I got fired, then sent this to all my coworkers

the daily taryn - march 28th, 2021

Almost exactly a year ago, I got let go (along with 2 of my best friends and 30% of the rest of the company) from a job I had for 5 years. Citing covid of course — unfortunately, a very easy out for businesses trying to cut costs.

It was a wild experience and one I can say without a doubt was a blessing in disguise. I had been considering leaving for… years, but the role I made for myself and the people that let me do it kept me willfully ignorant and mostly-happily employed.

A year later, I’m so grateful I was let go. Not only did I get paid 4 months’ salary through a wild pandemic that paid for the move to LA I was making regardless, but I got the push I needed to go do what’s best for me, baby bird out the nest style.

After I got the boot, I sent an email to all teammates that made work my home over the last half a decade. This is a normal thing to do, but was even more expected from me — I was basically the Patreon team mascot. I hosted all of our parties and happy hours, kicked off our 200 people all-team weekly meetings with 10 minutes of whatever I wanted titled “60 seconds” then “Taryn Time”, and *literally* walked around the office with a microphone like a fitness instructor. Not joking.

I was looking for a specific google doc this morning and found the email I sent to everyone — a few hundred folks who I really wanted to hug goodbye but couldn’t. I remember sitting down to write it. How hurt I was to be doing so, but how gratitude reigned supreme.

To this day, it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. Enjoy.

Also, for context, muppet was our CEO’s goldendoodle.

Subject: your final taryn time <3

I never used to plan 60 Seconds/Taryn Times, so I’ll do the same here and just wing it. Honestly, not even going to read it back, haha. Here goes. 

So, hey. This week has been absolutely wild. I’ve cried and yelled and smiled and laughed and had emotions that can’t quite be named. I’ve felt confused and lost and deeply, deeply grateful. And that’s what I’d like to spend this whatever talking about. What I’m thankful for -- the little things and the big things. Get ready for a rant. 

I’m so thankful for 5 years at Patreon. I’m thankful that I took Anthony’s call about working for this little startup with 10 people. I’m thankful that the interview went well. I’m thankful that I was in a place in my life to take a chance like that, and I’m thankful that my best friend/brother Sean (the original) was there too, so we could do it together. I’m thankful we packed up my jeep (followed by my dad in a u-haul) to drive up the coast and move to a city I never thought I’d live in. 

I’m thankful for the early days. For the 8723984723897 Lyfts and Ubers I spent wanting to be quiet but instead answering, “what’s Patreon?” I’m thankful for every day that went well. For every day that was spent fighting fires because back then, everything was a fire. Little fires everywhere. I’m thankful for the war rooms and the “how is it already 10pm” nights in that beautiful rats nest of an office. I’m thankful for every nook and cranny that place had, and that there was always someone working under the stairs or playing ping pong. I’m thankful that Muppet didn’t die when she escaped on 9th street, and I’m still thankful for the construction workers that helped me corral her. I’m thankful to have waited in the food line with you all. I’m thankful for the little convos and how was your weekend and oh really me toos. I’m thankful for sushi day and pizza day and the live reporting that would go down in Slack to alert the team when it was ready. I’m not thankful for the people that took all the sushi. Damn you, Tim Wood, wherever you are. 

I’m thankful that I got to move desks 11018923 times, then move offices to our big kid room. I’m thankful for Ted in the kitchen and that I got to name all the conference rooms after things I love. I’m thankful for the days there were avocados and the everything seasoning. I’m thankful for sharing my meals with so many of you, doing crosswords or rolling our eyes or talking about whatever the days Tiger King was. I’m thankful for every little smirk and half wave you gave me in the hallway. I’m thankful that I got to walk around that building with the same familiarity I have when I walk around my home. I’m thankful for toot tunes, and knowing how many awkward moments I saved. I’m thankful for Haneisha - god, I miss her. What I would give to hear her say good morning right now. She used to save the good espresso pods for me, you know? Not sorry about it. 

I’m thankful for the many hats I got to wear, and that I get to go be one of those annoying tech people that says “oh I wore so many hats” in future interviews. I’m thankful for the rebrands and the rewrites and the “can I get your eyes on this” every day for 5 years. I’m thankful that I got to try new things and change roles and leave behind things I didn’t love for things I did. I’m thankful for good managers and weird managers and my weird journey as a manager (never again, lol). I’m thankful that I got to work hard and a lot. I’m thankful that I got to take proper breaks and that my teams shared photos of our vacations. I’m thankful that I got to write for my job. That people trusted me to make things better or different or funnier or whatever. I’m thankful for the people that took chances on me and that I got to return the favor as our team grew. I’m thankful that I got to interview so many of you. That was really fun. You didn’t need to be nervous. <3 

I’m thankful that I got to help build a company that I believe really matters to the world. Mission matters, of course. But what matters more to me is people, and I can say with certainty that Patreon excels at hiring good people. I am very very thankful for the friends I met along the way. I joined Patreon with best friends and left with many many more -- people I’ve traveled with and drank with and cried with and seen Magic Mike with. People I’ve talked to today and will talk to tomorrow (and the next day and the next). People that will be at my wedding and in my wedding. People that have taught me some of the best lessons I’ll ever learn -- good and bad. 

Most of all, I’m thankful that I worked with people who let me be me. I thought about this every day for 5 years and will think about it every day going forward. I got to be me at work - silly and confident and emotional and gay and all the things that make me me. I got to do my job and, on top of that, host happy hours and the untalented shows and our Christmas parties and, somehow, I got to openly roast teammates at every all hands for 5+ years. I may never get that again, but I want to tell you that those small things were so, so big to me. Seeing you raise your hands or asks questions or smile or laugh or just be there - that presence and buy in to whatever the fuck I was up to has and will make me a better person, teammate, spouse, parent and more. I got to be me, and that wasn’t because of Patreon or the buildings or creators or the mission - that was because of you. I will forever be indebted to you.

A job is not just a job, no matter how much you try to separate it. It’s your day-home, and I can’t thank you enough for making my day home great.

I’m so thankful that, I’m sure one day, I’ll even be thankful for how it all ended. Until then, turn to a neighbor and keep Patreon good. Kind. Real. 

I’d love to stay connected. I have a newsletter where I write stuff like this (you can subscribe here), see other things I’ve written here, or follow me on instagram or twitter or whatever. Also, my cell: [redacted]

Alright folks. We’ve got a packed all hands today and a lot to get through, so that’s gonna be it for Taryn Time. <3 

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Fun stuff. Happy Sunday my loves. Hope you’re well.

Talk soon.

Your friend,

Taryn