17 years ago, I was sitting in my office at Oracle, and my boss was on a mission. Every week, like clockwork, he’d tell our team: "We need to be on social media. We need to get social."

Naturally, I did what any busy professional would do: I ignored him for six months

I didn't see the vision yet. I thought it was a distraction, a fad, or just another "to-do" on an already overflowing plate. But eventually, the nagging won. I took the plunge, set up my profiles, and started posting

17 years later, I am so glad I finally listened

The Journey by the Numbers:

It’s been an incredible ride of learning, pivoting, and connecting. Today, I’m humbled to be part of two amazing communities:

• X (formerly Twitter): 167,000 followers

• LinkedIn: 38,000 followers

Numbers are great for tracking growth, but they don't tell the whole story. The real value has been in the conversations, the debates, the shared insights, and the global network I’ve been able to build from my keyboard

A Heartfelt Thank You

To everyone who has clicked "Follow," "Like," or “Share”, thank you

• To the early adopters: Who were there when we were all just figuring out what a "hashtag" was

• To the skeptics: Who challenged my ideas and forced me to think more deeply

• To the daily engagers: Your comments and insights are what make this "social" and not just a broadcast

Whether you've been following me since the Oracle days or you just joined the fold this morning, I appreciate you being part of this journey

Social media has changed my career, my perspective, and my professional life in ways I never could have predicted back when I was dragging my feet

Here’s to the next 17 years of staying social!