Happy Anniversary to Me

So today is my 1 year anniversary at SUSE. It’s also 2 years almost to the day that I virtually poured my heart out in my Snack Size Bites to Feed the Soul blog series. And lastly, it’s the end of 2019, end of the decade and therefore, truly the timing is right for Self-Reflection.

I dedicate this to my ‘younger-self’, to those that have been sweet enough to follow and support my journey (especially my Forever), and finally, I dedicate this to my new mentees who I am so excited to get to know and learn from.

…When the offer letter came last December there was obvious relief and excitement of the unknown. I didn’t know SUSE, was completely foreign to the world and benefits of Open Source and was excited to flex new marketing muscles in a Global, more digital capacity working with Alliance partners. The people are exactly as was promised in my interview discussions. ‘Friendly, Trustworthy and Open’. Open to listen to different perspectives, truthful in opinions and generally the nicest people to work with across the globe.

I’m proud of my objective for a heads-down approach in year one to ‘create’, show results and build reputation and credibility. We celebrate the team’s efforts with our Join the Best SAP campaign. We continue to make it pervasive ensuring that SUSE is the #1 infrastructure choice for any SAP workload customer.

The excitement going forward into 2020 at SUSE aligns with our new executive team that is ‘people-obsessed’ at every level. They are obsessed with our Customers, Partners and me (aka SUSE employees). They emboss 2 imperative traits that I would suggest are the secret sauce to longevity and happiness in any organization, regardless of size. Transparency and Collaboration. In other words, they listen, they interact (no ‘ivory tower syndrome’ here!), and they communicate. Honestly, younger self or not, who the hell has time or energy for speculating anything in life? “Say what you mean, mean what you say”. A good life rule at home or in any office, I say!

#kanatablazers #cbay #family #weddingsandbabies #hockeyismylife #lovewhereyoulive

This brings me to the non-professional part of my anniversary blog…if you know me, the professional and non-professional ‘you’ are interchangeable. People buy from ‘people’ and hence why ‘you always know where you are at with Kimberley’, has always been my motto. I love people!! I live for my community and I’m incredibly grateful and blessed to know they have my back in good and bad times. C-bay, Blazers, Old Hood, my Family (blood or otherwise). I adore you all and embrace the memories we’ve shared this past year. Life’s getting ahead of this ole gal but you continue to make me feel youthful and inspired.

One of my congratulatory emails from a colleague today said it well…”Now that you’ve ‘Joined the Best’, is there really anything else?” (JM)

Hmmm, was that a challenge?? lol

Cheers to 2019, to my dear SUSE, to my communities, and to 2020. …who knows what we can achieve together?!

Happy Holidays from my Family to Yours.