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There and Back (to Minneapolis) Again

Exactly two years ago I started my journey with SQLskills. It has been an incredible experience and I’m grateful for my time with everyone in the company and also grateful for all the people I got to meet along the way. I’ve gained friendships and working relationships that will last a lifetime.

While this has been a great adventure, I found myself feeling over the last two years that I’m a bit of a Hobbit at heart (hence the blog post title reference). I prefer the comforts of home and have missed the longer-term, multi-month engagements and projects that I’ve worked on in the past in other roles. While I do a lot of consulting work at SQLskills, that work is mostly shorter engagements spread over many clients, so I realized a transition would be needed at some point.

Paul and I worked out the plan last May, so this plan has been in-the-works for a while. Nothing dramatic to report and no regrets on either side.

Where am I going next?

I set up my own company and booked my first local client engagement in Minneapolis starting October 1st working with a local Fortune 500 company for at least the next few months full time, if not longer.

I’ll still be partnering with SQLskills when the opportunity arises, be it a consulting engagement, guest-blog post or Pluralsight course.

Not to be sentimental – and yet I am – so I’ll share just a few of my favorite SQLskills memories. It was hard to choose, since there were so many and they may seem like simple experiences, but it is the simple stuff that means the most to me in life:

  • Playing chess and drinking Prosecco late at night with Paul after class. We had the best conversations and sometimes Paul would even let me win (or rather, I would wait for him to get sleepy enough so that I would start winning).
  • During the Immersion Events when not teaching that day, Kimberly would invite me to tag along to pick up the books for the next week of class at Kinkos. We had our best conversations during these mini-road trips.
  • Visiting Jonathan in Florida and spending time with him and his incredible family. Jonathan is fiercely loyal and big-hearted (but don’t tell him I said that).
  • Laughing at Glenn’s stealth jokes and wicked-dry humor. Favorite Glenn catch phrases include “that’s just silly” – and how he gets all excited about his favorite processor chipset.
  • Weekly discussions with Erin have been incredible – discussing both life and SQL Server with her – and I always got something from the conversation.

So next week I’ll be teaching in Seattle (IE2: Immersion Event on Performance Tuning). It will be a great way to end this two-year adventure.

So that’s all for now. But you’ll still be hearing from me on this blog and elsewhere. Thanks!

37 thoughts on “There and Back (to Minneapolis) Again”

  4. Joe, congrats on the new direction. Don’t tell anyone I said so but you’re my favorite SQLskillser (not that every one else is unbearable). I’m sad I won’t see you next time I’m in class. I hope your new endeavor is very successful.

  5. Holy smokes! Well, you’ll do well no matter where you go. Congratulations on taking off on your own, but I know Paul & Kim gotta miss you. You rock, sir.

    1. Thanks for the kind words Brent, I appreciate it! Yeah – definitely will miss them as well and the rest of the team, but I know we’ll all stay in contact.

  6. Mazel tov, Joe. It’s hard to do what you did (been there, done that). I’m sure Paul and Kim will miss having you under their umbrella, but you’re never far away 🙂

  7. Joe, all the best. It was a pleasure to meet you at SQL Skills classes. I am sure your next client is fortunate to have you as an employee, both because of your technical skills and your great helpful personality.

  8. Joe- All the best. For us here in the Twin Cities SQL community, that’s pretty neat to hear that you’ll be around more.

  9. Hey Joe, I must admit this news took me by surprise! I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for all you have done so far as a SQLSkill-er and with all those gorgeous white papers you have contributed to. It was great to meet you in Bellevue last year at IE1 and I’m just gutted now that I won’t get the chance to do an IE2 with you giving it. Good luck with your future en-devours, not that you need it. All the best!

  10. Joe, thanks for giving us a little window into the world of SQLskills. Congrats on starting your own company! Hopefully this will give you more of the work/life balance you’re looking for.

  12. Joe, you are always welcome back here in the twin cities. 🙂 Can’t wait to see you around again.

  13. Good luck for new direction Joe. Sitting in your Replication and AG session in IE3 lasy May was fantastic. Keep blogging, I read it alot..

  14. Good luck Joe. Thank you for all blogs. No matter where you are, I am sure you will keep blogging. I love your blogs, never missed single one you posted here.

  15. Congratulations and Good wishes on your new venture, Joe.
    i look forward to the the day our paths will cross again!

  16. Joe, should have left a comment before but for some reason missed it. You deserve nothing more than the best in everything you do. Glad for your move and sending you (more) warm wishes dear friend.

    Another hobbit at heart,

    Mala

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