My tenure, my D.I.Y. experiment in Neuroplasticity at Convio ended on Friday,May4th.
I still struggle with SHORT-term memory, but I have so many reasons to record my gratitude for all that
Convio has contributed to my quality of life- I’ll try to cover as much ground
as quickly as I can so please excuse the length or oversights. I’ll share 2 pre stroke and 2 post stroke
observations- instances that depict the core values of integrity, innovation
and compassion that underlies Convio’s success and the success of its employees and clients.
Convio memories from before my stroke in fall of 2005:
1.
Greeting
Pat Dillon at JSI FundRaising in Boston @2002?; Pat was pitching a
partnership with Convio. Although the price point and complexity of deployment
was beyond the reach of JSI’s 1,500 paradigm[ now SAGE 50 clients] I
suggested that a few early adopters with budget for Convio
might be found within the Millenium base of Higher – Ed clients. Pat listened
and responded with what I only now
recognize as a classic re- engineered
vision plan;-)
My conversation with Pat was strikingly
helpful compared to conversations with Kintera and even a pretty savvy guy
named Jeff Patrick! Pat Dillon’s
professional conduct and observations on the shifting landscape of the
industry’s adoption of on-line fundraising dissolved whatever doubts I (and
others) held at the time that Convio was a bunch of smarty pants who wouldn’t
listen to clients too narrow minded to perceive the grander vision Convio had
to offer. I was not only sold; I was frustrated – because I realized THAT day
that JSI had neither the capital nor talent to build what Convio already had
engineered. For those of us who hold
mixed feelings re: the implications of the VC and IPO on the indecisively warm
and fuzzy non-profit culture, let me assure you that the execution by Vinay and
the team he assembled in the start-up phase of Convio was enormously disruptive in a
VERY positive way- the incumbent players
simply were too conservative to execute
what Vinay and his band brought to this
market- IMHO, the emergence of competitors merely confirms the validity
of the Convio vision. (Ahem, I’ll make no comment on how one ought to interpret
the significance of the $275,000,000 number we saw recentlyJ)
2. My interview at Convio: Although I had
phone conversations with Vinay, the in-person experience was mesmerizing and
intimidating at the same time; then - as if from central casting- the subtle, erudite
Dave Heart astounded me with answering questions re: the 360 data model and how
that might map to the back office databases with which I was so familiar. By
this point, I was mightily impressed: these two guys exceeded my expectations
on the IQ and techy scale, but (I pondered) would the notoriously risk-averse
market “get” the course Vinay and Dave had plotted ? The next two Convions
Fred Waugh and Randy Potts provided answers with a healthy degree of skepticism
and but a detailed command for addressing the challenges under which they were
working .
Then came Gene- no nonsense and at an
alarming pace right to the point: “ Gosh
John what a resume and domain knowledge…(ecetera, etcetera….) But DO you have
start-up in your DNA?” I admitted to some
skepticism, but offered that I recalled the struggles I endured starting a
competitive athletics program at a Bohemian prep school- including having to
repair an overflowing toilet in the “locker room” while a bus-load of kids was
anxiously waiting for me. Gene admitted that I would be rolling up my sleeves
and even getting dirty, but Gene promised
me I would not be cleaning toilets. This was not the only
promise Gene extended AND met! More on
THAT aspect of integrity below.
Now for examples of my experience at Convio
after Stroke:
- Rushing to and through the 2007 Convio holiday party Although I had made extraordinary progress in both physical and cognitive realms- I still had great difficulty with filtering background noise – and so there I was sitting at home on the night of the Convio party. Gagan and Kelsie were calling hourly to cajole and then turned up at my doorstep to drive me to gala. The noise and affection with which I was greeted was so overwhelming I could barely manage to maintain conversation or recall what I had just said or done – at some point into the formal awards segment of the evening Gagan pulled me up by the lapels to explain that Gene was presenting me with a Convio Star Award- to this day I have no clue what I said- except that I announced that I finally had a phrase to describe the panic attacks that then filled my days “ Sheraz in a garage moments.”
- We’ve never done this before but we’ll make it work , and we promise: At some point soon after this night of celebration I recall conversation with Fred and Vinay about my concern that a two day battery of cognitive testing indicated progress but all significant deficits persisted “and were likely to be the final outcome.” In multiple conversations over the years, I was told that Gene was so impressed by my determination to grind my way through the rehabilitation process that he wanted me to know that as long as I was willing and able to accept a very limited and part-time role, as long as he was CEO there would be a place for me at Convio. Yet again, Gene made a promise; Gene delivered. Because he kept his word my quality of life has surpassed what any neurologist would ever dare to have suggested. I have no clue what my future holds now that My tenure, my D.I.Y. experiment in Neuroplasticity at Convio ended on Friday,May4th. What I DO know is that the integrity, innovation, and compassion of the people at Convio have provided all that I will need to live a very good LifeTrust me My Vita Est Dolce. While saying good bye is bittersweet, I have two promises: from this day forward my miraculous recovery story will always include a “Powered by Convio” imprint. AND-and I promise that I will continue to forge ahead with a level of effort that will continue to make you proud as that is the best way I can think to thank ALL of you.
