"One Thing, Many Paths" by David St. John

When I graduated from college the only computer programs I knew how to use were Word, Internet Explorer, and the popular CD-ROM based PC game called Myst. This was still the height of the dot-com boom, so while I had limited technical experience, my college education and a healthy local economy lead to plenty of work as a contractor for several startups in the Seattle area. Most of the assignments were not glamorous (data entry, quality assurance and categorizing products), however these experiences opened my eyes to the way of life in several technology companies that were still grappling with how to turn a profit using this new thing called the Internet.

It was during this early period that I participated in the launch of a new category of products for a large and successful e-commerce company in the Seattle area. All of the employees I met were extremely accomplished. Several people had companies that were acquired during the Internet’s growth spurt, while several others abandoned previous careers to join the tide of new companies flowing onto the Internet. It seemed that no matter your background, there was a place for you in this new economy.

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