Why I liked ePrize

micro phone check one

2007-06-06T21:36:00.000-10:00

[pause]
All this said, I still very much enjoyed my work at ePrize. The openness to change and doing things the right way is something I will miss.
And I will miss all the great people that I worked with. You guys rock.

Thank you.

2007-06-05T04:47:00.001-10:00

Just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have emailed, IMd and called me.
It means a lot to me to know that the majority of people at ePrize are good and still care.

Its a shame that one or two panicy and incompetent people can cause such an effect.

I guess the thing that makes me the most angry, is that ePrize was such an open place. See something thats wrong? Let's change it. It seemed everyone but my boss saw the energy and effort I had always put towards changing and fixing things.

Teams typically aren't inspired by fear. Or inconsistent messaging. One week we were berated for all doing a horrible job, and not taking ownership of things. The next week we were shown random "silly" pictures that she didn't even gather herself.

Trying to do the work of 3 positions with a manager who only focuses on the negative of each is a difficult way to go.

All this said, I still very much enjoyed my work at ePrize. The openness to change and doing things the right way is something I will miss.
And I will miss all the great people that I worked with. You guys rock.

It was fun.

2007-05-31T07:15:00.000-10:00

Well, it was fun ePrize.
I did the best I could to try and help you and fix you while I was there.
I leave you my legacy of smart clip preloaders, ascii code squirrels and all my blood sweat and tears.

I wish you good luck, with my deepest apologies to the rest of the flash team. You guys are gonna have a lot on your plates for a while.

Peace. Keep the change going. Don't let them make it a factory.

Joshua

feel free to drop me a line anytime:

joshua@hamman.org

or AIM: joshamman

Cheers!

supplies

2007-05-15T18:30:00.000-10:00

im surprised by 2 things:

a. that people are still reading this blog

2. that people are still posting the other blog

live your lives with the empowerment that your happiness has nothing at all to do with your job or this blog.
go now.
be happy.
please.

for me

change thru change

2007-05-15T18:10:00.000-10:00

I apologize if some of the recent posts here seem obtuse.
i've been using this space more for personal view points than the original goal of this site.
why i like working at eprize.

but wait, thats personal, you say.
it is, and it isn't. its business.
and one of the things i have always respected and liked at eprize is the no-nonsense approach to things.
there isn't time to mess around with BS.

does BS exist? of course.
but it is usually weeded out, or dies out, quickly.

is eprize hunting for these weeds?
NO.
most of the people that I work with at eprize focus on the positive.
how good the lawn looks. even with weeds (if we notice)

ive never felt i had to work so hard to justify myself to a company that i love working for.

is this still on?

2007-05-11T20:36:00.000-10:00

ePrize is me.
i am ePrize.
i just realized it now.
and it will always be true.

[a kit = f buecufuc †®figr gere tn¥†® hunj]
[*eatß¬∆¬˚ƒ∆©ˆ¬ß˙˙ß∂©∆˚¬˚¬ßå∂ƒ]

the initial effort is always the hardest
when you question the direction.
ytudy
trust

you must study trust
and pass it along
trust and energy
friends share energy
zoo lunch

Always Know Yourself

2007-04-17T19:16:00.000-10:00

"Sail, up the stream, travel far... but always get out of the storm"
- jesus jones, wishing it away

The energy is weird right now. Quantity not quality. "I want to work for the best promotions agency, not the biggest", if I may quote myself. after giving 200% what is left? I shouldn't feel like I have to fight to keep working at a place I love.

I have never claimed to have all the answers.
I have never claimed to always be right.
I have always been 100% honest.
I have always tried my hardest to make things the best they can be.
I have always gone out of my way to help.

here is the rest of the song. more correct. it just struck me as appropriate.

Live fast die young, the words of a fool it seems
Hell bent getting there, seeing nothing on the way
Where are you now, when all eyes would be on you
Dumbstruck, disappeared, leaving everything to do

You were wishing it away

Sail up the stream travel so far
But always get out of the boat
Sail up the stream travel far
But always leave the boat

Here in my hands; all that I could wish for
Timebomed, stick around see it all go up in smoke
With these very hands, I'll pull it all apart
I know in the end it'll sound like some sad joke
'Cos I'll be wishing it away

Wishing it away
Wishing it away

Nothing is sacred, not life nor hapiness
Least of all is the world that we live in unless we make it pay

We're wishing it away

Results of Change

2007-04-14T05:22:00.000-10:00

Sometimes when people don't know what others do, they react defensively. Sometimes they react aggressively. Blame is easy to move around through ingnorance.

