2022: Year In Review
Published: 2022-12-22 02:00:37

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The year still has a little over two weeks before it ends.

But I know I will forget to write this article if I don’t do it today. Christmas will come, then New Years', and soon it’ll be March 2023, and I never got to write anything.

This time last year, we were living in Mexico. My wife had already been accepted to Algonquin College, but we were still waiting for the government to send us some paperwork. I cannot remember what it was, but I remember the rush of getting everything before the holidays.

We moved to Canada in April.

Last year, I was offered a web designer/email developer job at an email marketing company around September.

My plan was twofold:

1. I wanted to get an international, English job so that I had something to show in my CV apart from running my agency which was harder to sell.
1. And I wanted to have a job for when we moved to Canada. I didn’t know how long it would take me to find a job in Canada, so I wanted to be prepared.


From January to April, everything is confusing. Paperwork, waiting times, covid tests, packing, making lists. I cannot tell what happened when.

That is also why we decided to come to Canada. Life was too confusing.

We arrived in April.

I found a job in my third week in Ottawa as a web designer for a small retail company.

## Web Design at a small retail company

That's enough for personal stuff. 2023 I’ll post more on my socials, and you all can be part of it.

I’ll start with the negatives. I would love to code more. We use many out-of-the-box solutions, and that makes sense. We are not a tech company. We cannot waste time developing something if a good solution already exists.

The part I enjoy the most about building websites is playing with code and seeing how tags become a website. Each refresh gives me a rush. Knowing you left a bug and finding the solution while in your sleep. So, not being able to code as much is a bummer.

I've had a few chances to write some code, but they are not as many as I did with the email marketing company. Again, it makes sense because the email marketing company is more tech-focused.

A sweet and sour experience is that we are a fluid company. By that, I mean that many of us have to “wear many hats.”

This means that design approval never comes from the same person. Sometimes it is the owner; sometimes, it is my boss; sometimes, I have to approve my designs.

I have tried to stop the design-by-committee mentality with mixed results. I’ll never get this company to design maturity, but it has grown since I got here.

It also means that I cannot focus on just doing design or development. I have to dabble in other departments.

On the other hand, I have learned a lot about how a retail company works. I already knew a few things, having worked as a freelance web designer for some stores, but what you learn is more revealing on the inside.

Lastly, the positive note. A small company means we are all people. I know everyone's name, and everyone knows mine. We are not “just a number.” Working for this company feels like having a second family.

I am forever grateful because they bet on me. They didn’t know any company on my CV but decided to give me an opportunity. And because of that, I am closer to my personal and professional goals.

By observing how other people work, I have gained valuable insights into various methods and approaches to problem-solving. I've seen different ways of thinking, approaching tasks, and finding innovative solutions. I have learned a lot about how to be always on my toes.

I had already worked with small businesses as an agency, but working on the inside of a small business has helped me understand how seemingly minor decisions can have a butterfly effect and, thus, must be thought carefully.

There are still a few weeks left of the year. Let's see what professional surprises we can squeeze in!