Mark Dopps
Two old friends met up for coffee last week. Regret was not invited.
How old is this friendship? When I showed up on Day 1 of my first real job back in 1986, Mark Dopps was there. I was fresh out of college and ready to show off all I knew as Promotion Director at KIMA-TV in Yakima. Mark was several years my junior and already a KIMA veteran. He knew ten times more than I did about video. Frankly, that never changed.
Mark is one of those guys with the brainpower to take a bunch of elements and figure out how to make them work, whether it’s production gear or video storytelling. Mark was KIMA’s video editor, technical director, and production guru right out of high school. He later moved to Seattle lead post-production roles at Sight & Sound Entertainment, Pinnacle Productions, Microsoft Studios, Dubs, Inc., and Amazon. While at Amazon, Mark made the decision to become a stay-at-home dad to help raise his two kids full-time. He put his successful video career and substantial production skills on hold.
Ten years flew by.
Recently, Mark and I reconnected on LinkedIn and met up at Grand Pere Bakery in Mountlake Terrace. Turns out Mark lives right down the road in Lake Forest Park. Like every one of my conversations on the Reconnect Roadshow, time flew by and I learned a lot. Here are some highlights:
Not Everyone Wants to Be in Management: Some people just love doing what they do, making things, building things, and being creative. They don’t aspire to be managers or executives. They want to contribute and do the work that is satisfying and be part of a team. We should honor that and celebrate those talents just as much as we do the career ascenders.
Life’s Better with the Right Partner: Mark mentioned several times how his wife has been a source of inspiration, support, and encouragement for him. I’ve had the same experience with my wife, Patty. Every relationship has its ups and downs and no one person can be everything as a partner, in business or life. But if you have a partner who gets you, gives you energy, and has your back, you've got something special.
The Journey is Meant to Be: Both Mark and I had stories of our careers hitting roadblocks (or seemingly falling off a cliff) a few times, but each time we came out stronger and wiser and in better situations. How can that be? Perhaps adversity gave us new energy to move ahead. Perhaps the change better aligned with our talents and interests. Whatever it was, I am sure our experience is not unique. My hope is that sharing this knowledge brings hope to everyone out there “going through it” right now, career-wise or otherwise. It’s a lot emotionally, no doubt. But keep going, keep believing, and reach out to the people in your world. There are more out there than you know, ready and willing to be there for you.
Thank you, Mark, for the insight and trip down memory lane. Let’s do it again soon!
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