Today is my 10th wedding anniversary and although it's just a regular Thursday, it feels like a very big deal in the Charles household. Ten years ago, Peter Charles and I tied the knot in a low-key yet glamorous wedding on Long Island, surrounded by friends and family. This morning, he woke me up by playing the kitschy Flintstones “Happy Anniversary” song on his phone while bringing me a cup of coffee, our daughter Ella giggling behind him.
Of course, I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about how much has changed in our lives and family since 2012, but I'll save that for the dinner table tonight.
But when I think back about what my professional life was like a decade ago, it's shocking how much is different. I am grateful for the journey, but even more for our more flexible situation.
2012: I commuted 3–4 hours round-trip via the LIRR 🚊 and MTA subways almost every day from Long Island to Midtown East in NYC.
2022: I work down the hall from my bedroom. 🏡 This morning I walked my daughter to her bus stop and then walked into town to stretch my legs and get some (more) coffee.
2012: I had a wonderful role as a Senior Digital Product Manager at Bloomingdale's, helping to build out their search 🔍 ecosystem and learning how to manage other product managers.
2022: I run my own consulting practice, and help individuals and teams level up their product skills and collaboration.
2012: I was thrilled to finally be getting paid what I thought my experience was worth.
2022: I am confident that my rates reflect the value I bring to clients.
2012: I worked in a drab interior office (a converted closet more likely) with no windows… and I was grateful! It was on the 13th floor (labeled the 12th for purposes of superstition) and I had a closet full of shoes and things I'd bought at Bloomie's employee sample sales.
2022: I work in an office painted Jamestown blue with a teal velvet chair and ottoman. On the walls: vintage music posters and a rotating selection of my own paintings and my daughter Ella's creations. My view is of the lush green trees in my front yard, where blue jays and cardinals get drunk on white mulberries.
2012: We had a dress code — a dress code! And on Fridays, we all wore black jeans and pretended they were “proper” pants.
2022: I wear Athleta joggers most days and a graphic tee or a comfy simple top.
Of course, there are lots of things I miss: working face-to-face on a project with a team and celebrating big wins, birthdays, and holidays with my work family, and friends.
Sometimes I miss the energy of New York City and never knowing who you'd see on the street or what you'd end up singing at karaoke 🎤 on a Thursday night (the answer is “Don't go breakin' my heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee.)
For today, I'm going to sit in my ergonomic gaming chair and take my calls with the windows letting in the fall air and enjoy the life my husband and I created together.
Maura Charles is the founder of Keep it Human. As a Product Leadership Coach and Consultant, she is on a mission to help teams and organizations embrace human skills like communication and emotional intelligence in their ways of working.
She brings 25 years of experience as an editor, product manager, and digital business leader to bear on the challenges of building human-centered high-performing tech teams.
If you'd like to develop more human business and tech teams that hum together to drive results, check out Keep it Human and follow Maura Charles on LinkedIn.