Today, October 18, 2009, marks exactly 2 years since I was fired from my 11-year corporate job (yep, dress slacks, dress shirt, tie and all) with the Houston office of Bowne & Co., the world’s largest Financial Printer.
Regarding the job, I have a few fond memories, most of which relate to the fact the I was very good at it and initially found a great deal of success, recognition and advancement. But, like most folks in corporate America, that only lasted so long and my climb up the ladder only went so high. It’s not that I didn’t have the opportunities to achieve more, but it likely would have meant moving to another area since the Houston office was already saturated with the folks that would be entrenched in the higher positions.
So, a few fond memories.
Some of the people I worked with were quality and I do miss them. At least I think they were quality and I think I miss them. Actually, the more I think about it, I guess I don’t really miss them. After all, after I was fired, only 1 person from that office called me to talk to me and find out if I was ok. He and I have talked from time to time over the last couple years, and I do wish him well. Another person, who was a CrossFit athlete of ours at the time, stayed in touch for a while, but after she stopped training with us, we really don’t hear from her much either.
I guess what I’m trying to say is…the job was just a job…and while I did enjoy working with most of the people I worked with, it really doesn’t matter to them or me that I’m not there any more.
I have 2 significant regrets regarding my time with Bowne.
1. I wish I had gotten out sooner. Pam and I affiliated with CrossFit in the summer of 2006, about a year and a half before I got fired. We had full intention of turning CrossFit Champions into a full time gig, with martial arts also, but looking back I can honestly say we were just getting ready to get ready during 2006 and 2007. CrossFit Champions is what it is today because I got fired! More on that later.
2. I wish I had broken up with them before they had broken up with me. Yep. I was actively looking for a different job. I was looking for something that paid less, but also expected less so Pam and I could put more effort into getting CrossFit Champions out of our garage and into a real business location and ultimately taking it on full time.
But, they beat me to it. And good. They built a solid case against me (solid case of mostly bullshit) and on the evening of October 18, 2007, they pulled me into a conference room and chopped me off. More on that later. I will admit that I was not that good of an employee there at the end. I was absolutely miserable being there and I’m sure it showed. While I was always someone that spoke my mind and didn’t necessarily play proper corporate office politics (an attribute that actually served me well early in my career there), I probably did it a bit too much there at the end, and probably did it with acid in my mouth. So, I can’t blame them for firing me, I just think the ones involved in the decision are chicken shit bastards. What’s really interesting is Pam saw it coming. After a few incidents and conversations with my supervisors over the course of a couple months, she said flat out that she thought they were preparing to fire me. Naw! No way, I thought.
So…the actual firing. This is the best part. For 2 days in a row, I wasn’t assigned any work (weird) and jobs I had been working on were assigned to others (more weird). Hmm. WTF is going on here? About half way through the shift of that 2nd day, the Houston office VP calls me into a conference room. On the way to the conference room, in the hallway, I see a well muscled guy wearing cargo pants and a nice izod shirt with some kind of symbol embroidered on the left chest. Never seen this guy before in the office. Hmm. In the conference room is seated my department head (a tiny little pip squeak of a man) and the regional HR manager (a pretty nice woman…in from Dallas)(uh oh). I have a seat. He asks if I know why I’m here. Nope. He tells me…and then as swiftly as he possibly can, tells me my services are no longer needed. I don’t say a word. Not one word. I just stare at him. Not in disbelief…I just wanted to stare him down.
He blinked first.
The HR manager proceeds to give me my final check and explains, quickly, that my health insurance will only last through the end of the month.
I get up, again without saying a word, and proceed to go back to my desk and get my bag and things. I’m thinking, damn they beat me to it!!!
I’m stopped from going back to my desk and my bag and things are brought to me at the lobby, where the muscle guy is standing with his hands in folded softly in front of him and his feet bladed, shifting his position as I do so he is always just at the edge of my peripheral vision. Then it hits me. He’s security! They brought in muscle to fire me! They brought in security to fire me! I’ve seen folks fired from there before and I never, ever saw anyone get fired with outside security present. Seriously? Really? Security? What did they think I was going to do, throw a fit? Try to fight someone? Seriously? Just shows how well they know me…not!
Moving on. Pam and I start making serious plans to get CFC rolling and in April of 2008, we move CrossFit Champions out of our garage and into our first location. We move with 18 athletes, all of which assisted in the move! Currently we have about 150-ish active CrossFit athletes, as well as about a dozen CrossFit kids and 10 martial arts students, and a staff of trainers.
I have no doubt that CrossFit Champions would have left our garage at some point, but I can’t say when. Simple fact is, getting fired when I did directly led to us pushing to make CrossFit Champions what it is today. We are making a decent living doing exactly what we always dreamed of doing and what we completely love. How many people can say that?
We love our life and we love our business, and most importantly…we love all our people. Right or wrong, good business or not, we are emotionally attached to our business, CrossFit Champions, and our clients. We’ve been counceled in the past, and recently, to remind ourselves that it is a business and that we shouldn’t let ourselves get too wrapped up with the clients and not let our feelings get hurt when it comes to anything regarding the clients. Sorry, can’t do that.
We believe that there is no higher calling than to serve and help your fellow man. It’s hard to do that if you don’t truly care about them.
And, we do. We are emotionally invested. If you are reading this and you are a member of, or staff of, CrossFit Champions please know that we love you and are proud to be a part of your life. Yes, CrossFit Champions is a gym and the CrossFit training is awesome…but CrossFit Champions is actually really about all of you. You are what make it what it is.