Impressive Progress

2007-02-26T04:35:00.000-10:00

I guess people are still finding this. Go figure.
For those of you not lucky enough to be part of ePrize still, the progress and change that has taken place here over the last 11 months is absolutely astounding.
Helped by the massive new area that we expanded into, everthing is being fine tuned, fixed up and generally straighted out.
All companies have problems. ePrize experienced an explosive growth over the last year that resulted in some unavoidable growing pains.
Now that things are settled we've been spending a lot of time on making them better. And we have been wildly successful. (at least in my eyes)
Is there more to do? Of course, there always is, but I have never worked at a more fun, proactive place than ePrize.

Cheers! Enjoy your day.

wow

2007-01-09T18:44:00.000-10:00

ok, so i just blindly reposted the old stuff, with all the comments.

I'm hoping this isnt going to stir up anything again, but reading them really makes me feel sorry for the negative people. read it. and tell me otherwise. it hurts me to know that people can be so misguided. and to feel the need to lash out at your past. i dont know what to say. embrace life. its all we have. be happy when you can, because our time is short.

republish

2007-01-09T18:39:00.000-10:00

i decided to put back the original posts of this blog, with comments.

because i was reminded today why.

to influence. to change. to inform. to be.
i will never in my life understand people that choose to dwell on the negative. we are all finite. and shared. make the most of it my friends.

i dont know if i am, but it feels good to think this way. to be happy, and to try and spread that. not negative.

know what? i LOVE eprize even more now. The leadership and vision and fun that we have here, is nothing short of AMAZING. Those that left and are bitter, I am sorry. Those that are out there, and curious? Welcome. It's like a cult. But in the best way possible. I've made more friends, and learned more in the last year, than the previous 6 combined.

2007-01-09T18:38:00.001-10:00

It's the People!
This is a fun exercise. It got me really thinking about why I do like working at ePrize. And one of the main things that immediately popped into mind, is the people.

The staff at ePrize is made up of an amazingly talented bunch of people. Hard working, dedicated people. At the bi-weekly company wide meeting, when the new hires introduce themselves, invariably almost all of them say something about how nice everyone has been. Or how excited they are to be here, because of the sheer amout of raw talent in the company.

Given that people who have moved on from ePrize still have such strong feelings about it, that they have to blog, is a testament to the company and the people. If a company didn't affect you in some way, change you so much, that when you left, you felt a loss, you had something now missing from you, then why would you keep thinking about it?

ePrize is such a dynamic and amazing place, that even if you think you didn't like it, it still affects you long after you are gone. The energy and enthusiasm that bubbles out of Mr. Linkner is contagious. You can't help but want to be a part of what we are all creating together. And at the core of it? People. Freaking amazingly awesome, brilliant, dedicated, hard working people.

Posted by Joshua at 3:20 PM

14 Comments:

yearofthechump said...
"Given that people who have moved on from ePrize still have such strong feelings about it, that they have to blog, is a testament to the company and the people. If a company didn't affect you in some way, change you so much, that when you left, you felt a loss, you had something now missing from you, then why would you keep thinking about it?"

I can think of another place that effects people deeply and stays on their mind years after they have left. It is called prison.

8/17/2006 4:16 PM
ePrizer said...
I agree Josh. As a current ePrizer, I love my fellow team members. There is so much talent here it is scary. Honestly, I'm glad these people are gone because they would only bring us down.

8/17/2006 4:18 PM
yearofthechump said...
Bring you down? Do you have any sort of metric for this? I did quite well in my position. Didn't get in too much troulbe(if any), did my work(well), and launched a few complicated promotoins. As time went I was given more important projects and more responsibility, even rewarded. Do you really think I would do anything but the best I could do? You don't even know who we are(presumably).

