Ed Batista

Apologies for the light, uh, nonexistant posting this week--I've been too busy enjoying my last few days of unemployment.  That's right--I've caved in and taken a job.  Starting March 14, I'll be Senior Consultant at Beaconfire Consulting, a great firm that I got to know very well during my years as N-TEN's Executive Director.

Beaconfire provides a range of technolology-related services to mid-sized and large nonprofits.  We basically have four practice areas:

• Technology Planning
• Software Evaluation
• Solution Design & Development
• Interactive Marketing & Fundraising

For the first six months, I'll be spending most of my time on business development, sales and marketing while I learn more about the different practice areas.  Starting in the fall, I'll be spending most of my time on consulting engagements, although I'll continue to stay closely involved with biz dev.

As I wrote the other week, "I've been a bandleader for four years, and now I'd like to pick up an instrument of my own."  What I meant is that I'm ready to step back from the broad community-organizing work I did with N-TEN and work in greater depth with a smaller number of organizations on issues that I'm personally excited about--and this new gig provides me with the perfect opportunity to do just that.  I also wrote that "I've been increasingly eager to speak my mind more freely, to be more candid and less diplomatic," and although I don't expect to become a bull in a china shop, I'm looking forward to doing more critical analysis and creative problem solving.

Thanks to Lynn, Michael and Jeff for asking me to join their team--I'm really looking forward to it.  More details to follow, but we now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.