Today. I got a call from an amazing company in Nashville Tennessee, whom I’d interviewed with last Tuesday. The call was for a client meeting that I was a part of for a freelance project I’d picked up from this same company while there on Tuesday. The meeting went well. I was happy with the client feedback and I feel like I can take the project to the next level. When the meeting was over, Kidd, the VP of Creative and Partner at Paramore|Redd said he was going to call me back in a few minutes. To discuss the future.

I said OK, sounds great and bye and hung up.

My heart raced.

Let’s back up a bit.

Starting in October of last year I began contemplating a life outside freelance after seven fulfilling and lucrative years, a full time life. A real job doing what I love. The spark came from a job offer that was made to me after interviews and long waits from Apple Inc. Needless to say I turned down that offer, the reasons of which are irrelevant. Since then I’d been offered jobs and interviews with some large and small companies. Some in California, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Seattle etc…

I hadn’t officially applied for any of these jobs, not even Apple.

Then I thought, well why not start applying for jobs. Why not be the pursuer. I went to the popular job boards and began pumping out e-mail after e-mail to companies big and small, some e-mails with resumes, some with portfolio links.

I heard back from quite a few, I was offered interviews at some and some wanted me but couldn’t ask me to move for their small scale company, which I appreciated.

Kidd, had returned my e-mail and was interested in my work, but had just hired four new people and didn’t have an immediate opening, so it was a keep in touch kind of situation see about the future.

I was a little bummed, but understood.

About a week later, I’m still sending out resumes and selling myself all over the globe, whilst begging for freelance, which had really slowed way down recently. Kidd writes back and says a designer on staff was impressed with my work and said they should keep talking to me.

Enter smile and begin process.

I got to speak to Kidd on the phone later that day and I was impressed with his candor, politeness and straight forward attitude. Things I cherish in others as much as in myself.

He wanted me to speak with the design team, as he truly values their input. We set up a phoneterview for the next day with the design team.

Again, I was really impressed with everyone on the phone, solid, heads on straight and talented. I was hooked in now.

I was ready to leave freelance world and go work with these guys on the spot.

Another week and some e-mails, and phone calls and Hannah the President and Partner was picking me up at the Nashville Airport last Monday evening. They took me to dinner and I was at the Union Station Hotel later that evening, the plan being I’d come into the office the next day and spend time with everyone there and get to know the environment and business.

Can I say how impressed I was that the president of the company picked me up personally from the airport? really, who does that? Awesome people.

The next day, I packed up, checked out of the hotel and walked literally around the corner to the office, rode the ’vator to the 5th floor, and after a deep breath I went into the office to find I was the second person in, Joel (Senior Web Designer) being the first.

Other folks trickled in, over the next 30 minutes until I was standing up in front of everyone being introduced.

I then spent the better part of my day meeting the nicest group of people I think I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. Each one made me feel more comfortable and welcomed.

I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay and work there.

I went home.

I spent the last week with a cold and trying to catch up on things I’d left behind and tried not to think about how much I really wanted to work there. I tried to put it out of my mind.

I worked on turning around the comp for the freelance project in record time. I got feedback from Brad (web designer, and my personal hero) who helped make the comp better.

So that brings us back to today.

The call was coming.

It felt like a long time.

It came. It was Kidd & Hannah.

They made me an offer, and sounded a little nervous that it might not be good enough, I think because they knew how much I turned down at Apple.

I’d already spoken with Amy and we decided, that at a certain amount the answer would be yes no matter what.

See at Apple, they offered me a ludicrous amount of money, but there I wouldn’t have been part of a family as much as replaceable part of a machine, I didn’t want to become part of the machine.

At Apple, I would have been on an assembly line for all intents and purposes, I wouldn’t had made a difference, not really. Well that’s the way I saw it.

The people I met there were great, and I liked them. But the job itself wasn’t by bag of tea.

So I accepted the job offer from Hannah and Kidd on the spot.

Everyone was excited. I was very happy, but I may have come off as reserved, because I was holding back an urge to cry. I’ve never felt this good about a potential job in my life, emotion rushed over me.

And now I have what I wanted, and I’m moving the family 3000 miles South East.

And an adventure and the next phase of our life and my career is beginning.

Wish us luck with selling the house and the move being smooth and keep us in your prayers and thoughts.