Fidelity Ends – The Transition and a Break from Technology

Losing a job you love at 43, especially without knowing the reason, is tough. You start to question everything, even when the company was doing well, and my reviews were positive. I had been promoted two years earlier, was a respected team manager, and had helped transform a group. Many of us eventually learn these kinds of political lessons. Now, I had to deal with anxiety and wonder if I could find a job at my age, with so many younger people competing. It was almost 2007, and we all know what happened in 2008 with the financial crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was definitely nervous.

I remember one night sitting on the back deck, maybe around 2 or 3 in the morning, and crying. Out of nowhere, my 12-year-old son appeared. I didn’t hear him come out, even though the door was just a few feet away. He hugged me and said, ‘It will be ok, Dad.’ Even writing about this 20 years later feels strange. People say character is shown by how you react, and I had two kids to take care of, so I knew I had to keep moving forward. There was no time to dwell on it.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or even where to start looking. I really liked my old job, but I was nervous about returning to tech. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial side. I once owned a successful Disc Jockey business. I also love sports and hockey, and I was at the rink with my son four or five times a week. I started looking for ways to follow this passion. So, what do you do? I turned to Google and found a hockey franchise called “Puckmasters” from Canada. They had a location in Marlborough, Massachusetts, about an hour from my home. I went to check it out, called the company, talked to some reps, and did as much research as I could.

Next, I’ll talk about hockey and my time away from tech.

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