8/17/2006 4:58 PM
yearofthechump said...
Almost forgot. Loving your team members and having talent has nothing to do with my complaints. Don't think I regret leaving ePrize at times. I enjoyed working with my co-workers, rarely had an issue with any of them. I was regularly impressed with my co-workers and the talent they brought to the table. It is management and the yes-men that pissed me off. I suspect you might fall in to that category, either that or your still a greenhorn.

8/17/2006 5:00 PM
ePrizer said...
Let's just agree to disagree. You hate the place and are gone. I love the place and am there. I am trying to be part of the solution, you guys like to point fingers and complain how you are a victim of management. I am going to focus on positive, productive change and improvements while you continue to rage on.

My question - why don't you move on? Why are you focused on ePrize? I look forward to reading the blog about your current employer in 6 or 12 months when you determine that they were also horrible people and you, yet again, are another victim.

8/17/2006 5:06 PM
yearofthechump said...
I look forward to you posting a comment on here without taking a shot at the rest of us because we were not happy with our jobs. Its our right, get over it. But I suppose neither of us will get to see what we are looking forward to...

You'll see no such blog from me of that nature because even on my worst day, my employer now, is quite simply, not as bad as ePrize was. I have never really had a problem with my current employer. I've been there for nearly three years non-consecutive, with ePrize in between(I must not have brought them down too much huh?).

I left the first time because I wanted to try a different type of work, not because I had an issue with the company. I left eprize because despite the fact that I _loved_ the work and enjoyed the team, I wanted to be happy again.

You go right ahead and make those positive changes. I really hope ePrize does succeed because it does have potential. I just don't think its fair in any regard for you to come on here and belittle our reputations saying that we are playing victim and pointing fingers.

I was by no means 'on the way out' or held in any sort of disregard by management when I left(heh, that I know of). I'm hardly a victim. I do _not_ fit the definition of life just happening. I got tired, I left, period. Don't think we didn't see people push for change and/or try ourselves.

8/17/2006 5:48 PM
yearofthechump said...
I never answered your question...

'why don't you move on? Why are you focused on ePrize?'

I have a two part answer:

1.) Did it ever occur to you that for some of us, it really sucked once and a while? Sometimes crappy experiences stick with us, and we find entertainment in talking to people of a similar mind.
2.) I have moved on, new job, happier, but when I see prick's like you belitting people (calling us victims, implying that managmenet bears NO responsibility) I get ENRAGED. I feel the compulsive need to make a point of telling you what I think. To stand up and say your just plain full of crap. I did a good job, didn't bring the company down, and I didn't like working there.. Imagine that.

8/17/2006 5:53 PM
pjd said...
oh chump. my poor little friend. you do come off as a whiny victim. people like you congregate at these forums looking for other like minded people so you can feel better about being such a whiner. the very (public) nature of a blog is what that's about. "i'm unhappy, someone please agree with me so i can feel i am right!". sorry, but that is what you sound like. again. you didn't like working there so you left. done over and hopefully out. think about it. if you want to vent, do it like a normal person, to your spouse, friends, therapists, bartenders, whatever. you aren't affecting change, you are whining and looking for reassuarance. sad but true.

8/18/2006 7:00 AM
yearofthechump said...
pjd...

So why are you posting on the forum, repeatedly. Is it for any better purpose than mine? To get agreement in a public arena? You think somehow your stance is better than mine? we're both arguing on an internet blog, no one really wins here, its just ranting. The problem is when prick's like you and eprizer _think_ you're better than us because we are complaining. I've said it before, i'm not a victim by their definition. Life did not just happen to me. I applied for the job, got it, hated it after a year, and left. I took responsibility for my decision and made a counter-decision.

As for the whining, I may be doing my share, but my main point is that ePrize didn't suck because I did something wrong. ePrize sucked for other reasons, I went to my new job and things work out great there. The one constant between those two, is me. You and eprizer popping off that its our own faults is just as bad as us putting all the blame on management, neither of us is right. I'm sure I could have tried a _little_ harder to push on management but the bottom line is that sometimes, management retailiates if your not the good little soldier.

