Where Did All the Time Go?
May 24 marks my 10th anniversary of working at Adobe, as a Solutions Consultant (SC).
10 years…wow. And what a decade it has been.
I've evolved from a Solutions Consultant, to a Sr. SC for education and then seconded for 2 years as a specialist SC for Adobe Stock, assisting both commercial and education customers.
Short Term Pain, Long Term Gain
The decision to leave teaching and make the move to Adobe (into a sales role, no less) was not an easy or light one. I had been teaching for 20+ years as an adjunct professor when I was approached by Adobe for this role. It was something very new, very different from what I’d been doing for so long; a jump from academic to corporate life. And as a result I was hesitant. Me? In sales?
But I did jump...and haven't looked back, to be honest. Or at least when I DID look back, it wasn't with regret. I said this five years ago and it still rings true today; moving from academia to Adobe the best leap I’ve ever made.
Today's Word is (still) Transformation
I work for a company that produces digital magic at every turn, is a household name in the creative sphere, is a leader in the digital marketing space and is highly supportive of their workforce. The pandemic proved that last point more than ever; throughout 2020 and into 2021, Adobe stressed the importance of self-care, instituted a monthly "global day off" and offered multiple personal development sessions. I’m surrounded by a growing team of talented, brilliant and creative people.
Adobe is a company on the move, continually transforming itself as it helps its customer transform, not just in the creative space, but in the enterprise space for document management, digital signatures and digital marketing. It's truly amazing.
Scenes from the last in-person Adobe MAX in 2019. MAX 2020 and the upcoming MAX 2021 are both virtual events, free to all.
The Trifecta
Working with Customers, Colleagues & Students
Working as a Solutions Consultant (SC) on the education team has improved my own confidence level and taught me so much. I’ve learned new tools, challenged myself (and continue to do that) to move outside my own personal comfort zone, and established relationships with faculty and institutions across North America. I’ve gained a great deal of context about Higher Ed in general; I've gone from learning about how Adobe tools and digital literacy are impacting students and teachers, to sharing and demonstrating that impact using our tools. How cool is that?
And while 98% of my personal photography is of landscapes and the natural world, I have put myself in the position of visually documenting any Adobe Events I attended. Below is a selection from over the years, of colleagues, customers, friends and students. And a few other shots thrown in for fun.
I love the fact that - even after 10 years - I am still tied to education, as well. It's such an important bridge to span, especially now.
While professional development and team building is all online now, thanks to the pandemic, we've had some very memorable a productive internal events before the world changed. Here are some shots from previous in-person events. We have the best times when we are working together. I've never enjoyed working with a team like I have here at Adobe.
The move to Adobe has done a lot for my quality of life too. Case in point, in late 2014, we bought a cottage in a resort community on Rice Lake, near Peterborough, Ontario. Short of buying our house more than 2 decades ago, I believe this was the smartest thing we’ve done with our money. It’s an oft-dreamt of experience for us. During the summer, if you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, you will see many posts from the #FortressofModerateSolitude. The cottage is a great place to unwind, recharge and continues to be the inspiration for many photo projects and tutorials.
And I've become somewhat famous - or infamous - for my regular, weekly "Cheers to the weekend," photo. A few of those are in the collection below.
Frankly, I don’t believe we would have managed this purchase without my job at Adobe. Or if we did manage it, the process would have (and would continue to be) financially stressful. This career path has provided an excellent stable financial foundation to grow and plan for the future.
Cheers!
So, here's to 10 years at Adobe. And a huge shout out to the friends I've made and to the support and encouragement they've given me during this decade. People I would never have met had I not joined Adobe, and people who I am richer for knowing. I work for an awesome company, and I work with amazing people. Cheers to all of you.
