Last week I announced to my team at Blackbaud that I’ll be stepping down and leaving Blackbaud behind after almost 13 years. Nov 30, 2016 will be my last day there. It’s a big moment. I’ve grown up during my time at Blackbaud, and it’s time to leap. The moment when Nancy and I made this big decision, it was like a lightning bolt in my body. Immediate. The first emotion I felt was one of pure unfiltered gratitude. I instantly wanted to run to the office and just hug every single person there. I’m so overwhelmed and overflowing with gratitude for what Blackbaud has given to me, for what I’ve learned in the last 13 years — it’s just off the hook beautiful and insane. And it feels amazing. I don’t want to hide the fact that my last few years in particular have had their fair share of frustrations — those close to me know that I have struggled. I have fought hard to keep perspective, and to make sure that my stumbles didn’t get in the way of seeing clearly, and I’ve fought even harder to make sure that my frustrations didn’t prevent me from being fully present to serve the amazing nonprofits and the amazing people I work with every day. Having been on the front lines of that struggle each and every day for a long time: I find it even more amazing that in this moment of arriving at a new place, arriving at a decision, I am filled with a gratitude of the highest order. I feel a lightness that I never expected — this is a scary new thing — and I feel so light. I feel more alive than I have in a long time. And I am bursting with joyful gratitude.
Thank you Convio, and thank you Blackbaud. I have grown up during the last 13 years. And you have enabled me to grow in more ways than one. I am filled with intense emotion, and overwhelming gratitude.
Looking ahead — starting December 1, I’ll be stepping into unknown territory. My first point of order will be to clear out some clutter and to focus on my family. I’ll also be gifting myself the chance to ask some big questions — and to not be too worried about finding answers. I am planning to put Badass Backpacks where it belongs in my life: front and center for “how I use my hands, my head, my heart, and my hustle” to create something beautiful. I am stoked for Badass Backpacks to have more of my time. But way more importantly than that: I am in awe of the mountain that I stand on top of, and that I have the privilege to shout from — I am in awe of the incredible support that my Blackbaud colleagues have given me to lift me up and help me land in this new place. Nov 30 is still a little ways off from now … so I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts on this decision, and I’ll have new thoughts on what’s next; afterall, what lies ahead is pure unknown for me. But right now, standing on top of this mountain, I get to pause and enjoy this view for a moment longer. I’m going to stand here with this silly grin, because I have new mountains to climb, and I want to shout from this one before I head off to conquer that next one. And before I start shouting about what I want to become, and before I start shouting about everything that I want Badass Backpacks to become — allow me to shout first, with a big huge smile:
Thank you Blackbaud! Thank you! Thank you for everything.
Now then — it’s Tuesday night people! BFD is in session — nostalgic announcement behind me, there’s work to do, and I’ll have more announcements to make in the days ahead. More alive than ever… Let’s all keep moving