You May Ask Yourself: Where Does that Highway Lead to?

(Sean Garrett) I tend to have a pretty high bar for once-in-a lifetime opportunities. They don’t include things like having my then celebrity crush ask me a literature question in a quiet bookstore in the mid-90s; being able to travel to cool places all around the world or, even, dare I say, being five outs away from a Giants World Series victory in 2002.

All stacked up, none of those experiences could compare to the true once-in-a-lifetime experience of envisioning what would later become 463 Communications and then working with the amazing people that could make it a reality.

Tom Galvin, Jim Hock and I publically launched 463 in December of 2004. But it really reflects everything we had done in our collective careers leading up to that point. We wanted to be able take this experience and provide senior-level communications consulting services that we are passionate about and work with clients we truly believe in. Fortunately, this came to pass as I noted in a fifth anniversary post in December. An excerpt:

“When Tom, Jim and I started 463, we wanted to focus day-to-day on actual client work. We weren't excited about marketing, hiring a bunch of people to do the work for us or pontificating as "PR leaders." We just wanted to work with great clients at a senior level and accomplish stuff during a fascinating time. Fortunately, all of this has come to pass.”

In that same post, I tipped my cap to the folks who left us in our first five years and said, “We are of the mind that careers always need to be moving forward and opportunity should always be seized -- even if it means outside of our four walls.” I noted that “one the best validators of our success is that folks who have left 463 are currently furthering their careers in (amazing and important places).”

Little did I know that I would be taking my own advice and providing my own validation when I wrote that. For, I am face-to-face with another once-in –a-lifetime opportunity. I’ll soon be joining Twitter as their vice president of communications. (As I transition to Twitter, I'll also be wearing my 463 hat until April).

I won’t lie. Leaving 463 will be one of the hardest things that I will ever do. There just is so much emotional investment in it and so many good times with truly great people.

Fortunately, my partners, our team and Tim Dyson of Next Fifteen have all been remarkably supportive of this move — proving once again what true class acts that they are and why they are so respected by so many.

The difficultly of the move is also blunted by the fact that the 463 team is incredibly strong right now. I've never been prouder of a communications team at any point in my career. For those of you reading this post because of the Twitter implications and not because you know 463, if you ever need super smart strategic communications advice, industry thought leadership platforms, reputation management, unparalleled tech policy wisdom and/or highly efficacious communications execution, look no further.

And, then there is Twitter. Oh yes. That. Based on all the love that I have for 463, it would have to be a profoundly amazing opportunity for me to make a move. And, this is. I’m all the more confident of this because, via 463, I have been consulting for Twitter the last few months. I'm excited to build out a creative, smart and aggressive team that is an appropriate fit for the uniqueness of Twitter. I'm also eager to dust off my front-line media relations chops after spending most of the last nine years focused on the shadowy, back-room strategy thing.

It will be a great challenge, but one that I can’t wait to attack. Twitter, like 463, is comprised of good people who have created a culture and a mission that I steadfastly believe in and want to advance.

It will be an interesting ride. And, you can follow it here.

(image credit)

Comments

[amber]

Hopefully the crew at Twitter wears paper pants...just for you, Sean. All the best!!

[DMACK]

Best of luck Sean!

[Chris Parandian]

Sean,

Fantastic news! Congrats!!

Best, Chris

[Bill]

Wolverines! Congrats Sean.

[Katie]

Congratulations, Sean! Keep it to 140 characters.

[Maggie]

Siked to have you on board!

[Brian O'Shaughnessy]

Hearty congratulations Sean. Well done. - Brian O

[sean 2.0]

Unable to continue to live in my shadow? don't feel bad. you're not the first. you won't be the last.

Congrats, 1.0!

[John Furrier]

Big Congrats my friend! Twitter needs you. Such a great company and opportunity. They are growing fast and with that growth there are always comm challenges.. you're the entrepreneurial man for the job.

Of course we are very excited by twitter @siliconangle

Cheers to those few times in a lifetime.

[Mark Blafkin]

Fantastic opportunity, Sean. Hope to see you in Austin next month.

[BPLewis]

Congrats on joining the alumni club, Sean. Lone Star on me in two weeks. BPL

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Thanks for your job. I love your blog.
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Fantastic opportunity, Sean. Hope to see you in Austin next month.

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I agree with your blog, lucky to read your blog! It makes me have the courage to stick to it!

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You blog is so lovely that speak the words right out my month. . I bookmarkt you so that we can talk about it in details, I really can't help myself but have to leave a comment,you are so good.

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none of those experiences could compare to the true once-in-a-lifetime experience of envisioning what would later become 463 Communications and then working with the amazing people that could make it a reality.

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