Who is Tom?

Professionally

I love to write.  It’s like a puzzle to me.  The thoughts flow freely onto the page and I just let the word vomit spew.  Whether turning technical jargon into laymen-friendly copy or creating an attention-grabbing social media headline, fitting the pieces together to create something out of nothing is an adventure.  Once all of the ideas are there, that’s when the real fun begins: reorganizing and whittling down a big, hot mess into something lean(ish) and mean.  And yet, today I find myself at a crossroads as I attempt to figure out where my career journey will take me next.

For six years, I wrote and edited for United Healthcare.  Don’t let anyone try to fool you; the insurance business is not glamorous.  Even as a copywriter in the marketing department, it can be monotonous work.  Blame the federal and state insurance regulations.  But the new, in-house creative projects and campaigns gave us something to sink our teeth into, and I had the great fortune to be surrounded by terrific people.  They made coming to work every day a pleasure and provided me and my family with an outstanding support system as we went through a supremely challenging family matter.

Enter: the seven year itch.  I felt content, but couldn’t help but wonder if there was bigger and better out there for me.  When a better title and bigger paycheck came calling, I peeked over the fence and couldn’t see the crabgrass lurking beneath the plush, green Bermuda grass.

The work was great.  Learning the inner-workings of highly technical mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems from the engineers was exciting.  Turning that into digestible copy primed for mass consumption was a challenge that I relished.  But ultimately, it just wasn’t for me.

Time and time again, you’re told that money can’t buy happiness.  I’ve learned that company culture and working with great people are key contributors to not just your happiness at work, but also the sense of accomplishment you feel when working toward the company goal. As if I needed any reassurance, my next professional stop really drove that point home. Small, but proud business and a tiny, but dedicated, group of caring, good people made it a joy to come to work every day.

Ultimately, I left to once again chase the dream. I had inside intel that my next stop would be a good fit – despite the size of the company. The intel turned out to be credible, and I’ve enjoyed a terrific run thus far.

But we are human – and to be human is to dream, to desire. As a devoted husband to my high school sweetheart and proud father to a beautiful little girl who comes complete with a whole slew of challenges, it’s essential that I keep things moving forward for the sake of my family.

And so, my quest continues – the quest to find the complete package: fulfilling, challenging work, growth potential, great people and a down-to-earth company culture.  Does that sound like your company?  Is there a place for a creative thinker/doer with unique writing skills on your staff?  Drop me a line and let’s talk!