So long and thanks for all the fish - The final act

DavidSmith

My beloved Anaplan community

"How lucky I am to have had something so special that makes saying goodbye so hard”

 

I can't take credit for that quote - I have to thank AA Milne for summing up how I am feeling right now.

In a year of unpredictable events,  I never expected to be writing this.  As 2020 comes to a close, so does my time at Anaplan.  I never saw myself working anywhere else, but I have an opportunity to take all of my experiences and knowledge and channel this into something brand new. It is just too exciting an opportunity and challenge to turn down.

The last seven years have gone so fast.  I have met some many amazing people, been to some incredible places, and have so many treasured memories to take with me.  I will never forget the excitement of the New York Stock exchange two years ago.  The sense of pride I felt in launching the Planual in San Francisco last year can never be bettered.  And finally I saw the training re-vamp take shape from whiteboards to an award winning learning programme!

This was, without doubt, one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make and the main reason for that is all of the amazing people I work with and also you, the Anaplan community.  It is an amazing, diverse and supportive group of people, and I am so proud to have played a major part in its growth.  I got such a sense of satisfaction providing solutions to you all and when I asked you for help (for feature refinements) you were always forthcoming.   

I will miss the constructive comments, the humour and the support you all show to each other.  

Keep doing that, keep the community free from the nonsense we see in other forums.  You are all amazing and I’ll miss you all.

I leave the forum in a very healthy state -  @Misbah @JaredDolich @usman.zia @einas.ibrahim @AlejandroGomez @andrewtye @matthewkuo @DavidE  and many others - keep doing what you are doing.

To all the newer members, please don't be shy to ask questions - nothing is too trivial; we were all beginners at one time. You are in good hands with the members to help you on you Anaplan journey. 

 

I must also thank my "devil's advocate" and "Brother in Arms" - Mr @rob_marshall  - Thank you for taking on the mantel of guardian of the community.  I know you'll do a great job keeping this this bunch in order 😁

 

So, I say goodbye with my head held high.

Who knows if our paths will cross again in the future - It's a small world so I'm sure this is not the last conversation I'll have with some of you.

Stay safe and healthy and I wish you all the best, personally and professional for the future.

 

and remember....

"just because you can, doesn't mean you should" - David Smith!

 

Cheerio!

David

filip.sypniewski

Thank you @DavidSmith for the guidance, best practices, and being the example for all of us on how to make most out of Anaplan 😊 Even though you will not be here, we will keep in mind what we have learned. 

Good luck!

JaredDolich

Thank you @DavidSmith - your legacy is one that will endure and shine brightly for so many people, including me. I certainly wouldn't be at this moment without all the contributions you made to the Community, to learning, to excellence, and selfishly, to me. I'm going to miss you horribly.

Good luck my friend!

usman.zia

@DavidSmith you sir are a legend - there is no other statement to make here!

 

I must thank you for all that you have shared and contributed to making Anaplan such a great tool.

 

I hope that your new challenge is even more rewarding you deserve it!

 

Best Wishes,

 

Usman

zafkamar

A legend indeed!  Your contributions to aggregate Anaplan modeling expertise across the globe are unmatched and will be hard to top.  Best wishes.

ashish.banka

@DavidSmith I am so surprised to see your message. You have been like the strongest pillar in the community and your contribution can never be forgotten. I wish you all the luck for your new journey and you would surely be missed by the community.

 

AB

Misbah

@DavidSmith 

 

We are going to miss you Great Grand Master Anaplanner and Scholar David. Wish you all the best for your future endeavor. Like @JaredDolich said you have played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of many in Anaplan World & I being no exception. Good Bye Master. Will stay in touch:)

DavidSmith

Thank you all for the kind words

I am truly grateful of my time at Anaplan and all of the amazing people I have "met";  personally, virtually and through the forums

I am going to miss you all

David 

andrewtye

Fingers crossed it won't be the Restaurant at the End of the Universe when our paths next cross, nor a bar in San Francisco after maybe a few too many beverages!

No doubt you'll bring as much enthusiasm, care, time, and everything else that you've brought to Anaplan at this something new.

All the best!

DavidSmith

@andrewtye 

Thank you!

You stole my thoughts

I was going to tell people I'm going to "a startup at the end of the Universe"!!!

David

matthewkuo

@DavidSmith thank you for putting up with all my annoying feature requests.  😉

 

I've always deeply appreciated and am still motivated by everything you've done for this platform.

 

Truly wish you all the best on your future endeavors!

 

 

Matthew

AlejandroGomez

Thanks @DavidSmith for all the good times and, especially, for the effort you put in thoroughly exploring and documenting the best ways to use Anaplan, and for your infinite patience and friendliness when helping us all out in our Anaplan journey.

 

Your contribution does not only help partners and users with our daily jobs, but ultimately it benefits the Anaplan client-base as a whole, enabling these companies to make the most out of their Anaplan environments and achieve more efficient and user-friendly planning models for better data-driven decision making. 

 

Thanks again for your invaluable contribution and all the best in your new adventure! 

 

Alex.