Reflecting on 2024 and Looking Ahead to 2025

As the year comes to a close, I like to reflect on the choices I’ve made and the things I’ve accomplished. This process helps me take stock of where I am and what I’ve achieved over the year, while also setting goals to aim for in the coming year.

Career Shift

One of the biggest changes this year was changing jobs. In the fall, I transitioned from working as a Sr. Network Engineer at a national retail company to taking on the same role at a global hosting provider. This shift has been a major adjustment. After nearly nine years in an established enterprise organization where things moved at a slower pace, I’m now part of a smaller, leaner, and fast-paced hosting provider with a global presence and rapid growth.

This change has been both exciting and challenging. It has exposed me to a wider variety of technologies and networking designs that I wouldn’t have encountered in my previous role. My day-to-day work has shifted from managing WiFi and campus networks in a hub-and-spoke design to working with high-speed backbone links in a partially meshed and heavily spine-and-leaf environment. Previously, I managed a FortiGate firewall design, but in my new role, the number of deployed FortiGate devices is significantly larger. Additionally, my new role emphasizes automation, whereas my prior work relied heavily on manual processes. Learning these new technologies and approaches has been a rewarding challenge.

This career change will also influence the topics I discuss on this blog. While the focus may shift to more advanced networking concepts—such as network automation, network observability, and firewall policy design—I’ll continue to keep the explanations clear and approachable for anyone interested in learning.

One Year as a Brewery Owner

This year also marked my first full year as an owner of a local brewery. My wife and I were invited to join as co-owners in late 2023, and over the course of the year, our role evolved significantly. Initially, we were in advisory roles and helped out at beer festivals, but now we oversee taproom operations.

As the brewery grows and expands its distribution, the other owners have shifted their focus to scaling production and building the brand. This left a gap in managing the taproom, and we stepped in to take over that responsibility. While I don’t have prior experience in this area, I’m always willing to learn, and I’m excited to make the taproom a place where our customers feel welcome and enjoy spending time.

We’ve also started collaborating with other breweries in the area, including one that recently opened, to expand our brewing capacity. Our 1 BBL system remains in our brew house, and we plan to use it for small-batch, limited-release beers and possibly charity brews to support the community. Meanwhile, we’ve scaled up to 10 BBL batches at another brewery, where our brewers are helping to run the facility. With plans to expand to 30 BBL batches, this growth has been an incredible leap forward, and we’re excited about the opportunities it provides.

I’m looking forward to seeing where 2025 takes us and what new challenges and opportunities arise.

Health and Fitness

This past year, I rediscovered my enjoyment of the gym. I developed a routine that works for me, going at least once a week, and the results have been noticeable. I feel stronger, have more energy, and even lost nearly 20 pounds by making fitness a priority.

However, my new job has introduced some challenges. Moving from fully remote work to being fully in-office has added a commute, which now takes up about two hours each day—time I previously used for the gym and other personal activities. One of my goals for 2025 is to find a better routine that balances work, fitness, and personal time.

Goals for 2025

Looking ahead, my primary focus areas for 2025 are:

Health and Fitness: Continue improving my fitness routine and find ways to better integrate it into my new schedule.

Career Development: Deepen my understanding of the technologies used in my new role and build the expertise needed to fully support and optimize our network.

Brewery Growth: Learn the ins and outs of taproom operations and create a welcoming, enjoyable experience for our customers while supporting community initiatives.

On a smaller scale, I also want to keep writing on this blog to share knowledge and explain complex topics in simple, approachable ways.

I also recently joined Bluesky and have been enjoying the experience. The starter packs made it easy to connect with others who share my interests, and engaging with fellow network engineers has been both fun and informative. While I’m not typically active on social media, I feel this platform offers more value than endless scrolling on other apps.

Reflections on Loss

This year also brought personal loss. I lost a friend to cancer, and while we had not known each other for very long, she was an important part of my life and a wonderful person. Unfortunately, I am at a point where loss is becoming a more common experience, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Her passing has reminded me of the importance of personal relationships and has given me a renewed appreciation for the time spent with friends and family. It’s a perspective I intend to carry forward into the coming year.

Final Thoughts

2024 has been a year of growth, challenges, and exciting new directions. From changing jobs and diving into new technologies to stepping up in brewery ownership, rediscovering fitness, and reflecting on personal loss, it’s been a transformative year.

As I look ahead to 2025, I’m excited to build on the momentum I’ve created, take on new challenges, and continue learning and growing—both professionally and personally. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. I look forward to sharing more insights and updates in the coming year.