It’s been nearly a year since that serendipitous United Airlines flight I took from NYC to San Francisco. I sat down in seat 5C, only to take a seat next to these two crazy but brilliant internet guys who would later come to change my life. It started out as simply hysterical conversation. If I remember correctly, the first interaction involved us making fun of a guy wearing zebra patterned loafers. Yeah‚Ķwe didn’t get it either. But those gotti loafers just may have gotten me my job with Millions of Us.

Nearly a year later, I come to find myself back in the city where my virtual life began, this time, however, to open the MoU New York office. I look back on the preceding year and a few distinct thoughts come to mind. First, which goes without saying, it went incredibly quickly. We’ve grown from a company with 8 or so people to one with over 30. We’ve worked with some of the largest brands on the planet and have simultaneously created some of the most engaging branded experience across virtual worlds. Our small, talented group of employees has grown into a team of experts with incredibly diverse and rich experience in video game, interactive media and film design. More importantly, we’ve created a team of people who more closely resemble a family than a group of employees at a company. Second, I’ve never worked so hard and had so much fun in my life. The life of a bus dev guy at a successful start is by no means a walk in the park. But it is a good time. And finally, and this is only more recently learned from a New York native (thanks Nathan), Brooklyn is considered to be “in the city.” I won’t get in trouble with that small mistake, again.

So with all this new knowledge, here I am, one year later heading down the oft referred and a tad clich√© rabbit hole. This time, however, I’m taking MoU with me. Where will we go and how we will do it? What is going to happen in 3, 6, 9 and 12 months? I think I’ve got a pretty good idea. But in an effort to keep everyone on their toes and yearning for more‚Ķ

For all those reading that happen to be in NYC or on the East Coast (or anywhere for that matter), please feel free to reach out and say hello (jeff@millionsofus.com). I’m looking for interesting people doing interesting things with interesting experiences‚Ķvirtual or otherwise. I’m looking for people who want to join me for a drink (or 3), lunch, or perusing of my new city. I’m looking for people who want to join me at MoU in New York to help us grow our once small company into the world’s leading agency specializing in connecting brands with online communities. I’m even looking for people who have an interest in rock climbing, hiking, even skiing wherever it is you East Coasters ski. Finally, I’m looking for people who want to show a lifetime West Coaster how things go on the other side of the country.

I leave you now with a quote that one of our producers, Emma, lent to me. Cheesy maybe, but I kind of like it. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” -Muriel Strode

This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2007 at 9:32 pm and is filed under Jeff's Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.