I had just joined Vignette after an extended web consulting gig at a fairly stodgy financial company. First day, really first hour, of being on board: proceed directly to the “room where big meetings happen” (aka, kind of a kitchen, game room, situation?) for the weekly “state of the union”. I don’t remember a word of what Greg said, I don’t remember anything about it all… except for the incessant, high-pitch sound of the dental drill emanating from the other side of the wall. After a few months, I suppose I got used to it (Narrator: he did not get used to it), but it was definitely a “you’re not in Kansas anymore” moment for 23 year old me who had just left “traditional corporate environment”.
In hindsight, those days of being able to essentially jam the entire company into the kitchen are missed!
Adam interviewed 20 people across a year’s time, and I think I read about the dentist drill as the most common memory.
The sounds of dental drilling (and, if remember correctly, the occasional power fluctuations from the x-ray equipment) were very disconcerting! I very clearly remember your first day and your deer-in-headlights look!