After 23 engaging years at Microsoft – and having made it through at least 10 rounds of layoffs – my name was pulled from the hat, and I was asked to pack my things and leave.

That is obviously not entirely how it went, but it definitely is how it felt.

On the bright side, this gives me the chance to pursue a long-overdue dream: starting my own business and helping customers and partners in areas where I can truly make a difference.

Running my own business also gives me the flexibility to prioritize myself, my family and our overall wellbeing to a higher extent than has been possible for a long time.

So, what’s next?

As already stated, I’m starting my own business and will soon begin offering services to customers and partners who could use my help – more details coming soon.

I’ll also be dusting off my golf clubs, getting back into a regular exercise routine, and hopefully hitting the bike trails again.

But first, a break: I’ll spend June wrapping things up, then head to Greenland and Iceland in July with my wife and close friends – finally taking a real vacation, without a Microsoft laptop.

Follow me here on my blog, on LinkedIn or on my future homepage, which I will share here as well.

Godspeed

Freddy