2019 Year in Review

For reference, previous years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012.

Time for my 7th year in review post. 2019 was a difficult year, with a lot of highs and lows. Ultimately, I’m trying to look at it as a foundational year - setting me up for what I believe will be an epic 2020.

House and Dog Adoption Woes

At the start of 2019, I was in a bad place.

We bought a home in September 2018 in a great neighborhood, close to downtown Madison. Great, right? Unfortunately, we were immediately hit with a very serious, unexpected issue that cost us tons of money and emotional energy, taking over 6 months to resolve. Having to go through it while starting two new, intense jobs and during the worst parts of Midwest winter only added to our stress levels. While we expected to have repairs/issues come up over time (it’s a older home after all), we weren’t prepared to get blindsided right after moving in. Viewing the situation in a positive light, it forced me to become exponentially more handy than I ever expected.

Bringing the 'Yes, and...' Principle to the Workplace

I’ve been having lots of fun taking Improv comedy classes lately. It’s been a unique way to grow my communication skills, public speaking confidence, and dynamic presentation abilities. It’s personally satisfying while also feeding back into my DevRel work at Ionic.

One of the fundamental principles we’ve learned is “Yes, and…”

When interacting with a peer on stage, the idea is always to respond to them in a way that helps move the scene forward. 

Always Read the Comments

“Never read the comments” is a familiar maxim told to technologists building products.

It makes sense, right? Users typically only leave feedback after they’ve either had an extremely poor experience or a positive one.

However, there is value in reading online comments if you frame them correctly.

Identify New Product Champions

Building a strong relationship with individuals who are passionate promoters of your products is a crucial strategy for growing a business. You can often find them in the comments! Look beyond traditional “comment boxes” to social media, forums, Slack groups - any online space where communities gather. They’re the ones answering questions about your products, sharing your content, and seeking you out at conferences.