Every time I begin to get self absorbed in my own importance, reality jumps in and kicks my arse.
Companies that have grown from 1 to hundreds of employees have the same origin stories - all nighters in austere offices. Caffiene and sugar to keep going. the CEO, President and janitor all being the same person.
Simuality has grown from two guys in an unfinished office to 12 full time employees with private offices and hell, I even have a fancy Tassimo coffee machine in my snazzy private office - I have a title and a company credit card ..... and last night at 11pm I was emptying garbage and working late.
It really brought home a few basic facts - my fancy office, title, credit card, and coffee machine mean very little.
In the beginning there were 2 of us, now there are 12 - each and every one as important as the other - as important as the "Managing Director" of the company.
Without each person sitting at their desk - open office or private - and doing everything they know to the best of there ability - well beyond the commitment required of an "employee" or "owner" we would not have gotten to this point.
I neglected to mention that while I was at work until midnight last night - I was not alone. Without being asked or directed, without coercion or promises - simply being there because the work had to be done were "employees" and "the boss" - each of us needing each other to get the job done.
As I write this blog today I have received word that we are about to close on a couple of pretty big jobs and receive a major chunk of financing - we are on the cusp of hiring a bunch more people, on the cusp of organizational charts and work flow process and management lines. On the cusp of having enough people in the office where communal group lunches will no longer be the norm - where the private office and title "Managing Director" may become intimidating to the new hires who I don't chat to on a daily basis, who I don't sit down to lunch with or share a bag of chips with on a daily basis. On the cusp of being a company with shareholders and directors and boards and corporate travel accounts and all other perks and obligations of a larger company.
On the cusp of ocassionally thinking that I am a big shot, full of self importance and hot air.
I hope, that when we cross that threshold and I get those airs of granduer, that I remember last night, remember that each person in the company brings to it value and promise and mostly remember that a title, a private office and such does not set me apart.
To those who have helped us get to this point and to those who will help us from this point - thank you. Without all of you we would not be who and what we are.
