Into the West
“West, west away, the round sun is falling,
Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling,
The voices of my people that have gone before me?
I will leave, I will leave the woods that bore me;
For our days are ending and our years failing.”
(excerpt from Legolas’ Song of the Sea)
Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag. Next month, I’m moving across the country and joining Apple.
The last few months have been exhilarating… and exhausting. There’s so much I want to share and even more I wish I could say. All in good time, as they say.
Apple?
Yes, Apple. Maybe you wonder why I would choose Apple at the prime of my career—to leave a company I created—which shows no sign of slowing down? Perhaps you read the Guardian’s hack job about Apple’s alleged inability to hire top-shelf talent and hope to warn me off?
If you think Apple can’t offer opportunities to the best talent in the industry, I’m proof you’re wrong. I’ve been recruited—unsuccessfully—by several companies large and small. Apple was different.
They gave me a chance to build things I could not do on my own or with my own business. They simply made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
I am, by any reasonable measure, a successful iOS developer. More so, as a business leader in the field. I sit atop one of the most highly sought consulting firms in the mobile industry, forged partnerships with nearly every tech company in the Fortune 500, and advised hundreds of others regarding their mobile strategy and execution.
Despite that reputation—and being recruited by Apple—the interview process and selection was a challenge. Apple simply does not hire anyone. I wouldn’t have gotten an offer unless I really worked for it—unless I really wanted it.
I cannot speak intelligently about anyone quoted in the Guardian’s article, but their vitriol reads as someone who applied and was rejected.
Speaking as someone who recently signed with Apple, I can emphatically state that the lack of free food or free phones did not weigh on my decision.
To My Readers
As you can imagine, Apple won’t allow me to write things like sweeping opinions about mobile technology or suppositions regarding the future of the desktop OS1. Fortunately, I redesigned this site to write more about my interests outside of software. The world doesn’t need another think piece on technology.
I’ll continue to write on this site about music, movies, and photography. Often, I’ll write about more than one at the same time and their interesting intersection. For example, I love film soundtracks and I’ve long wanted to share more from my music library. Maybe I can turn on a few more to the beauty of cinema’s music.
Then there’s my photo albums from the last 10 years. At the end of last year, I began organizing them and cataloging them, selecting my favorites. Once I complete the cull, I’ll start sharing them here.
And last, but not least, I have several short stories of fiction I’ve written or plan to write in 2016. I might even have a book in-progress discussing the art of conference presenting2.
In other words, stay tuned: there’s more on this site to follow.
To My Fellow Martians
I love MartianCraft and will always love MartianCraft. It was my first home, and each of you is a member of my family. I will be forever grateful to have been a part of this incredible team. Humbled by the trust you’ve shown in me and forever changed by our time together.
When I first read Jaimee’s post about accepting her promotion, I knew I had achieved everything I set out to build with MartianCraft:
“What sealed the deal for me was that working with MartianCraft never once made me feel my gender. From our first conversation … I’ve felt listened to and clearly understood, rather than dismissed. I’ve felt elevated, rather than shelved. I’ve felt supported and encouraged, rather than held back.”
I wanted to build a team of extraordinary humans, diverse, and colorful in their opinions, drawn from contrasting world experiences. We became a company of ideas and personality. A company of conversations and shared experience. A company not afraid to show its humanity—but most proudly—a company that celebrated everyone in our team. I am so proud of what we accomplished together.
We approach a crossroads where we are stronger apart than together. For both of us to grow, we must move along separate paths—each journey befitting our specific, god-given talents.
The destiny of this team now lies beyond my wisdom, my ideas, and my capability. I entrust each of you with its future success, since it is you who will write the next chapter of MartianCraft.
You will not be alone. In fact, you’ve honored me by naming three incredibly talented individuals to take my place. Jaimee, Ben, and Nick, along with the rest of our management team will raise you to heights I could not dare dream.
I hear the westward ships calling but I cannot—and will not—forget the woods that bore me. I will miss y’all.