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Now: Company co-founder
Then: Meat-department cleaner
Current position: Co-founder and principal of Chameleon Technologies in Kirkland, a technical-staffing and professional-services company.
First job: Clean the meat department at a grocery store. It wasn't pretty. I'd have to put on waterproof clothes and boots and use a high-pressure sprayer that had a mix of water and sanitizer to clean residual meat cuttings from the floor, walls, cutting utensils and machine cutters. Luckily, I got promoted after three months to a clerk in the general-merchandise section.
What I learned: Work hard; move up the ladder to a more-desirable position. I also learned a great deal about accountability because if I didn't do my job well, the butchers couldn't cut the meat the next day. The job forced me to be detail-oriented and thorough, while also being efficient (I sure didn't want to be there any longer than I had to). Once I got promoted, I got some great lessons in interacting with customers. As the general-merchandise clerk, I learned how to listen, to get a clear understanding of their needs and be able to give them what they want. These are all key skills I employ today as the co-founder of Chameleon.
