The gravitas of 4 years (after 3, 2, & 1 year(s)) is not lost on me. Perhaps, this is the reason that come December, I could not not swim in ideas around what I had to say. While my brain dictates that I ought to do this milestone justice by getting to the root of things sufficiently, my heart is timid in its approach. Together, me, my brain, my heart, can only try our best to feel content in having written; may the rest fall into place, itself.
As a poet, I know how to be patient while observing and retrospecting my thoughts and the world around me. This is the nature of constructing poetry long before you even sit down to write. Thus, reflecting back on this year at work, being patient was the catalyst to finding how to be assured of my own strengths and values. And while this was made possible with the help and support of many people whom I am in indebted to immensely (IYKYK!), I am equally proud of myself for my mapping my own intrepid journey. Some of the concrete ways through which this manifested is as follows:
- I doubled-down on becoming an expert in a major theme (platform billing) and, with 2x velocity, supported and resolved customers’ concerns and issues to stay and thrive on Vercel.
- I prioritized being there for my teammates (whether via advice, convos, emojis, etc.) especially in this phase of hyper growth, to contribute to a culture where being helpful is non-negotiable.
- I consciously put myself outside my comfort zone to meet more people at the company, to ask questions and challenge assumptions in pursuit of what I know from my experience is best for our team and customers.
- I reshaped my mindset from being “fixated on focus” to “having fun and retaining focus", adhering to the belief that not everything is straightforward nor is everything within my control or influence, so, why worry?
- I helped craft the brand vibes of the Vercel Community (OGs remember when I shipped the only Vercel Customer Success team-specific swag ever produced), executing on a skill I have built up over many years of hard work and attention: good taste.
The last environment where I spent 4 years at was studying CompSci at Uni, so, in many ways I feel like I have a degree-length association with what I do every day at work. Even when I had not known it, the momentum I gained from spending my energy on initiatives and community that filled my cup, were key to how I landed at Vercel back in 2021. That “hustle” was organic and never planned for or orchestrated, striking the right balance to propel me to where I belong. It warms my heart, then, to observe that “nature is healing” as I find momentum in building up my new community project, Batch Butch.
After many restful evenings, I feel prepared and energized, once more, to saying yes to days where my ambition paves the way, onwards.
Au revoir & Allons-y.