It's not what you know...

It was about 18 months ago.  I had been with my company for over six years, and was feeling very comfortable in my role of mid-to-upper-level software developer.  I was regularly delivering training to other developers within the company, while also continuing my development work.  I was a tiny cog in a huge machine - working on a product along with 200 other developers from around the world.  Other than the MBA program I had just begun, my professional life was pretty much on cruise-control.

Then the phone rang...

One of my best friends had a need for a new web-based software application.  His family has owned multiple technology-based companies for many years.  So I had no doubt that when he said they were thinking about a new product/company, there was a need for this product and plenty of business potential.

At first, I assumed the conversations were just to ask my opinions about things like feasibility, timelines, and scope.  But the conversations progressed from "Can this be done?"  to "How long do you think it would take?" to "How would you do this?" and finally to "When can you start?"

The proposition was pretty simple:  Build a subscription-only web-based software application available to users from across the country.  We could bring in consultants for specific areas (e.g. UI design), but for the most part, I would be on my own.  Rather than being a tiny cog in a huge machine, I would pretty much be the entire machine myself.

As I mentioned, my professional life was very much under control at that point.  Go to work at 7:30, leave the office by 4pm and not worry about it until the next day.  We had a 15 month-old daughter and another baby due in a few months.  There were so many questions:

• Did I have the knowledge and expertise to pull this off by myself?  (No)
• Was I ready to leave my comfort zone at my current job?  (No)
• Was there any guarantee the company would survive?  (No)
• And perhaps, most importantly, was I compromising a friendship that I valued a great deal?  (Absolutely)

Ultimately, however, I realized that an opportunity like this does not come along every day.  In fact, I realized there were many developers far more experienced and talented than me who could only dream of something like this, but never be given the opportunity.  I was given the chance to build something from the ground up, however I thought was best, and being paid to do it.  I couldn't pass it up...

So with the support of my wonderful family, I reluctantly said goodbye to the faces and places I had associated with for the previous six years.  My once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was upon me, and it was time to pursue it.

... That was 18 months ago.  I'm still here today, and in fact, still working with my friend at our "new" company.  Many things have changed, but I'm still glad that I picked up the phone 18 months ago.

About this blog:  To be honest, I'm not sure what direction this blog will take.  If anyone finds the content interesting or useful, that's a bonus.  But more than anything, this will be a place for me to scribble notes and record memories of my experience (I'm only 18 months behind...).  I certainly owe much of anything resembling success to the open-source development community, specifically to the countless individuals who have contributed so much to the Grails platform.   If, in my own small way, I can do anything to give back to that community, I'll try to do it here.