Landed at a start up...WOW!

I am not really sure where to start. Therefore, I'll start at the end and go on from there.

The End:
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I am now working at a start up founded by Mark Hall. The company presently is seed-funded by angel investors. I expect that we will launch in Jan 2010. It's in 'stealth' mode right now, but it aims to disrupt common models of buying and selling.

The Beginning:
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File this under synchronicity: The *first* person I spoke with after deducing I was to be laid off at IDC was Mark himself. That was in Dec 2007. He said something like, "Well, I have something for you". And 1.5 years later he did!

In Between:
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In the spring / summer of 2008 Neil Armstrong appeared at an IDG event. His appearance was written up in the IDG World Update, the company newsletter. I clipped his photo and his advice to the attendees and taped it into my wallet. He said, "Take chances and believe in yourself." That became my mantra as I looked for a new job. It seems that Armstrong's advise was the perfect message as the Rational Markets opportunity occurred.

There were times that believing in yourself proved difficult. Prior to committing to RM I interviewed at Intersystems in Cambridge. After tests, interviews, and presentations I was not offered the job. It was perfect for me. It was then they the "age thing" creeped into my world. Did I fail to get the job because a better candidate beat me out or was it the fact I was "mature"? I'll never know the answer. But I felt a chink in my armor.

I could write a book with all of the individual stories describing the help that I was given by so many people. You get better with humility as unemployed time passes. You realize that you are NOT self sufficient. You need others, family, friends, and introductions. You learn that others are most genuine in wanting to help. You reach a point of thankfulness that they really like helping you.

I had the pleasure of reconnecting with so many people. If I were still employed at IDC, I would probably have been denied that pleasure (through my own fault). We get so busy in our life and profession that friendships can sometimes wither up and fade away. I'm thankful to have those friendships rejuvenated. I need to go no further than Dan Demaionewton, himself, as an example.