Time for a change
After more than 6 years, I’m resigning from Open Collective.
At the beginning of 2017, Xavier Damman read my essay On Firing Myself, about moving on from my previous big career phase, which led him to invite me to join the new venture he’d recently started with pia mancini: Open Collective.
Now here I am, writing another resignation post, wondering what might come next.
I’ve loved working on Open Collective. It’s a combination of many things I’m super nerdy and passionate about: collective impact, legal structures, money, technology, and values-driven community infrastructure. It’s innovative and practical, solving real pain points and unblocking the potential of groups doing incredibly important front-line work for equity, sustainability, and solidarity.
Over the years, I’ve worn many hats, including COO of Open Collective Inc, which makes the open finances software platform, and, at different times, executive director of Open Source Collective and Open Collective Foundation, the two largest nonprofits using the Open Collective platform to fiscally host thousands of groups doing amazing work around the world.
I’m humbled to have contributed behind the scenes to the work of amazing Collectives responding to the most critical challenges of our time, like humanitarian aid for the war in Ukraine, hundreds of mutual aid groups distributing food and medical supplies throughout the pandemic, diverse approaches to climate crisis action, and those bending the power of technology away from the dark side and toward the commons-based future I dream of.
During my time with OC, I got to work with truly inspiring collaborators, learned an incredible amount, and the company and community grew hundreds-fold. It’s been awesome to be a part of, and I’m so grateful.
My decision to leave is informed by a few factors. Open Collective Foundation, where I was executive director, is a US-based organisation that really needs US-based leadership, grounded in that context, culture, and time zone, especially since it’s scaled up exponentially (100x in 3 years). Working internationally from New Zealand, time zones have honestly become exhausting. I have realised that I want to focus on my home community of Aoteraoa, which is a really special place with unique possibilities as a society. And, on a personal level, I want to keep evolving, learning, and trying new things.
So, it’s time for a change.
Although I’m at peace with my decision to resign, of course there is an element of sadness. Yet, re-reading that old post from my last big career change moment, this still rings true:
Death and change are essential to growth and evolution. New trees spring up in the forest where old trees decay. A species only acquires adaptive traits with new generations…. It’s sad only in the way autumn leaves falling is sad. Natural death returns to the earth as compost. The compost of my previous roles is still helping all the projects I’ve worked on to grow. Now, I’m moving forward.
So, what’s next for me? I honestly don’t know yet.
The last while has been pretty full on. I need to decompress and spend time looking after my health and wellbeing. I’ve been doing that already, and I can feel my energy slowly returning, but I don’t want to rush it. I am privileged to be able to take some time to recuperate and explore possibilities.
I will stay in a governance role with OCNZ and Gift Collective, the local NZ-based Open Collective entities I founded, while the team there runs the day-to-day. For my own day-to-day, I’ll be seeking new opportunities with impactful organisations working toward an equitable and thriving future in Aotearoa.
If you have any ideas for my next career move, get in touch.
