by Jamie Harju
2014 was a big year for me. I was promoted to a director-level role at my job, something I was equally proud of and honoured by as I had worked my butt off for a brand I loved for nearly 4 years. I also lost that very job in July when The Grid closed its doors. Torontonians pleaded for the magazine to stick around. The global editorial/design industry applauded our talented team. We cried over the loss of more than a job that we put so much into. What was I to do next? What would elicit the same level of loyalty, commitment and drive out of me that The Grid did? Would anything?! I took a few months off to give it some serious thought, enjoyed the occasional late Wednesday of too many beers and live band karaoke, and considered my next move.
In the end I received 3 job offers, all from very different organizations. I have a horrible time making big life decisions, and I treated this one no differently. A risk-taking and talented friend of mine urged me to write down comparisons of each job (compensation, title, responsibilities, benefits, etc.) as well as every thought I had associated with each opportunity. Some were reasonable. Some were deeply rooted in insecurity, and some I under-valued. I ended up joining a media ad tech start-up called Pressboard, within their first year of operating, as their first hire.
Many will experience something similar in their career (many of us more than once), and some of you might be going through a similar situation right now. I figured I’d share some of the things I considered and take a closer look at them now that I’ve been on the job for a few months.
Pro/Con: I would have colleagues in an office setting
more social, collaborative…might be difficult to self-motivate at home
The first was a pro for two of the jobs I did not go with, the latter a con from my Pressboard list. Pressboard is based in Vancouver. I am in Toronto. This was the first time I’d be working on my own, from a home office. Despite being a fairly social person, I used to think my best work came when the office was empty or I worked from home. Naturally, I thought I had this working from home thing down. Over my first 3 months with Pressboard, I quickly dispelled that myth for myself. If I didn’t have a meeting, it was common for me to work the day away in sweats. My face had previously never gone as long without makeup. Sure, I now had my very own dog office (and, unfortunately not that long into it, a dog with newly developed separation anxiety. RIP shoes). However, I wasn’t producing my best work. I missed the buzz of a sales team. I longed to have a task interrupted by an impromptu meeting that led to all kinds of great ideas. I had wished I was surrounded by a team whose wins I could celebrate and who, in turn, would celebrate mine. Luck would have it that a shared office, Brightlane, held a competition in December, awarding 15 people/companies to work in their space for 6 months. I participated and was selected! It’s only been a week, but already I feel more energized getting “ready” in the morning and enjoy hearing the buzz of other businesses as they hustle to grow rapidly or get their company off the ground. Stopping by the kitchen has sparked interesting conversations about companies and industries I find exceptionally inspiring. I underestimated my desire to be around like-minded people. Working as a team is powerful and working around teams is equally so, something I won’t be as quick to forget moving forward. Working around dogs is pretty badass as well and luckily for my little Luna, Brightlane welcomes dogs!
Con/Pro: A salary cut to join
…but additional compensation is the best motivator
Of the 3 offers, Pressboard’s compensation was most heavily based on sales performance. This made sense to me – they are a new and growing company and anyone they bring on board would need to contribute to that. Such a compensation structure was not new to me, nor was developing a business and territory from the ground up. I had done it before and knew I could do it again. Still, I was worried about adjusting my weekly spending habits to account for quieter months. How many dinners out or vacations would I need to cut? Could I afford personal training and the occasional shopping spree? Wait a second…is this what I should be worrying about? It turns out, not really. While I was stressing over my decision, I read a post titled Is it Time for you to Earn or Learn? and the latter half in which he discusses the importance of learning really struck a cord. Pressboard was my opportunity to be pushed out of my comfort zone, learn something new, build upon my experience and to test myself. I am young in age and also in my career. While I bring a lot to the table, I have even more to learn. I don’t yet have a family, nor do I have a mortgage, so I can risk a bit as it relates to what I bring in weekly. What Pressboard offered was an opportunity to really push myself and to have an impact on a company that I genuinely believe in. With the luxury of professional growth and responsibility comes a great deal of accountability. It has forced me to be brutally honest with myself about my work habits, my drive and my approach, which in turn has helped me focus on where and how I can be better, every day. Sure, the unlimited financial upside is exciting and a huge driving force, but the loyalty I feel towards a team that has put their faith and then some into me is even bigger.
Pro/Con: Opportunity to help develop and grow a company from the ground up
…but currently no team to lead
These two were big for me. There’s no question that Pressboard offered me an opportunity to help them grow and evolve. It’s still early days for this company and we’re only getting started. Being a part of shaping where it is headed was thrilling. At the same time, I was sad that I wouldn’t have a team to lead for quite some time. One thing I hadn’t really given much thought to were all the responsibilities I had come accustomed to delegating that were now mine. That meant doing everything from gathering data for reports, to capturing screen grabs and data entry, all while trying to get a meeting with senior-level executives at some of Canada’s largest companies. Sure, I don’t have a team to manage but I have a lot on my plate, some tasks more exciting than others, if I am being honest. This has allowed me to reflect upon the kind of leader I was and the kind I’d like to be moving forward. I’ll admit that when the going got tough at The Grid, I was exerting so much effort into trying to keep it afloat that I put less time into my team. My experience thus far has reminded me how important every task, big and small, is to the success of a team. The team itself is so instrumental to any organization and nurturing one’s team is crucial to an organization’s achievements. This time off from managing a team has allowed me to reflect upon my leadership experience thus far, identifying where I need to improve and which characteristics I need to amplify in order to grow into a stronger leader. I already feel more prepared and self-aware for when we do grow and I start to take on more of a leadership role. Until then, I’m enjoying my own evolution.
I am happy with my decision to join Pressboard. This job is allowing me to grow both professionally and personally, and it challenges me every day. It turns out that some of the things I thought were important didn’t deserve as much weight as I had given them, and I sold other considerations a little too short. It’s important to trust your instincts, but I urge you to also trust yourself to be pushed in a direction that tests your limits and abilities. It’s often within that uncomfortable space that we are our best.
Would love to hear about a risk you’ve taken in your career. Share in the comments!
Jamie Harju
Director of Strategy and Partnerships
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