8/18/2006 8:40 AM
pjd said...
never said it was your fault.

you said: Life did not just happen to me. I applied for the job, got it, hated it after a year, and left. I took responsibility for my decision and made a counter-decision.

so great. you left, move on. does it make you feel better to try to tear something down? i post against you because you come off as whiny and disgruntled. i've left many awful work situations and have never felt the need to tear down companies or people as i left. eprize didn't steal anything, run a sweatshop or oppress anyone. move on with your life young sir. again, no one owes you anything. if you worked at Enron, then blog away. if not, just shut up already. we all know how you feel.

8/18/2006 9:02 AM
Joshua said...
chump you help me to prove my point.
you hide behind your anoymous name, spewing this raw anger out.

Why not use your energy and time for something constructive.

We get it, that you didn't like it here. Move on.
Comparing ePrize to prison, would mean people cannot leave, as you obviously did.

What dumbfounds me the most about all of this, is why people are so angery and bitter about their time here.
Sure, its hard work. We are absolutly working longer hours than anyone wants to. But these unchecked tirades of hatred boggle my mind.
At least dizgruntled makes valid points, you are simply spouting anger.

Take a deep breath my friend, and focus on what good things you have going on for you now, not what bad things happened to you in the past, as your last job.

8/18/2006 11:53 AM
yearofthechump said...
You wan't to know what makes me angry, people brining up anonymity. I've said it over and over again. The fact that I'm not putting my name behind this doesn't make any of it false. Period.

I also get slightly annoyed by people spouting happy thoughts about ePrize when they probably haven't been there long enough to really see what's happening and/or just aren't in the trenches (I'm not saying you fall into _either_ category).

However, your happy thoughts have their place, they serve (in your words) as they ying to the yang. All I ask is temper these words with some sort of level of experience. If you've been there a year and feel that way, good. If you've been there three months and feel that way, perhaps you should disclose this information to folks reading this. Let them add that grain of salt to your opinion.

For the perspective employee, it might be like reading a product review online. If the person has only been driving the car for two weeks, they have no true weight behind comments about things like the car's reliability...

I think my anger stems more from the people like eprizer who are tarnishing us by saying that we are weak, or victims, or what ever the hell they want to. Beyond any of my experiences at ePrize, the way that current(presumably) people like that dare to throw stuff like that around angers me the most.

For me this has become more of a defensive posture than a out and out rant about work. In the end, had I not seen crap like calling former disgruntled's 'victims' and 'helpless' and 'whiners' I probably would have never done more than just read. My first comment here was actually done in jest but it certainly tempted eprizer like someone tearing down a propaganda poster.

8/18/2006 3:30 PM
yearofthechump said...
As for not making constructive critisism, at some point someone pointed out that its pointless for us to complain because we don't know how things are. Since I'm not there, I have nothing construtive to add that would be of use(because no doubt things have changed a bit in 6 months, thats how life works).

Its not my previous work experience that angers me now. Its that someone like eprizer and pjd can be so disrespectful to the others here who honestly have valid opinions(maybe even current ones). My previous work experience lets me identify with these people, and seeing them get talked down to pisses me off. I'm not saying they need defending, or even want it, it just pisses me off.

8/18/2006 3:33 PM
yearofthechump said...
So not on topic, but it _so_ speaks to my ADHD nature that I can't manage to post all my thoughts at once.

8/18/2006 3:46 PM

The Origins.

2007-01-09T18:36:00.000-10:00

I took these posts down. They deserver to be back up: with comments.

Why I like ePrize
Hi, my name is Joshua. Joshua Hamman. I work at ePrize and I like it. I'm starting this blog as the ying to the yang that has already been created by someone else.

If you are here, then you are probably already aware of the other blog. You are probably already aware of the "situation" at ePrize, but let me give you my take on things, as a current employee, as someone who has been in this industry for over 10 years, and someone who is not afraid to put their name behind their thoughts.

ePrize is, hands down, the most fun I've ever had at a job. Its also the hardest I've ever worked at a job. It seems to me that this is a fair exchange, as they are paying me for a reason. I've never worked at a company where the upper management was more visible, approachable or involved, than at ePrize.

