Two years ago this week, I turned in my ID badge and left behind “the grind” of the corporate world, heading toward the greener pastures of solopreneurship.
I knew I wanted to write something to mark the occasion. Originally this post was going to be about the two years since: launching my freelance and consulting practice, the freedom and flexibility that goes with it, the chance to get back to more creative work, the ups and downs and everything in between.
But this date commemorates the end of the previous chapter, not the official beginning of the new one. It made more sense to look back at how my 14 years at APS helped lay the foundation to make my new reality possible.
First and foremost, it’s where I learned the importance of the marriage of content and strategy. That is the hallmark of KBL Communications and the approach I bring to every project or client.
As a newbie in the energy industry, I quickly learned how to grasp complicated topics and explain them in simple, understandable terms. That remains one of the most important tools in my belt.
My first lesson there about knowing your audience came in internal communications, writing for an employee group that was spread out geographically, working different hours, some in offices, others in power plants or in the field. How and when to communicate with them was just as or more important than what to communicate.
Later in the advertising and marketing world, I dove deeper into segmentation and targeting and truly matching content to what different audiences want and need to hear.
I had the opportunity to tackle new roles and learn different skills, to connect with outside agencies and inside experts.
Most importantly, I met many great people who not only remain friends and colleagues, but who also have graciously hired me for projects or referred me to new clients. Thanks to all of you for helping me get where I am today.
(Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty more to say about this chapter in my life. I plan to start posting more frequently – and will hopefully stick to that plan.)
Photo is of beautiful Sedona, Ariz., where I got to shoot a television commercial during my APS days.