Congrats to old friends and new...a transaction

It was about a year ago that I "bumped", at least virtually, back into John Street and Scott Chasin formerly of USA.net, then of MxLogic and now, as of today, of McAfee. It's a bittersweet I am happy for John, Scott and the old crew from Secure, and also the new crew at McAfee. (For details see http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=21988) . I remember well sitting with the team in Denver and in Mtn View doing the netscape.net mail service deal in 1997 (How did that get to be 12 yrs ago, crap!!!) . Omid (yes, the Omid, I knew him b4 goog!) , Amy, Alan and I from Netscape and John, Scott and his team. Ahh, the good old days!

I am still a huge believer of the Hybrid Delivery strategy we cooked up at Secure, and I wish MFE team well in executing. Well done! And congrats to John, Scott and the team!

Karma, it's a funny thing

Don't have too much to say on this topic, but it is amazing how small the world is. And with Linkedin etc, you just can't escape your past. Moral of the story: Treat people right, be honest and ethical, hold your head high and count on karma...at least you sleep at night then.

Ego...success...Joyce and sunshine

I've been contemplating a lot about the role that ego plays in the job search and in the running of companies. Certainly, Entrepreneurs need egos. But when does ego get in the way as companies grow. Steve Jobs is a data point that says maybe never! Others I've seen who were great had/have very little ego. I guess it comes down to a) how you manage it b) how you use it. After all, isn't charisma an output of ego? Don't we want our leaders to be charismatic, isn't that what drives new companies and old to success.

Being in the job market, and doing consulting both mean putting a lot of ego aside....after all, as a consultant, your role is to deliver for the company, not for your ego, it's a quickie relationship, and for it to work it's ALL about the results. In the job search, if you let your ego get in the way, well it is very easy to slip into defensiveness or depression or both. I've been think that James Joyce might have been in a job search when he said...."

The artist, like the God of the creation, remains within or behind or beyond or above his handiwork, invisible, refined out of existence, indifferent, paring his fingernails. "

I think you do need to rise above your resume', get perspective, space, remove the ego, and then get on with it!

I've been trying to view my career as a piece of art, most like a novel. It's got an arc, and a destination, but it's not always been or will it be a straight line. After all, how many of our careers are predictable? For that matter, it does intertwine with our lives too. I was speaking with a old colleague who provided wise advise..."Your next job isn't what you are doing with your life, you are doing so much more..." So if our lives are stories, then our career is just one of the story lines. Then there's family, friends, spirituality and yes, the arc and story of our ego...

Now I am waxing randomly and philosophically, guess that's what happens when you take the kids out of the day. On to a beautiful day in the Seattle with old friends and new, always a nice refrain.

Cheers

K

Creatures big and small and in between

Yesterday morning went like this....

Wake up 530 a: Roll out of bed to sound of silence. Roll bike out of garage and see 3 racoons trolling trash on the street. I hate those pests.

7:15 a climbing up Jefferson by Emerald Hill CC and see a doe on side of the road. I decided not to hit here with my bike :)...seriously, it was quiet and peaceful, and we checked each other out....

7:40: Back home to the little ones here

830: Creatures at consulting gig!

Boy it's energizing to get a whole workout in b4 work...

6 degrees...

Executive A grew up with former colleagues husband and works with late best friends brother. Marketing Director B worked with PR Agency C who I've hired. Recruiter Y is brother of boyhood hero baseball star...

Connections are crazy, and I guess make the world go round....

Great morning, and remembering a friend

What an excellent way to start the day, a nice ride with my friend Tim E. Great conversation, career and riding tips, and quite a few laughs too...

This career break has been an awesome oppty to reset goals, both life and career. I've learned value of friendship, both old and new and everywhere in between. Over my nearly 20 years in the valley I've met some amazing people and I'm glad to now count Tim on that list.

I've lost a few too, and chatting with Tim about his loss this week made me remember Jeff Helfer. Jeff was irreplaceable to so many of us from the old frat house days at NU, to Jeff's network in NY, to his touching of those in SF that he knew in his ALL TOO SHORT time. All the more spookey is that was exactly 8 years to the day that Jeff drowned that Tim's friend left us. I didn't know Chris, but I hope Chris and Jeff meet up there cause they sure seemed to share the charisma that I miss so much, and they both went doing something they loved. It's hard to believe it's been 8 years my friend, I hope you've got an RSS reader up in the sky, I like to think so...you may be gone, but you'll never be forgotten. Jeez how I'd like to hear your riff on the new President...nothing could replace that!

On the rest of the day thanking whatever powers there are for what I have, which is a awful lot to be thankful for, family, friends, health and that ever elusive and hard to hold onto happiness...

Peace to you Jeff and Chris, and thanks Tim for a great start to a great day...

Hopeful signs? Pipelines growing?

My dataset is small (4+), but I am seeing a pattern of well established private cos that wisely battened down the hatches over the last 3 Qs starting to see healthier pipelines and encouraging sales. Seems like the wallets in heatlth care, fin services and mfg are loosening, and the overall pessimism is lowering. This is great news as there will be many opportunities for the strong to take share. The first stage of the shake out seems ending. I am expecting a return to growth for the well managed, a struggle for the weak with an overall rising tide by the end of the year. Hopefully Washington will stay out of the way, let the weak fall and let the strong grow stronger. This will mean jobs, wages that begin to rise and a lot happier time for all...

Is your pipeline growing? Are you feeling positive?

Keep your fingers crossed!

K

random thoughts

Mean what you say, do what you say. Don't believe everything you hear. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.

I am holding all my thoughts to myself because it's just better. I am just hopeful that karma operates in the universe...and that those with high integrity come up on the top of the scoreboards that matter

On a brighter note, great getting to know the crew at Nimsoft. I'm really loving being back in my element, small, aggressive, growth private cos. That's where the fun is for sure...and I'm enjoying a great day today with the family...

Cheers
Ken

Oh the people you meet...and 4th of July thanks!

It's been 2 months on this journey and it has been filled with fun, frustration, and adventure...mostly, as with everything else, it all comes down to people, whatta suprise! So, I'd like to thank old friends and new who have offered help, referrals, advice, and just plain favors. To all of you, you owed me nothing and have been there, it sounds corny, but you've restored a lot of my faith in the value of karma!!

There is much good humor along the way too, and I'm learning a lot. One highlight went like this...

Recruiter..." That last name is spelled Charboneau, C-H-A-R..."
Ken..."Oh, I know that last name cause I grew up in Cleveland, and that was the name of one of the biggest flameout baseball players we've seen"
Recruiter..."That flameout is my older brother..."

OOOOOPs...

John, thanks for being a good sport on the phone and look forward to meeting you in person...

So while the pace is slow (are all hiring cycles these days having 6 weeks between interview rounds???) I feel grateful and upbeat, and look for more adventures to come in the weeks and months ahead!