Some people (who shall remain nameless, mainly because we don't know who they are) see the additional things that ePrize has put in place for their employess as chains designed to hold us there. I don't know about you, but to me, subsidised catered lunch, free water and soda, great health benefits, incredible 401k matching, on site manicures, dry-cleaning pickup and drop off and all the other things we have are not chains. Sure you could argue that they were put in place to keep employees in the building so they can squeeze more work out of us. OR. You can view them as very generous gestures from a management team that KNOWS how hard people are working, and KNOWS how much people are giving, and are trying to give some back to help allievate the current situation.

For me, the fact that I can get my fix of BW3's spicy garlic every tuesday makes a difference.

Everything is life is a choice. YOUR choice. You can choose to focus on the negatives of any situation, including work. I'm not here to say ePrize is perfect, far from it. I'm not here to say ePrize is for everyone, nothing is. I'm here to say I work at ePrize, I bust my ass at ePrize, I get pissed off at ePrize. But at the end of the day, I'm PROUD to say I work at ePrize. Call me a cog, call me a dreamer, call me whatever you like, but I know that what I do there everyday is making a small amount of difference. And thanks to the publicity I've gotten from putting my name to my thoughts I now have the opportunity to share my thoughts on why I like ePrize.

And the guy that started it has a pretty cool name too. Thanks Josh!

"Don't expect, suggest"

Joshua Hamman

Posted by Joshua at 5:00 PM

5 Comments:

nospam said...
GET BACK TO WORK

8/16/2006 6:34 PM
dizgruntled said...
Welcome to the world of ePrize blogging.

I hope you have success with your 'positive' blog.

*I'm available for guest apperances*

8/16/2006 9:33 PM
dizgruntled said...
One more thing...I checked out your website.

I guess you haven't had time to update your work experiece since you started work @ ePrize.

Again, that makes me sad.

8/16/2006 9:36 PM
Joshua said...
Welcome Dizgruntled, thanks for stopping by. It's only appropriate you popin here, as you were the inspiration!

In regards to my site, it was the same way when I was at my last job. But there I worked 10-5ish (4:30). So its not because of ePrize that I don't update. More directly correlated to World of Warcraft I think, so no need to be sad!

8/17/2006 5:56 AM
pjd said...
dizgruntled. just so you know, you come off as a petty, small person in your postings. we all get it. you didn't like working at eprize. you worked too hard. you weren't paid enough. you quit. great. now get over it and move on with your life. clearly you are a mousy little person who was afraid to ask intelligent questions when you started, too meek to talk to leadership about your concerns when you were working there, and now that you left, you are "changing the world" by posting a whiny, anonymous blog. wow. i just have a ton of respect for you. i've had many jobs with many bosses over the years. i have been in situations similar to yours. never once have i failed to act when i was in a position to do something about it. however, once i left, i was gone. it's over. you won. you got out. move on. grow up. the world (and eprize) owes you nothing. the sooner you figure that out, the happier you will be.

8/18/2006 6:51 AM

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T21:31:00.000-10:00

Hope you all had a safe and happy new year. Can't imagine anyone is still here, but if you are, happy energy your way!

Happy Holidays

2006-11-28T11:51:00.000-10:00

Been busy on vacation, that I forgot about this place. Guessing most of you have to, but I thought I'd throw some more out here, since the other place is still going.

It's amazing how strong and long anger can be.

ePrize Flash team - wanna know what we are up to? Besides making games for Star Wars and Superman? I'd like to tell you, but its for employees only. I'll just say this, there will be some killer stuff soon that is going to change the way we do everything. And give those of us with long enough sight, a hell of a fun ride. I can't wait!

Long Live the Janky!

2006-09-01T10:28:00.001-10:00

I want to work for the best promotions agency, not the biggest.

Live

2006-08-23T16:30:00.000-10:00

If you choose to be a vicitim of your environment, you will be.

If you choose to dwell on the past, it will stay with you.

If you choose to believe there are others out there stronger than you, there will be.

If you choose to. It will be.

Why not choose change? Choose to choose, don't let the choices make you. Make the choices.

Recent News

2006-08-22T19:26:00.000-10:00

I cannot really say what I know. But I think I can say this:
HELL FUCK YEAH.

