My new job
I spent the last six weeks taking on some consulting projects and exploring full-time job opportunities. I've had the luxury of being very selective on both, but especially on the latter. My primary goal has been to find a role where I can have a significant impact on the organization's future. Culture is critical as well, of course; I've been looking for a team that's passionate about the business and where everyone is rallying around a common goal. Lastly, I made it clear I need to stay in Indiana, even if that means I'm on the road a lot.
I'm delighted to let you know that I've found the ideal solution that addresses all these objectives. On June 20th I'm officially joining the team at Olive Software. If you're not familiar with Olive it's probably because they only recently started expanding into the book publishing and eLearning space. Olive specializes in creating a digital presence for publishers and content owners. And although the organization is currently thriving, that's not where the Olive opportunity ends.
I spent time in Olive's Aurora office last week and came away thoroughly energized. I wanted to dive in and become a contributor to this team right then and there. I met several Olive employees throughout the day and each one of them left me with the same impression: they all love what they're doing, they deeply respect what their colleagues bring to the table and they're all enthusiastic about the future of the organization. What more could I ask for? :-)
I've got a few days to decompress a bit before I fully immerse myself in my new role at Olive next week. I can't tell you the last time I was this excited about a new job. Part of it has to do with the fact I'm stepping outside of the book publishing industry for the first time in many years. But as Kat Meyer and I realized long ago, the challenges that exist in book publishing are similar to the ones faced in other content creation and distribution industries; the length of the work and the frequency of publication doesn't really distinguish content as much in the digital model as it did in the print model.
Thanks to everyone who brought me on board for consulting work and to discuss full-time opportunities. These past six weeks have been a new experience for me and I've learned at least one very important lesson: Even though the traditional publishing industry is rapidly shrinking and the job openings are limited, there are plenty of interesting opportunities in adjacent businesses, particlarly with organizations that truly understand digital and aren't paralyzed by The Innovator's Dilemma.
Congratulations, Mr. Wikert! :)
Posted by: KatMeyer | June 13, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Well played, sir. Congrats and good luck, Joe... we're looking forward to seeing your continued success and positive influence on everything you touch. Cheers!
Posted by: Steve Weiss | June 13, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Congratulations, Joe, and good luck!
Posted by: David Mayhew | June 13, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Congratulations! Best of luck to you!
Posted by: Sol Rosenberg | June 13, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Congrats Joe, see you in Italy again!
Posted by: Paolo Giovine | June 13, 2013 at 01:09 PM
Good news travels fast. I could not be happier for you! Congratulations--I am confident that you will do well.
Posted by: Richard Swadley | June 13, 2013 at 03:21 PM
Hi Joe. I've appreciated your advice in the past couple of weeks, even more now that I've learned how busy you've been! Congrats and good luck with the new gig.
Posted by: Doug Hill | June 13, 2013 at 04:00 PM
Congratulations Joe, im really happy for you. Any company is lucky to get you!
Posted by: Allison Gillespie | June 13, 2013 at 04:50 PM
Congratulations Joe and sorry we missed each other at BEA. Best of luck at Olive Software. You'll be great.
Posted by: Larry Olson | June 14, 2013 at 08:44 AM
Great to hear Joe -- I love the enthusiasm in your note! The transition out of core publishing is never easy and it looks like you've made an excellent decision. If OS's work ever crosses over into the e-philanthropy space please get in touch -- best, Robert
Robert Harris, MBA
Senior Vice President, Fundraising Services
Artez Interactive
(B) 416.815.8777 Ext. 429
(M) 289-388-8661
rharris@artez.com
Posted by: Robert Harris | June 14, 2013 at 09:56 AM
Congratulations Joe!
Posted by: Dan Blank | June 14, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Congratulations, Joe. This sounds like a perfect fit!
Posted by: Cindy Kitchel | June 14, 2013 at 01:00 PM
Congratulations, Joe! Sounds great and I wish you all the best!
Posted by: Jeanenne Ray | June 14, 2013 at 01:49 PM
Congratulations, Joe! Well said about looking at the greater content industry for the opportunities which are harder to find in publishing.
Posted by: Robert Weisberg | June 14, 2013 at 02:40 PM
Yay! I love this idea about expanding our proverbial horizons....
Posted by: Kristen McLean | June 15, 2013 at 01:17 PM
Sounds like an interesting company! Congratulations Joe.
twitter.com/bigdata
Posted by: Bigdata | June 17, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Congratulations, Joe! It's a great win for Olive. I look forward to future interactions. I hope this keeps your travel to a manageable level.
fpt
Posted by: Fran Toolan | June 17, 2013 at 02:42 PM