About 12 years ago I was the guy looking in the window at what Tim and Mike were up to at Rustici Software. Tim, Mike and I spoke pretty frequently as we had worked together previously and I would joke from time to time about coming to work for them. I told them I would make breakfast for everyone, I would bring my own computer…I didn’t even need a desk, I would happily sit on the floor. “Oh, you need someone to clean the bathroom? I’m your guy.” … At that point, I didn’t realize how special the place was. From the outside, I saw a group of people that worked and played together and were fiercely passionate about what they were doing. I wanted in.
Joe at the office, ten years ago at Rustici Software.
When I started working for the guys back in 2008, I learned that it was more than just a place that had amazing coffee (as long as you are drinking Joe’s Joe). I loved the way we interacted with our customers, but also with the general eLearning community as well. The way they tried to help everyone that sent an email or took the time to call us, even if they didn’t buy anything. We don’t have solutions for everyone, but we do our best to find a path. We are lucky to work with some of the smartest people in the business that always have an open door. As a support guy, that means a lot. If I need someone with thicker glasses than mine, he or she is there. As I approach my 10 year anniversary, joining Tim and Mike was one of the best decisions I have made. I’ve met some truly wonderful people, heck I work side by side with my brother…I couldn’t ask for a better place to spend 65% of my life.
The 2018 Best Places to Work award from Nashville Business Journal is an important one for us. On the way in, we emphasize to our new employees that one of our missions is to provide a place where people _want_ to be. A place where their work is valued, they can learn constantly…a place that cares enough about their employees to make sure they have the right tools to do their job. An environment where leadership is there to remove obstacles from our paths and not place them in front of us. We can be creative, be daring, we can fail and learn from our mistakes.
With 10 years in, I know that I work for leaders and alongside employees that care not only about my professional success, but also care about me on a personal level. If we continue on the path that we are currently on, I look forward to many accolades to come.
