Letting Go: The Next Phase of the Gaslight Blog
by Joel Turnbull
I spearheaded the Gaslight blog effort almost two years ago. I’m a developer who wanted to realize some unique value as part of a company I believe in. It’s time for me to let go of that.
Gaslight is changing. Growing. We don’t just create awesome software anymore. There are more opportunities here. To do more interesting things. Experiencing this growth was realizing that a company is less about work, and more about the people who do it.
We all need to feel our value at work. But we have to be open and unashamed. And to be open and unashamed, we need trust and support. That is what I want to realize next for Gaslight. But before we look forward, let’s take a look back.
We Achieved a Lot
When we ramped up the blog the goal was simple: Release two articles a week. It was something a handful of amateur writers and marketers could presumably accomplish. It’s embarrassing and fun to look back on some of the first things I wrote as I was feeling this thing out. But we kept pushing, and amazingly we all got better. Since then, we’ve compiled a library of over two-hundred and fifty articles. It’s impressive, and it’s a representation and record of our shared knowledge and experience.
Any endeavor is a leap of faith. If you build it, what comes? Zack has spent the last week compiling and analyzing our blog numbers and I’m so proud to release them next week. We’ve felt the excitement of setting the internet aflame within our little community. We’ve pushed the boundaries of public transparency. We’ve made connections with people all over the world and within our little city. We’ve all become more skilled writers and collaborators.
A volunteer effort is a pure and beautiful thing. Two hundred and fifty blog posts represent thousands of hours of writing, researching, presenting, recording and editing. This level of effort is inexplicable. Our blog elevates our company, but the combined push has created a platform where individuals can shine. People here believe in the blog and are proud of their contributions. We all took the leap of faith and wanted the blog to succeed. I couldn’t help but feel that on a personal level. I’m forever grateful for that personal feeling of support.
It’s Good to Let Go
I was out of gas. It wasn’t fun anymore. I didn’t have the know-how to take it to the next level. I didn’t have the time to figure it out. I had started to see the blog as a failure. I was starting to see myself the same way.
You have to let go. By letting go you gain perspective. You see the failures for what they are, small bramble patches you’ve been hacking down on the side of a mountain of unique visits and good will that just keeps growing.
It’s scary to let go. Owning the blog differentiated me from all the super talented people surrounding me. Stepping back, I see that running the blog had become an anchor, prohibiting me from getting swept up in the flow of excitement and energy of a new and evolving company.
I’m becoming a believer in giving up. It’s taken me a long time to get there. You can’t achieve by doing everything yourself. We have to let go of things throughout our lives in order to make room for newer and better things. And if there’s one thing I learned from Brooklyn Beta, it’s that you can’t succeed in life by taking credit. Only by giving it.
So, even though she didn’t ask for it, I’m giving it to Michelle. I’ve likened this to letting go of my baby. But it’s more like sending my baby off to college. And Michelle is “The Professor.” There’s only so much you can teach your baby before she needs expert training, and it takes a village. I’m excited to see that for the first time, a team has formed around the blog. And for the first time, the blog has a name!
So without further ado, I present you “The Front Burner”