I’m a maker. I’ve made tree forts and puppet theaters, posters and performance art, convened communities and created events. I’ve played in bands and orchestras. I’ve had home darkrooms and music studios. Every day I aim to make a delicious and creative meal (a great way to practice project management). All this making is play and these have been my playgrounds.
Making is also my work. I made a business to make homes that “look great, work well, and feel good to be in.” Thus “Wolfworks.” Making the business has been as rewarding, fun, and challenging as making those great spaces. Each is a craft. Each has been immensely satisfying. Each are made to be used.
Crafting a business is a project that is never finished. It’s a living thing. Wolfworks became worker owned to support that life. As I turn 70 I am handing that project off to Wolfworks’ new owners, Janet and Kyle (with future owners to come). It’s our hope that they never finish the project of becoming Wolfworks and fulfilling its mission to do work that matters. Work that is measured by a triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Prosperity.
Becoming Wolfworks has been a forty year journey and I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with hundreds of people doing this work, serving people who’ve valued what we do, and thinking and learning together how to do it better with our professional peers. I’ve written and spoken a lot about that work and those aspirations. I’ve photographed the projects. I remain its champion and evangelist.
I will remain on the Wolfworks Board for the next couple years, but the future of Wolfworks is in the new and future owners able hands. They are expanding Wolfworks productive capacity (two architects, two project managers) and elevating our operational management. They are reaching out to those who should know about us and what we do but don’t (yet). They will ever and always refine and improve the systems we’ve built and the projects we build. The business was made to live and learn.
As for me, I will be “making” the way I always have and will. It just won’t be my work. It will be my play. I’ll return to some old playgrounds and likely discover some new ones. As always I’ll be thinking and writing and most likely sharing some of that here, our home for making better homes, better lives, and a better planet.
YOU’RE INVITED
We’ll be celebrating Jamie’s legacy at a gathering to take place at Winding Trails in Farmington on Thursday October 12 from 7-9PM. This will be an opportunity to honor the work and the relationships that made it all possible. Jamie will reflect on that journey, and consider where it is leading and express his confidence and optimism about the people who will guide it forward. There will be slides! Others will share a few words. Since this next chapter is life’s Dessert course, tasty treats will be provided.
If you’d like to join us you are invited to attend. If you’d like to share a story of your relationship with Jamie, we’d love to hear from you. If you’d just like to wish him well, you can do that too. Register to attend or just share something with Jamie here.