Happy Thanksgiving, Metaverse Mod Squad!

Thanksgiving Eve is quiet around here.  Today our people operations team are all cooking for their families, VPs are flying all over the country, sales can’t get anybody to call them back, and accounting snuck out at 11am.  So, I decided to write a blog post!

Naturally, I should write about things to be thankful for.  Reality TV?  Man, I sure love reality TV.  Friends and family?  That is a gimme.  That Apple invented the iPad while my kid was still a toddler?  AMIRITE?

But I think I want to write about 3 very specific things.  And take this opportunity to talk directly to some folks that unfortunately the trappings of a fast, growing company doesn’t always allow me to do.

MODS

#1 the Mods.  Our wonderful, diverse, incredible, caring, conscientious, hard working, network of Mods.  Guys, I was you.  I get it.  Nobody is buying a Ferrari.  It is crazy weird hours.  It is calls for incredible patience and clear thinking.  You have to be smart and empathetic.  A LOT is asked of you every day.

But, you have taken complete responsibility not only for Metaverse, but for each and every client that walks through our virtual doors.  You are humorous, generous, self motivated, and born with incredible kindness.  You may not know me, you may never have talked to me, but I know you.  I know all of you and every day I am blessed and awed by the group that we have grown to be.

We are the Mods.  And I am so effing proud of you.

PROJECT MANAGERS

This is the core of what Metaverse Mod Squad does:  Managed Services.  These people are the wranglers, the counselors, the teachers, the reporters, the idea makers, the healers.  They are the glue that binds our clients and our Mods.  It is an immense responsibility that seems to change daily.  “We are changing software AGAIN???  “Exactly how many reports do you want filed?”  “How many pages is the PM Manual now?” (Pretty sure we are approaching War and Peace.)

But man, this is the group that stays up all night with their team, if there is a problem on a project.  They take calls at 4am from Germany.  They cover shifts when a Mod is running a kid to the ER for a broken arm.  The dedication is insane.

I’m most thankful that this group is growing up with the company.  As we figure out benefits, and perks, and structure, and organization, our team of Project Managers are understanding, helpful, and patient.

You are the PMs.  And I am so effing lucky and honored to have each one of you.

 ACCOUNT MANAGERS

I actually get to talk to this group on a weekly basis.  Lucky for me, maybe not so lucky for them!  We have a standing meeting on Monday mornings that mostly devolves into “issues”.  Has anybody ever heard such a negative word?  Issues, blah.  How about next week, guys, we only tell jokes at the meeting instead?  I’ll start, “So Rich walked into a bar….”

This group is incredible.  Like “wow” incredible.  Not only, do they have to listen to my “issues” each week, I watch them dance beautifully around everything that is asked of them.  Championing our clients, assisting the PMs, and running departments.  These guys are the judges – wise beyond normal people.  Looking at all the facts, hearing the arguments and dispensing decisions based on fair and equitable reasoning.  Their strength of character, loyalty, and patience is the benchmark for everybody that works in the company.  It is hard to convey the awesomeness.  I’m doing a bad job of it.

You are the AMs.  And I am so effing impressed.

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So Mods, PMs, AMs, VPs, Execs, all of us had a party last Saturday night in Second Life.  ALL of us dancing, laughing, telling jokes, pulling pranks together at the Thirsty Tiger.  One of the funniest parts was there was no barrier.  I was given the most inappropriate hard time as the next guy, mostly because we couldn’t figure out who was who!  Here is a partial discussion from the next morning on our Basecamp:

Angela: Best SL party ever.

Cathy:  Hehe, got me dancing on my little pony. WOOT!! Fun times!Lynley: So much fun!

Beau: You are all silly people. 🙂 seriously, that was a blast

Sarah:  I got 3 new outfits already for the next party…so there better be a next party! ^.^

Gina: It was fun – even if Char and I were twinsies! 🙂

Anna: It was so nice meeting you all <3

Patricia : So………. who is who on SL? I know who Gina is, she made her arrival LOUD and CLEAR!! 🙂 Know who Cathy is. She helped get me in game. She has the patience of a 1001 Saints!!!! Know who Tera was!!!  Who was everyone else? We sure were a bunch of party animal!!!!! LOL

Lynley : I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in forever lol.

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I don’t always communicate how thankful I am, but in a million years I couldn’t be more blessed.

Gobble Gobble, Metaverse Mod Squad!

Amy Pritchard, CEO