Saying Goodbye Almost a Year Later

Posted by Chris Campbell at Monday, February 23, 2009

Today marks exactly four months since I've been day job-less. Although it was imeem that employed me for the last seven months of my daytime work life, it was SNOCAP, the company purchased by imeem in early 2008, that brought on those five stages. Once I was let go, my almost three-year connection to a job and company that I truly loved came to an end. In retrospect, perhaps I should've cut ties when SNOCAP was acquired, especially given that imeem really didn't have a good fit for me, but a feeling of responsibility to SNOCAP's partners and the building recession made it hard to walk away. And just like SNOCAP, I did go in with high hopes to contribute and grow.

Since late October, I've gone through the stages of trying to let SNOCAP go. This was the job of a lifetime, one where I worked alongside some people who inspired me, taught me, and remain some of my closest friends to this day. Oh, we certainly weren't perfect, but while it lasted, this was a truly fantastic place to work. Some of my colleagues were really in it for the music. Others weren't as fanatical about tunes, but provided personalities, intelligence and individuality that made this place so interesting and inspiring. And the people I met and places I went due to my role within SNOCAP will never be forgotten. There was the fantastic dinner in France with the CD Baby and Koch folks. A bunch of us hung out and chatted with The Buzzcocks in Austin. A seemingly mundane breakfast with a partner in LA was far from mundane. There were the many happy hours with co-workers, many of whom have left the area. There was Avenue B with Eric and Gerald. There were the joys of nailing down deals. The memories are truly, truly endless. We were always surrounded by music, a passion for what we were doing, and despite mixed results on the business front, a deep desire to help the musicians and labels we were working with.

It was certainly high-stress at times. Many nights I couldn't find much sleep due to the pressures and mounds of work that the next day would bring, but such a workload and responsibilities were always met with excitement and a feeling that I was being tested. And for perhaps the first time in my career, I truly felt the challenges and ups and downs of a business in its embryonic stages. And this was thrilling.

I'm still trying to figure out what's next, but one thing's for certain, landing in work that is as rewarding and challenging as my days at SNOCAP will not be easy. The wins, the losses, the frustrations, the celebrations, the agreements and debates all fell together to leave a lasting impression.