2012 has been a really interesting year for me both
personally and professionally. Some ups, some downs, but more ups than downs,
which is how you want it to be, so you won’t see many complaints here.
On a professional level, Ektron continues to be an
innovative thought leader in the WCM space, so I’ve got job security and I work
with good people. On the personal side, my family is doing well and looking
forward to another Christmas, which to many is the best time of the year to
spend with family, so that’s good too.
Let’s Talk Business
2012 has been a year of change at Ektron. I’ve seen good
friends move on to take on new opportunities and had the pleasure of meeting
new faces that are as excited about the vision Ektron has as I am. These
changes were highlighted by the naming of Ektron’s new President (Tim McKinnon)
and the release of Ektron version 8.6, a major release in many aspects.I've had the opportunity to develop new, long-term partnerships with clients like Apartments.com, GFT Forex, the Illinois State Medical Society, Morley Companies, the Credit Union National Association, and others, while working diligently to continue to strengthen relationships with existing customers like Indianapolis Power & Light, Culligan, Wolters Kluwer, and others. It's these relationships that I truly enjoy the most because I love watching clients succeed and knowing that I played a role in that success (big or small) is something that means a lot to me.
Aside from the Ektron WCM specifically, the digital market has seen a major
shift in several areas such as mobile, where we’ve grown from simple “mobile-friendly”
websites to responsive web design and true multi-channel support. We can thank
Apple and Android devices for driving this as much as anybody, but it’s caused
anyone that manages web properties to rethink what they’re doing and ensure
that the platform driving their website is going to be nimble enough to adapt
to the ever changing market.
We’ve also seen changes in the level of personalization that
users now expect from their web experience. That “one-size-fits-all” site
you ran out there in 2009 is no longer capable of producing quality leads and
delivering the customer experience that users now expect. Tools like HubSpot,
Marketo, and Eloqua are opening up the Marketing Automation market that’s
really been somewhat limited in the past.
It’s been really fascinating to watch, but what it all
really comes down to is how to give the user what they want, where and when
they want it. Talk about a society of instant gratification…
In The Middle
Transitioning a bit between both professional and personal
worlds, I’ve gotten really involved in social media and networking this year. I’ve
been active on social media for a long time online via Facebook, Twitter, and
whatnot, but really spent a lot of time participating in offline events with
the Social Media Club of Chicago and others. I’ve met some really amazing
people that are even better in person than they are online! I’m grateful for
all the new friendships that I’ve made in 2012 and many of them started at
SMC events.
Let’s Talk About Me
Like most of us (I imagine), I find myself turning around
and wondering where did the time go? It seems like summer just ended and now we’re
less than a week from Christmas – it just doesn’t seem possible. I’ve seen Payton perform her first dance recital, turn 5, yes 5, at Disney World, and head off to kindergarten. And I’ve watched Keira grow from this curly haired ball of energy into this really sweet, affectionate little person. We’re so blessed to have them and they constantly amaze Tess and I with the things they do (and say!).
There were no really big life changes (no new babies, we
didn’t move, etc.), but we lost people that were close to us, which is always
the hardest thing to reflect on. I've found that the best way to cope is to try to maintain a positive outlook
and stay focused on the things that I can control. If you don’t, you’re really
going to miss a lot.
Wrap It Up
The end of each year gives us an opportunity to look back and take stock of everything we've experienced. The new year though, gives us an opportunity to look forward.
It's great to learn from the past, but it's the things you have to look forward to that mean the most. Thank you to everyone that made 2012 a successful year and I look forward to seeing what 2013 has in store. From our family to yours, I wish you the warmest holiday wishes and the best in 2013.
If you like this content (and I hope you do), please connect with me on Linked In, Google Plus, or follow me on Twitter, and Subscribe to this Blog via RSS.
It's great to learn from the past, but it's the things you have to look forward to that mean the most. Thank you to everyone that made 2012 a successful year and I look forward to seeing what 2013 has in store. From our family to yours, I wish you the warmest holiday wishes and the best in 2013.
If you like this content (and I hope you do), please connect with me on Linked In, Google Plus, or follow me on Twitter, and Subscribe to this Blog via RSS.
