<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d3640593\x26blogName\x3dHugo+Stop\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dSILVER\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://hugostop.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://hugostop.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d-2903925045748676271', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

 



I am a Los Angeles-based twentysomething. I have a profession, and I have a secret life in music, and this blog isn't about any of that. I like Blogger because I can't read what you're thinking.

I Approve Of These Links

- A Blog Supreme
- AdamRiff
- AdFreak
- Hermitology
- Losanjealous
- Piano Jazz


Wednesday, February 23   >>

ONE YEAR

Today is my one year anniversary at this job.

A year ago today, I was staring at an empty Word document on a computer my boss had assigned to me on my first day. I typed up a bunch of ideas--a wishlist of sorts--in how to bring this relatively unknown company into developing their own internet brand. As an internet nerd of the highest order, I was like a kid in a candy store.

Today, this brand has rather overnight become a top contender to our industry's leading competitors, to the point where we're doubling up on everything (staff, office space, ad spend, etc.) in the coming year. I never knew companies were able to grow this fast. It's fucking abnormal, and I get a kick out of it. As someone who never went to business school or cared much for the finance world, I feel like I can hack anything now.

I grew up a lot (probably too fast in some aspects) and am happy. This job doesn't define me, but it's opened up many great doors (if I had a memoir, the stories...) and it's made me realize that I can, by hacking, create my own destiny in any situation. That isn't empowering. That's fucking power.

But the one thing that makes this all worth while--and yes, it is one thing--is being able to call my mom and say, "Hey, uh, mom, remember that internet thing you said I was wasting my life on all those years? Uh, well, it's paying for your trip to Ecuador SO SUCK IT!" I really did say that to her.