I’ve put up a new article on how you can store geospatial data using Grails, PostGIS, and Hibernate Spatial. Click here to read along.
Author Archive
More Than Good
I envisioned the SmallBizExecs (SBE) blog to be a window into how Sean, Vick, and I run our business. The following describes why I decided to become an executive for a company that can count its employees on the fingers of two hands. Please excuse my inability to not sound like a complete and utter megalomaniac/schizo.
I admit it, I had it pretty good. I had a good job at a great company. I made good money doing work that I found interesting and rewarding. I had a good career path and was on track to be, if not rich, comfortably well-off. All I had to do was continue doing what I had always done – be good.
When Sean and Vick approached me to be the CTO of redShoe Technologies, I didn’t hesitate. I put in my two weeks notice, said goodbye to my fat pile of now-worthless RSUs, and turned my back on the good life. I was tired of being good. I was bored of being safe. I wanted more.
I’m an idiot. Sometimes I want to run to my old company and beg them to take me back. My life has gone from being good and stable to stressful and frenetic. Instead of having work hand-delivered to me by a multi-billion-dollar corporation, I’m now scrounging, along with my partners in crime, to make sure our business can stay afloat.
Can we make payroll this month? Why don’t we have any processes defined, let alone deployed in our (insert silo here)? When am I going to be able to work on these five proposals/white papers/opportunities when I’m busy billing 40+ hours for my current client? Did I do my part to grow the business today? Did we really promise that? Why don’t I know what’s going on?
Starting a small business is tough. While it can sometimes feel overwhelming, I can honestly say that I haven’t been happier. I joined Sean and Vick because I was tired of playing it safe and being good. I wanted to matter, and I needed to know that what I did had an impact beyond just being a line item in some massive spreadsheet. redShoe Technologies may not even be considered good yet, but I know that given enough time, the three of us will make it great. And when we do, I’ll know that I’ve got it more than good.