What it's like to leave LA's "Best Place to Work"

It’s a well lit open space on the second floor located in LA’s burgeoning Silicon Beach. Modernly designed interior, and bounties of avocado remain; only now I have driven down Bluff Creek countless times.

It was August 2017 when I wrote about my entry to ChowNow, and it’s recent success of earning the title “LA’s Best Place to Work.” Today also marks my 2 year anniversary with ChowNow; and I can’t say that I could have spent that time in any better way!

It was an incredibly bittersweet moment to announce that I planned to depart from the company, and understandably frightening to tell to my leaders. It was Friday March 1st, 2019. I recall the date because I had written it down on a sticky note as a challenge to myself; "eventually you will chase your dreams Mark," something I had told myself thousands of times. "Eventually you will pursue your passion, the reason you came to LA, and become an actor!" This time, on March 1st, 2019 "eventually" would have a date stamp. I wanted to look at a calendar and know, definitively, that there was a moment in space and time that I would choose to chase this crazy desire.

I could go into detail about how I have dreamed of this moment, of the work I have put in to get here, of the challenges I expect to face in the uncertainty of living my truth – but I would rather tell you the story of how my leaders reacted. I choose to tell this story because their sentiments have impacted how I see myself as a laborer, and how I see myself as a confident forward thinking young man.

March 1st, 2019

The day had come. I had already written a letter of resignation, after hours of research to be sure that what I presented was seen as professional, considerate, and specific. Scared and sweaty, I beckoned the attention of my manager to a private table to present the letter and my intention to depart from ChowNow. "I leave to pursue creative outlets that ChowNow has provided the opportunity for me to chase after," the letter read – would she be surprised, upset, or angry about this pursuit? How would this impact my team, and how would the company see me if I left for the selfish desire of fulfillment?

The reactions I expected could not be further form the reality presented me that afternoon. After some deliberation and polite questioning, I chatted with my manager about her direct impact on my development at ChowNow. I told her how her attention to culture, to development, and to transparency had all catapulted me to success and provided me the opportunity to pursue creation. With some tears and hugs, we celebrated together, and later that afternoon shared with our team. Equally, I could not have predicted the shock, excitement, and support I received from my peers. There may have been tears and surprise, but all of those reactions were subdued by chants of joy and excitement. Is this normal? Why are they not upset with me?

March 4th - 8th, 2019

The letter had been presented, and the countdown had begun. Two weeks to wrap up my work, reach out to my clients, and assist with a clean handoff to my colleagues. All of the basics we have come to expect when leaving a position. What was unexpected were the private conversations from my peers that arose.

"I heard you're leaving to try out acting, and follow your dreams, that's incredible!?" Over and over the conversations emerged, all hinging on the same affirmation – I was making the right choice. Throughout the week I was offered compliments about my work ethic, my drive to achieve, and my "bravery" for following my omens to happiness. What all of these conversations taught me was two fold.

First, that ChowNow does not just employ "workers," rather, it employs leaders. Creatives from all over the company reached out not just to offer their surprise and compliments, but to offer their support and network as well. All of them invested in my happiness without request, and were quick to affirm my choice.

Second was that I wasn't "leaving ChowNow," rather, I was carrying ChowNow with me, as an alumni. I learned from these conversations that this incredible network of humans I had become a part of were not going to be forgotten memories of a previous chapter of my life, rather they would be my advocates, my supporters, and even my fans. A sense beyond camaraderie began to arise.

March 11th, 2019

Week 2; my final week of active employment at ChowNow. With no more accounts to service, I was around to help my colleagues transition to their new portfolio. With the free time, I sat at a distant table resolving emails, and contemplating my next move. I did not expect the next three moments to occur,

Around the lunch hour, I was approached by Chris Webb, ChowNow's CEO. Chris has always been sort of a mysterious character to me. A confident and respected leader of our company, but also a bit socially isolated and outside my day to day tasks. I had had conversations in passing, but not enough to know what he would say next. "So, I heard the good news." Oh no, "good news." Was he happy I was leaving? "I hear you are going to go after your dreams. That is amazing. We are going to miss you here."

WHAT!? How is it that my presence here had travelled all the way up the chain to alert Chris about my departure, and sparked him to enter this conversation? But that was not the end of these conversations; I was approached by our Chief Product Officer, as well as our Director of Restaurant Discovery with equally sobering sentiments about my impact here at ChowNow. "I am sorry to hear that we are going to lose someone like you, who lives the ChowNow culture," I was told. "I hear that you are going to be a famous actor. That's amazing, we are going to miss you," I was affirmed. Simple conversations with huge impacts on my confidence, and my character.

Now it might seem like vapid gloating to write about these experiences, and to position myself as some incredibly gifted employee that ChowNow was eager to keep around, but let me explain why I felt it important to write this article.

March 16th, 2019 and beyond

When I first began ChowNow, I walked into our office everyday with a sense of awe. Countless times I looked around, and could not believe where I was. I didn't expect to make it this far in life. I didn't expect to make it to LA, let alone to be surrounded by incredibly supportive and gifted individuals. Nearly everyday felt like a surreal dream presented to me only by fate.

Now, I don't want to give the impression that every day was prefect harmonious happiness. Growth is hard, and ChowNow certainly challenges it's employees to grow. There was frustrations, anger, tears, joy, jealousy, and heartbreak as I developed from an entry level employee to a respected Restaurant Success Manager. I believe it is because of my early life experiences in poverty, my resilience in education, and time spent at ChowNow that has driven me to this launching point – ready and able to go after what I have always felt was mine.

I have no idea how the nexts few weeks, months, and years will play out. I don't know how successful my attempts at happiness will be, or how I am going to make that happen. I chose to write this article to highlight not my successes, but the incredible people and culture that have provided me the launch pad for this next step in my journey to personal fulfillment.

ChowNow is not in the business of hiring "employees." I didn't realize that when I first started, I thought I WAS just an employee. That is all I ever knew could be. However, like my peers, ChowNow showed me that I am a capable leader, an intelligent creator, and apart of something greater than myself. I carry with me the most impactful moment of all, the moment that made me realize my place at ChowNow.

Chris Webb, March 11th – "You are family."