Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the notion of alumni for companies. By that, I mean the active (and proud) recognition of once working at a certain place. It is something that you want to mention, even if you have left to do other things.

Some companies have this already. “Googlers” are the most obvious example. Being an ex-Googler is something that is referenced frequently here in the Valley. I like that. People leave their jobs for so many reasons, and I think conflict or underperformance are relatively uncommon. Why not be proud of where you’ve been?

I’d like to be a part of building those sorts of companies. Companies that people look back at and think “wow, I’m proud I was a part of that”. It doesn’t have to be fantastic all the time of course – nothing is. But at least good enough for people to have fond memories of it and leave without regrets. That the ride was worth something for them while they were there, and keeps being worth something afterwards.

I think Toca Boca is one of those companies, although it is a little too early to tell. We are still young and very few people have left. I’d like to think that my former agency Good Old is one too. At least for some. It was a crazy ride in the beginning and I think we all learned a lot from those years. I’m proud to say that I worked there. And I’ll always be a Good Old-person somehow.