Friday will be my last day at TokBox.
It ends an eight year journey through multiple products, lots of different target audiences, four CEOs, and three different careers.
I asked Scott if I could say a few words at my last team meeting. I didn’t make it to the first word without starting to cry.
Across the tables in front of me were the SF TokBox team of today. And in between them were the faces of those who had come before. Moments replayed of team meetings past. Decisions second guessed. Triumphs celebrated. And of course tears. Lots of tears. Mostly my own.
It’s amazing what 8 years of memories looks like as it passes you by in a single moment.
I met the love of my life at TokBox. I can remember the first time she laughed. The whole office stopped to see who that was in the glass meeting room. I thought she was crazy. She thought I was too young.
I lived my wildest dreams at TokBox. A Turkish hick from North Carolina who makes it in big, bad Silicon Valley. An entrepreneur who convinces much smarter people to follow in his footsteps. A team lead who builds great products and people.
And oh the people.
Some amazing people were part of my TokBox journey. The ones who made me laugh. The ones who made me cry. The Chairman. My original BD partner. The gamer turned evangelist. The partner in crime with whom I grew up. The Dutchman with his orange hair. The kid from South Carolina with a huge heart. The CTO on top of his mountain. The office manager turned company leader. VPs past. And VPs of the future.
I wanted to say a few words to thank the people who had been so instrumental in making me a success while I was at TokBox.
There were hugs and tears and laughs. I finally squeaked it all out. The appreciation was unexpected, warm, and overwhelming. And the goodbye tour was officially on.
Friday is my last day at TokBox. Words I never imagined would come from me.