An amazing team and a lot of work to do.
That was my read after spending a few days with the TRX team in Newport Beach.
I had been talking with TRX since December. The early conversations included a product test that turned into an actual workout. This trip was different. I could meet the team, listen to the town hall, look at the organization, and get past the version of the company that fits into an interview call.
The visit left me excited. It also gave me a much clearer list of things to work through.
I wrote a thank-you note from the airport: “It's exciting with an amazing team and also a lot of work to do (which would be fun and challenging).”
I meant both parts.
The team had sent me organization charts. I wanted to mark them up with the changes we had discussed, then compare that work with my notes from the town hall. I was looking for anything I still did not understand about the teams, their capabilities, and what people inside TRX found inspiring about the company.
I also wanted another conversation about the role and the asset structure. A good visit did not make those questions disappear.
My next step was to talk with Amanda that night. I also planned to circle back with two people I trusted before giving TRX my final thoughts. I felt good about the opportunity, but I was not going to pretend the decision only belonged to the hours I spent in the office.
The rest of life had kept moving while I was in California. Apply's daily marketing reports were still landing. The Poughkeepsie house needed to be emptied so permit and repair work could continue. A week earlier I had told the contractor I would try to pay somebody to pack and move everything because I was going to be away for about ten days.
By the time I sent the thank-you note, I was back on a flight and rescheduling another conversation I had missed while mostly offline.
I ended the note with the honest version: “I feel really good about stuff and think we're close.”
Close was not done. I still had an offer and a role to think through, organization charts to mark up, a house to empty, and a conversation with Amanda.