Thats pretty much all I have to say. If you are not with us, you are apparently against us, but remember this was your own choice. You could have quit ePrize at any time. And left under your own accord. And been happy.

Or you could have stayed just long enough, to see the potential, get mad at the people that started the company, and blamed them for no instant change, left angry, and started some random negative blog.

Me?

Well. I choose to stay. To talk to the people i work with and for. And to take whats not working at the company and turn it the fuck around. I'm so sick of reading your negative crap about ePrize. 90% of all that was posted could be said of ANY company. The last 10%? You can only bitch about, if your compnay is in triple digit growth.

Oh! Better get out now! Better say how horrible horrible it was.

Look. I work WAY more hours than I want to. But I am vocal about it. And guess what, its was changing LONG before this stupid blog came to light. And its changing rignt now as I type this.

Could I jump? Yes. For more money? Yes. For the same challenge, diversity, and satisfaction I can get from helping ePrize pull out of this, and take over? Nope. Don't think so. Sorry baby. I like where I work for so many invisible reasons that the people posting the anti-blogs will never find. At any job. That I'm pretty damn sure I'm gonna kick my heels in deep into the thick hide of this beast, spur it on, and ride it the fuck out.

YIPPEEE KAI EH MOTHER FUCKER!!!!!!!!!!! (yeah i know i didnt spell it right, thats what QA is for!)

Wheel Spinning

2006-08-21T13:39:00.000-10:00

It seems like the circle of blogs that this one is associated with have begun to just spin our wheels. You didn't like working at ePrize, I do.

You saw subsidised lunches as a chain to keep you there, I see it as a perk that helps me eat better. This vs That. Over and over.

I don't want to have to keep this blog going, but as long as fresh negativity is being posted, I will. I think it's a good thing that this "information" is getting out there, but I think its even more important to have both sides represented, so people can make their own decisions.

ePrize is one of the most open-minded, forward thinking, input-seeking companies I have ever worked for. And as I've stated its also one of the busiest. Because we are STILL in an unbelievable growth spurt, that no matter how progressive, proactive and fast we all move at ePrize, is difficult to keep up with.

Is it a problem? Yes. Is it a bad problem? HELL NO. I wish I had the same problem in my personal life, that I had so many people knocking down my doors to do work for them that I could barely keep up. For me, I see the problem as a challenge, and one that will have a solution. For those of you that left, I assume you did not see a solution, nor did you wish to stay and help reach it. But I really don't understand why the anger is so deep and strong that we have the blogs out there that we do.

Human Nature

2006-08-19T10:24:00.000-10:00

For some reason, it is human nature to dwell on the negative. To hold onto the memories of pain and trials. It is easiest to focus on the things we don't like.

The web gives us an incredible medium to be able to share our points of view, regardless of what they are. It also removes any kind of filter, that we would normally apply to our thoughts if we were talking face to face with a person. This is one of the Catch 22's of the web. Freedom of speech meets freedom from identity. I personally think this is a good thing tho. It can give people a voice that they might not other wise realize they have. The problem arises, when other people begin to take notice of that persons opinion, and begin to add their own. Usually dissenting ideas are presented, not with logic and reason, but with stupidity and name calling. (I am generalizing here, not referring to anything specific in regards to recent events).

I've been and Administrator of a message board, that I have watched grow from 1 user (me), to a registered user base of over 10,000 members. The reason I mention this, is I've seen the same thing that is going on now, so many hundreds of times, I hope to better explain my perspective on it.

I think the point of view from the other blog, that was the inspiration for this one, is VITALLY important. If we cannot talk about things we don't like, then we are not a free society. However, I think that people should realize, that even with the anonymity grated by the web, thought and reason should still be put behind your words. I hope we never find out who people that choose to keep their identities secret are. Does it really even matter? Would knowing who the person is validate or invalidate their opinons?

It makes me sad in a way, to know that recent publicity has actually caused our friend to censor their previous thoughts. I completly understand why, but it makes me sad to know that because of the way people were reacting to the posts, that the author no longer is comfortable to keep saying what they were saying. I hope now that everyone has seen this, we can all take a fresh, deep breath, and continue the discussion with a bit of decency.

2006-08-18T18:39:00.000-10:00

The one thing we all share is time.