It is time to explore again. Even though I am just shy of reaching my 14 month date at BuzzFeed, I am leaving my position as Senior Designer.
In light of all the great achievements BuzzFeed has gained recently, from its growing traffic (~6MM to ~25MM in 14 mo), recent high-profile hires for editorial verticals (~25 people to ~80), and a nice round of funding ($15.5M), I have been struggling to maintain my focus as someone who enjoys making and trying new things.
This was not an easy decision, as it is quite difficult to walk away when the combined efforts of those around me have helped achieved a large level of success for something quirky and powerful. However, something was amiss for me, and I realized I am not satistifed. As a friend quipped, my reasons for leaving are true to myself and my needs, as I am not sacrificing for the hype (in a respectable sense of the word).
Regardless of my reasons, working at BuzzFeed was a great time, and I was fortunate to work with a great design and development team. I am truly excited for the new features, products, and editorial that will be coming out over the next few months across many platforms and partners. (PS: they’re hiring!)
To answer your immediate question, I will be spending the next few weeks working on a few fun projects as I prepare for a temporary move to China at the end of March. While I am in China, I plan on spending more time focusing on projects that are interesting to me, with every intention of releasing a few of them soon. I will also be spending time learning more, whether it be iPhone development, Mandarin, or whatever else strikes my curiosity. And with more free time, I will be hosting oHours on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone that wants help or advise on design, tech, or art.
(Photo credit: Jiashan Wu)
