Leaving iStudio and causing a com.motion

The news is out and, once again, I’ve been scooped by a Thornley Fallis-er, this time Joe Thornley, on my own news. I’m leaving iStudio to become managing director of com.motion in Toronto.

After a fantastic two and a half years at iStudio, I’ve taken one of the hardest decisions of my life and handed in my resignation. It has been an incredible journey for me working with some extraordinarily talented and creative colleagues.

When I joined iStudio, I came in with almost no online experience. Sure, I had a basic and naive grasp on social media and the Web 2.0 movement but apart from my own blog, and two and a half years of communications experience, I was a complete n00b.

The team here was absolutely incredible at assimilating me, at showing me the ropes and in demonstrating great (great!) patience correcting mistakes and putting me back on the right path when I veered off course. Which was and remains often.

Since I joined Fleishman-Hillard and later iStudio, I’ve learnt much about consulting clients in the online landscape, about project management and even a little bit about how an agency works and what it needs to survive and flourish.

I’ve worked for some amazing clients on some complex and inspiring projects. Together, with the help of the talents here at iStudio, we have done work that I will be proud of for the rest of my career. Last night the Toronto team took me out for drinks and presented me a beautiful collage of some of the great work we’ve done together. It will be hanging with pride in all of my offices from now on.

But when this opportunity came up, out of the blue, it was obvious to me that I had to grab it with both hands.

So, now that my clients and colleagues have been notified, I can announce that, as of Tuesday, I’ll be hanging my hat at com.motion, Veritas’s online and social media marketing practice group, as managing director.

What was great news for com.motion’s founder, Keith McArthur has become great news for me as well, as it presented me with a brand new challenge in my career. Keith has done a great job building the practice up from nothing and I hope to go some way to fill his, large, shoes.

At com.motion, I’ll be working to build a team along with Darren Kelly, formerly of Collective Intellect, the fabulously talented Brenna Flynn and our newest intern, Amanda Grainger. I’m very excited to be meeting with my new clients and finding out exactly what we can do for them, as they navigate the tricky seas of online and social media marketing. Our goal will be to offer global brands the opportunity to embrace the online space and to inspire authentic conversations between real people.

As with my last move, a little less than three years ago, every ending means a new beginning and I’m incredibly excited about the chance to do more great work for my clients.

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