My Own Adventure in Wayfaring: Saying Farewell to Radian6

I’ve talked a great deal this year about embracing change. About grabbing hold of the opportunity – and responsibility – to ask hard questions and challenge what you know. It’s an exciting time we’re part of, both as professionals and as humans, and I’m as eager than ever to make that proverbial dent in the universe.

Such momentum and shift often brings about personal change as well, and for me it means an exciting albeit bittersweet crossroads. As of December 1, I’ll be leaving my post as Radian6′s VP of Social Strategy to start a new business. I have a brilliant business partner and we have some big ideas, but we’ll share more on that later.

For now, I’m really taking stock, and I’m immensely proud of what the Radian6 community has become.

Over the course of the last three and a half years, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to contribute to Radian6′s growth as a company, and to watch our community of social businesses grow along side it. From the early days of understanding what it meant to be “listening” in social media to the much broader and more exciting picture of a social enterprise that we’re illustrating today, it has been a remarkably exciting journey of learning, exploration, experimentation, and lots and lots of interaction with our many thousands of customers.

Our successful acquisition by Salesforce.com this past May really put an exclamation mark on Radian6′s important place in the social business community. There is so much potential in the future of this industry, and so many ways that our work to build truly social enterprises will change the way companies work at a fundamental level. The conversations I’ve been part of internally are exhilarating, and you’ll see great things yet from the Radian6/Salesforce crew.

Radian6 and I grew up together in many ways over the last few years, and I cannot begin to tell you how much I believe in this company, its leadership, and the opportunities that lie ahead for all of my colleagues and our customer community. It has been so incredibly rewarding to be a part of a company that believes in asking great questions, empowering the people within it, blazing new trails, and walking the talk of being a constant resource for their community.

It’s hardly farewell for good, as I know I’ll be working with Radian6 in the next phase of my social business career. For now, I need to say a personal thank you to David Alston, who first gave me the opportunity to be part of the Radian6 team, and who has been an outstanding colleague and friend over the last few years. I’m also incredibly grateful to the leadership team of Marcel Lebrun, Chris Newton, Chris Ramsey, Daniella Degrace and Chris Himes for allowing me to be a small part of something truly special. It’s not often you get to say that in your career, and I most definitely do. Thank you, thank you. I can’t wait to celebrate your continued success.

To the Radian6 community of customers, partners, and friends, you are in the very best of hands. I hope our relationships carry long into the future, and that Radian6 will remain a partner that you rely on to help you power the social aspects of your enterprise. These teams are passionate about seeing you thrive, and I look forward to hearing about your enduring achievements.

So, onward. Not away from something, but toward something.  Toward the next step in an evolution that I hope never really ends.

Thank you all for your support and advocacy these past few years, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the very near future. There’s exciting work to be done. See you on the other shore…

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