Professionally, in the last year I’ve witnessed:
- The integration and dismantling of a NASCAR sponsorship
- The axing, retooling and public execution of a truly heroic national television campaign
- The rise, subsequent fall, and re-rise of digital and interactive media, internally
- A major web relaunch
- A toe in the water social media campaign
- An “R.I.F.” (can’t believe I now know what that acronym means)
- And more corporate politicking then one knows what to do with…
Everyone around the corral says its “the nature of retail,” and I guess I’m starting to fully appreciate the art of “changing the oil/repainting while the car is in motion” (still trying to figure out what C-level conference that was first coined at because I’ve now heard it from several management teams at different companies…ah, the regurgitation of lackluster metaphor!). Regardless, it has been nothing short of a wild 400 days.
I’ve gained a tremendous amount of insight jockeying my first “corporate” desk job; discovering a great deal of complacency, bureaucracy and antiquated thinking, but have been absolutely inspired by those who have worked for decades to create the workplace we find today. My appreciation and distrust for “experience” has been forged in my first year, and I’m happy to say it is unbelievably apparent when it is being used well or lazily.
My goal is to take away and share the practicality of digital media in a somewhat antiquated industry (Retail Grocery). If there was ever a case for the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, we need not look further than those who deliver food everyday.
Good to be back.
Peace,
mjb
