Big Changes Again. Joining Collective Idea.

Last year I felt compelled to start Connection Required. Not because I was forced to, but because I wanted to prove to myself that I could start and sustain a business. There is a sense of pride that comes with helping clients and making money from your efforts. I’ve encountered many surprises over the past year, mostly positive. This month, I’m going to be making another big transition and I’m joining Collective Idea.

Why would I join another company rather than sticking with Connection Required? It isn’t because I am unable make it work. I’ve launched several successful projects, made my clients extremely happy and made money in the process. My family was able to move back to Northern Michigan. I’ve been able to spend more time at home than ever before. And I have had to push away as much work as I’ve accepted. All in all, I consider that successful.

However, when I consider what I want Connection Required to become, I pause. I do great work, but that doesn’t mean I want to grow a consultancy and start hiring other developers. Enter Collective Idea. I’ve known these guys for a while. They’re an extremely sharp group and they build great software. At Collective Idea, I can continue to do what I do best: write great software and make clients happy. But instead of being solo, I am able to join a team of developers who share that same goal. For those who have been in my shoes, you’ll know, that’s a big deal.

For those who haven’t been in this situation, at a certain point you realize how few hours you actually have in a day/month/year. Sure I can work more, but then that takes away from my family. I can start hiring, delegating, and leading others, but that requires growing. And I’m pretty confident I’d make an awful boss :). There is only so much I can do as an individual, but as part of a great team I can be a part of awesome.

I’m excited about this transition because it’s a step forward on many fronts. You can also read the announcement on Collective Idea’s site.

Feel free to contact me at my new email address zach -at- collectiveidea.com. This site will continue to stay up, but will morph back into a blog over time.