Moving on - AGAIN

Fourteen months after starting this chapter, I'm moving to another. There's a little more to it, of course, that I don't feel like discussing here just yet. But here's the note I just sent my colleagues at VCU:

Colleagues,

I always tell my kids to follow their dreams. My late, beloved mother always told me, “What are you waiting for, you’ll never be any younger.”

I’m finally going to listen to their advice. Almost 33 years into my professional career, I’m going to give running my own company a shot. Am I crazy? Sure. That’s one of my strengths and one of the reasons I think I can make this work.

My plan is to provide a full range of media-related services to both sides of the fence – those in the media and those who deal with the media. I will do some freelance writing. I have three books in various states of completion and I’d like to finally get those done. I will do consulting, interview preparation, media training, small publications and just about anything else people need along those lines. I’ve already contracted with another state university to evaluate their sports communications operation.

I started at VCU 14 months ago today and it has been a quick and fun ride. I’ve met and worked with many great people. I’ve added some skills to my repertoire that will help me in this new venture. Working with our tremendous group of coaches and student-athletes has made me a better person.

After packing up today and tomorrow and finishing a few small things, I will turn in the keys and my computer and start this new chapter in my life.

Please stay in touch and please consider Harris Media Services to meet some of your needs (must work on better slogan!). I can be reached at (yeah, not on here!)

I’ll give this a year and I consider myself fortunate to be in position to try it. If it doesn’t work, you could see me bagging your groceries at Trader Joe’s or selling books at Barnes and Noble. Actually, either of those would be OK.

Thanks to all for making this an enjoyable 14 months.

MJH


Throw a hungry guy some work, y'all!

 

Stones and standards, I like to say.
Thanks. I'magonna need it but I think I can pull it off.

 

Well, self-employed is close to unemployed so I'll probably be around more.
But, yeah, I plan to stay here. Where else am I going to plead for work?

 

Good luck, buddy. Didn't see it coming. But providing your services to a wider audience of people can only make media better. You're that good.

 

Thanks. To all of you. It means a lot. I'm swallowing hard right now - but I'm confident I can make this work. My daughter is teaching me how to say "paper or plastic" in six different languages just in case.