspace and quick, wide dissemination was available. Along the way I found value in brands speaking with consumers. Before I knew it, I was tapping into a valuable resource called social media marketing.
Since 2009 I have been learning about social, digital and content marketing as well as algorithms, ads and community engagement. I've learned from and studied with many of the founding fathers of social media along the way. It always had a tech feel because all these methods operate over the latest technologies, but my hands weren't getting dirty on actual equipment, configurations, code, or software.
I said, repeatedly, that I was done in tech. People would ask me questions and I'd say "I don't do that anymore. I'm a marketer now." Lo and behold, 2 years later I have abandoned social marketing to go back to my first professional love and strongest skill set; although I get to do it for a visual marketing company.
A small scrappy startup doesn't often have resources dedicated to their help desk / support system. It's not immediately investable. So everyone chips in where they can. Olapic was in that very situation. They have not outgrown that methodology for support.
That is where I come in. I have been tasked to manage the current team, build out a more robust team, create surrounding technical documentation (both for customer facing self-help and internal process management), create a training plan for support agents/account managers/clients, hire a technical writer and training development manager and stay on top of the overall health of all of the above.
I showed up Monday, May 11th for my first day without ever seeing the platform in action. Like a duck to water, I felt right at home. I speak the same language as this team. I live and breathe technology. I put processes into place within hours of arriving. Granted I'm still 0.1% of the way through what I want to accomplish, but there is no trepidation or uncertainty.
I love social media. I love what it's done for communication. I can't imagine a better way to market products or keep in contact with consumers. But now that I'm here, back in tech; for every minute of my professional day, I feel like I am right where I'm supposed to be, for the first time in a very, very long time.
At the same time, this summer marks my 20th anniversary in technology, professionally. What many of you don't know is that my first computer class was when I was four years old and was on a Commodore 64, which was all the rage back then. When I got battery operated toys, I was the kid that took apart the battery (or tried to) because I couldn't figure how this cylinder brought toys to life. I've accidentally erased more of my dad's computers than I care to remember (or admit to, on the grounds that I may incriminate myself - again). In June of 1995, I started my first job in the corporate world doing help desk work for a financial firm. Since then I've been in the same field for a retailer mega chain (Best Buy), a local mom & pop computer shop, the New York Stock Exchange and the United States Air Force.
The USAF is what got me started in social media. Pre-social networks, my weekends were largely comprised of calling my friends and family to keep in touch from a distance - sometimes as close as South Carolina and sometimes are far as the Middle East. Then came Myspace and quick, wide dissemination was available. Along the way I found value in brands speaking with consumers. Before I knew it, I was tapping into a valuable resource called social media marketing.
Since 2009 I have been learning about social, digital and content marketing as well as algorithms, ads and community engagement. I've learned from and studied with many of the founding fathers of social media along the way. It always had a tech feel because all these methods operate over the latest technologies, but my hands weren't getting dirty on actual equipment, configurations, code, or software.
I said, repeatedly, that I was done in tech. People would ask me questions and I'd say "I don't do that anymore. I'm a marketer now." Lo and behold, 2 years later I have abandoned social marketing to go back to my first professional love and strongest skill set; although I get to do it for a visual marketing company.
A small scrappy startup doesn't often have resources dedicated to their help desk / support system. It's not immediately investable. So everyone chips in where they can. Olapic was in that very situation. They have not outgrown that methodology for support.
That is where I come in. I have been tasked to manage the current team, build out a more robust team, create surrounding technical documentation (both for customer facing self-help and internal process management), create a training plan for support agents/account managers/clients, hire a technical writer and training development manager and stay on top of the overall health of all of the above.
I showed up Monday, May 11th for my first day without ever seeing the platform in action. Like a duck to water, I felt right at home. I speak the same language as this team. I live and breathe technology. I put processes into place within hours of arriving. Granted I'm still 0.1% of the way through what I want to accomplish, but there is no trepidation or uncertainty.
I love social media. I love what it's done for communication. I can't imagine a better way to market products or keep in contact with consumers. But now that I'm here, back in tech; for every minute of my professional day, I feel like I am right where I'm supposed to be, for the first time in a very, very long time.