The Reagan Era and Academic Crossroads
While MTV was changing the music landscape and "The Breakfast Club" was defining teenage angst, I was making a pivotal decision that would shape my future. I began my journey in the halls of organic chemistry labs during the late 90s – a time when scientists were either portrayed as mad geniuses like Doc Brown from "Back to the Future" or socially awkward nerds.
My father, ever the pragmatist who had weathered the economic rollercoaster of the 70s and early 80s, gave me advice that echoed the uncertainty of those times: "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Taking this to heart, I pursued a parallel path in economics – a subject that gained new attention in the era of Reaganomics and Wall Street's "greed is good" mantra.
The Slacker's Strategic Move
In my final year of college, while my peers were stressing over their futures and Kurt Cobain was giving voice to Gen X disillusionment, I made what some might call a classic "slacker move" with a strategic twist. By dropping to half-tuition in my final semester, I saved significant money but fell just one class short of a double major. As I stood in my graduation gown, diploma in hand with Pearl Jam likely playing somewhere in the background, I realized the sterile world of chemistry labs wasn't going to be my future.
The Digital Revolution Calls
While friends were figuring out if they were more like Chandler or Ross from "Friends," I stumbled upon something that would define my professional identity: SAP. A customer was using this complex German software that seemed as intricate and systematic as the organic chemistry models I'd studied. The connection was immediate and powerful – like discovering an alternative band before they hit mainstream.
My chemistry background, with its focus on understanding modular structures and systematic processes, gave me an unexpected edge in the digital world. It was like translating the periodic table into business processes – complex but following logical patterns.
Riding the Tech Wave Before It Was Cool
I caught the SAP wave before the dot-com bubble, when most people were still trying to figure out how to program their VCRs. Starting when SAP had just 30% of the Fortune 500 market share, I witnessed and participated in its growth to dominating 80-90% of the corporate landscape. While everyone was watching "The X-Files" wondering if the truth was out there, I found my truth in the expanding digital transformation of global businesses.
Building a Network in the Pre-Social Media Era
Over the past 25 years – from the era of dial-up internet and AOL's "You've Got Mail" to today's hyperconnected world – I've built relationships with over 50,000 SAP professionals globally. This wasn't done through LinkedIn algorithms or Twitter threads, but through authentic connections built when face-to-face networking was still the gold standard.
These relationships have given me insights into not just professional challenges but personal ones too – how my peers navigated everything from the dot-com crash to the 2008 financial crisis, all while trying to maintain the work-life balance that our generation pioneered demanding.
Looking Forward
My journey from mixing chemical compounds to navigating the complexities of enterprise software reflects the adaptability that defines Generation X. We've witnessed the transformation from analog to digital, from local to global, and from rigid career paths to flexible professional journeys.
That's where we are today — a world that still wants to hire contractors, consultants, or employees rather than letting the talent set the stage for how they want to work. We're living in a world that is more and more specialized, and the peak of your career isn't being a C-Level officer somewhere. We're living in a world where work is something you do, not a place you go. What a transition in just 25 years!
I remain committed to serving the SAP community and addressing the evolving needs of professionals worldwide, bringing that same skeptical yet practical mindset that helped our generation bridge the gap between the old corporate world and the new digital frontier.
