Decade of Collagues

I'm heading into the final week at Doyle Research Associates, where I've spent the last decade of my career. I'm feeling such mixed emotions about it, that I started to write a facebook post and realized it would be better as a blog entry. So here goes.

Spending more than a decade at one company is rare, especially with the economic upheaval of the past few years. And, it's almost unheard of for people in my generation, Gen X, so famously made out to be "slackers" in 90s movies. But I think Hollywood got it wrong. What I've seen from my contemporaries is a desire for authenticity. The desire to be who we say we are, and more importantly, who we want to be. We work hard for what we want, and then we realize it's not possible to "have it all" we make hard choices and don't whine about them. I'm actually quite proud of being an Xer. I think we're onto something (as I would, wouldn't I?) about authenticity that other generations do not have in the same way. There's no sense of entitlement. We work for it, and we know it won't be easy. I hope that generations after us realize that living an authentic life comes with a price, and it's one that's worth paying.

What have I collected over the past 10 years? What will I remember most? Well, it's not the work, per se, but the people...


What I will miss most leaving DRA is all the little moments with my wonderful colleagues. The moments that don't stick in your mind until they are fleeting. Some of those colleagues are still at DRA, and some have already moved on. But once you work in this special environment, you're forever bonded...because you get it. Suddenly, I miss these colleagues passionately. Several of them have actually become like sisters to me. I will never forget them, and how they have been honest with me when I needed that does of reality. I will also be forever grateful for how they pushed me to be better. They have served as great examples for me, and I will long remember the lessons I have learned by working alongside them.


I will miss many of my clients. Now granted, they can always "follow me" if they want to do so, but I won't be actively pursuing any of them. A few of these clients I will gladly leave behind but most of them have been great clients: the kind who are thoughtful marketers, want to collaborate with their suppliers, and most importantly, pay their bills when due! Some of them have become friends - not just the kind you add to Christmas card lists, but the kind you call up when you're going to be in town so you can go grab cocktails together. The kind you are always happy to help with "free advice," because you care about them and their business. I have collected quite a few of those in the past decade. 


And finally, I will miss the sense that I built something. I built it for my colleagues, so we would all have good jobs even when the economy tanked. I helped build a company where people wanted to go to work, where they felt valued, appreciated and challenged. But I also built it for my family. Over time I've been able to craft the kind of work-life balance that seemed rather elusive before I had kids. But it's all worked out, and now I know what I'm never willing to give up. Yes, there will always be periods when I'm crazy-busy (that is the nature of this business!) but I also know what I'm going to keep as my laser focus on "balance," and I have a pretty good idea how to do it.


I've learned so much being part of Doyle Research Associates, and I'm proud to have been part of this company for almost 11 years. I wish all my colleagues - and my boss, Kathy Doyle - every success and much happiness in the future.


So thank you, colleagues, for everything you have meant to me, and for the many gifts you have bestowed on me, even without trying. I feel so grateful for you! And appreciating the gift of people in your life is a very Sweet thing indeed.