As a senior analyst for Garter-owned Capterra, I had the incredible opportunity to have a foundational role in its content marketing department, the resources to do in-depth research on my market of choice (project management), and the infrastructure to jet me to the top of the corporate chain. My coworkers were some of the most brilliant and talented influencers in their industry, and many of them I consider good friends.

I love Gartner and Capterra: their vision, their people, and, let’s be honest, their perks and pay. (Frankly, it’s pretty darned good.) But something was missing. I’d started looking closely at Agile theory on a granular level—specifically end-to-end business Agile—and I found myself yearning for an opportunity where theory translated to practice.

Targetprocess provided that opportunity. I packed up my desk at Capterra on Monday, April 30th and started at Targetprocess on Wednesday, May 2nd.

I’ve always had a bit of a startup bug in me; I think many creative people do. I love toying with new ideas, talking about and experimenting with theory, and finding new ways to do old processes more efficiently. When I talked to my colleagues about the switch, many of them saw Capterra’s L-shaped bougie couch, well-loved ping-pong table, and giant arcade machine, and saw the Gartner subsidiary as a startup already—why would I want to leave such a good setup? Others were surprised I hadn’t started my own business yet, let alone join one of the hundreds of project management tools I’d reviewed since the beginning of my career.

Both assessments were half right. Who doesn’t love play built into a company’s infrastructure? Why wouldn’t I have left earlier for the rush of startup life? Being an analyst opens doors. Those opportunities not only include a nice boost to social standing in your market of choice but also attracts recruiters to your LinkedIn inbox like unchecked Facebook statuses attract overzealous grammarians. Over the past year, I got over 100 unsolicited recruitment messages. There was always an opportunity to leave.

But there wasn’t always an opportunity at the right company. The most important thing about any job switch is whether or not that switch will improve one’s quality of life, and I already liked the people I worked with and the clout afforded to my position. Gartner and Capterra were tough to beat.

The way Targetprocess got me to commit to their team went beyond tangible incentives; it came down to the business’s organizational and philosophical infrastructure, its incredible team, and, of course, its downright exceptional product.

Let me explain: The research I'd been doing on project management, business Agile, and the modern workforce made the opportunity with Targetprocess irresistible. I'd not only get to contribute to a tool that I'd spent several years praising for its Agile and enterprise capabilities, but I'd also get to work for a company that was true to my ideals of business agility.

To be clear, achieving a true state of “business Agile” is tough to do at any size company, let alone a software company of 100+ people. There are only a few enterprises—Capital One springs to mind—that have gone through an Agile transformation with even moderate success; a flat structure in a 15,000 person company is exceptionally difficult.

For Targetprocess, business Agile isn't just a theory. It is the very foundation of their company.

I took the position because I have found that the thrill of the startup extends beyond producing an innovative, attractive product. Targetprocess takes this reality seriously.

It's about community—individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

It's about creating a product that consistently improves without unnecessary bureaucracy—working software over (tedious) documentation.

It's about delighting their end users and surprising their expectations with service and quality—customer collaboration over contract negotiation.

It's about working on ridiculously cool projects and flirting with new discoveries—responding to change over following a plan.

In other words, Targetprocess provided the opportunity to put a ton of my own business theory to business practice. To top things off, Targetprocess gave me free reign over all their content.

Can you say, “Dream job?”

I wouldn't have accepted the position if I didn't think that Targetprocess wasn't a viable business model, let alone the creator of a fantastic tool—these acknowledgments are certainly worth mentioning, but only as a footnote at best. The more important thing is that Targetprocess is successful because it already knows how to scale agility, and what features should belong in a tool that best assists their own business needs. Their product passes their insights on to their customers. Having peeked into the company a little closer, it's no surprise to me that the project management tool is has won and will continue to win several awards.

I believe that your job should fulfill you beyond the paycheck, beyond benefits, and even beyond the team. I believe that business Agile can make the workplace a better place to be for all workers—as such, I believe contributing to Targetprocess brings the opportunity to help the business community, the world, even, improve for those who live in it. My fiance committed his career to teaching because he believes children are our future; my mother committed her career to assisting those with severe dyslexia because she believes that learning to read and write can improve anyone’s life at any age. I’m now committing my career to business Agile because I believe such a world would encourage the best outcomes for business owners, business workers, and business customers.

An Agile future is a happier future. I’m excited to join a team with a 15-year history striving toward it. I look forward to shaping the future of business with Targetprocess, and I am excited to reveal what’s in store over the next several years.