New Year, Same Me...Different Direction

When I moved back to the Peoria area in July of 2016, getting back into the workforce felt a bit odd, weird, strange…(fill in the blank with any awkward-themed adjective). After being my own boss and building ONEFIRE from 2012 to 2016, how would I get re-acclimated to a new company, a new role, and even the community?

As I found out in early December after a year and five months, re-acclimation to a new company and new role is apparently a little harder than I imagined as my employer decided to “go in a different direction with their marketing.”

After texting a few close friends and mentors the news, one of them sent the following message:

“Jake…good for you!!!! Congrats. Each chapter will just keep getting better!”

Granted, this mentor has known me for quite some time and was privy to my current position, however I was taken aback to see the word “congrats” along with so many exclamation points. Nevertheless, as I stepped back and processed what he had said I quickly began to buy into the sentiment of knowing that a new and better chapter is indeed, about to begin. So while the past 17+ months provided some valuable learning experiences and new relationships, I now know it was merely a stepping stone to something much bigger and better for my career.

I’m not sure what exactly this next chapter will entail, but I know from previous experience that my story will continue to be written as the plot twists provide new direction and as always, new opportunities.

Whether it be my passion for growing Greater Peoria’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, my deep knowledge and expertise of the Caterpillar network, or my love for emerging technology and the content that feeds it – the toolkit of talent and connections I’ve assembled over the years will undoubtedly lead to the right opportunities in the right timing. Not in order to just bring home a paycheck, but to make the maximum amount of impact in the lives of those around me and the community that has supported me over the years.

If you happen to have one of those opportunities for which I might be a good fit, shoot me a note and I’d love to collaborate.

-Jake