Diving Into The Deep End

After a year of stringing together a series of short term contracts, I’m happy to announce I recently signed a long term project with NetHope. As the organization’s core Marketing and Communications Specialist. I’ll be responsible for helping develop NetHope’s communications strategy, managing its digital properties, and planning the organization’s big member summit in the fall.

Like many of life’s adventures I’m terrified and excited for this new opportunity. It will allow me to work at the intersection of a number of issues I’m interested in and use my complete communicator tool box. All being said, the role will also force me to quickly acquire new skills and operate at my very best all the time. Being a solo communications shop as I’ve discussed with other friends is a double-edged sword in many ways. It presents endless opportunities to explore various projects without worrying about red tape but can quickly devolve into chaos if managed incorrectly.

Accepting this offer was difficult at first because it meant closing the door for now on a traditional and stable career path. Initially I found this idea very unsettling. The common question I frequently ask myself, “what’s next,” had no simple answer. Instead it’s filled with a lot of mystery and vagueness.

So with that I’ve made up my mind. I’m taking a step back from the ledge, jumping high in the air, and doing a cannon ball into the deep end of the independent pool. The best way to learn is by doing. A quote I recently stumbled upon on LinkedIn describes this idea best, “sometimes you have to build the plane on the way down.”

[Photo Courtesy of llstalteri]