Mark Lowry’s Post

"There's no place like home" - indeed. Have you ever thought about going back to work for a former employer?  I've done it, twice, and it has paid off each time. It's been one month since I returned to the Intuit Israel family, and I couldn't be happier about my decision. 🏡✨ As I settle back into familiar routines, I can't help but reflect on my journey. During two years away, I gained invaluable experience, met talented individuals, and explored new areas, enriching my professional development. My returning to Intuit, was driven by the unique sense of belonging, celebrated collaboration, and impactful opportunities that align with my values. One of the things I value the most is the Intuit “Win Together” culture. Here, collaboration isn't just encouraged; it's celebrated. The emphasis on the "how" along with the "what" creates an environment where everyone can thrive and succeed together. Another aspect I value today even more than ever is the work with a top external tech stack, pushing limits and accessing cutting-edge technology. However, the  most rewarding part of returning is my pivotal role at the company and knowing my work significantly contributes to Intuit's success. If you are smiling right now it might be because that’s exactly what you’re looking for in a workplace, so I’ll take this opportunity to invite you to explore open roles on the Intuit career page: https://lnkd.in/dPaFMHdp Just a few days ago, I faced a technical challenge with my team. As they proposed solutions, I realized we needed a fundamental revisit of our Domain-Driven Design principles and ubiquitous language. This pivot allowed us to redefine our goals and achieve rapid alignment across different teams, sparking an impactful cross-company project.  This blend of familiarity and new challenges is enriching. It's great to be home where I know the culture and people, yet my fresh insights add value making this return a unique and rewarding journey. Here are some valuable insights I've gathered from my experience: 1. Leaving a company can provide you with fresh insights and experiences. When you return, you bring a wealth of new ideas that can be beneficial both for you and your employer. 2. Often, when you return to an organization, you're stepping into a more strategic role with greater impact. Your new skills and perspectives position you to contribute to the company in ways you might not have before. 3. Coming back means reconnecting with former colleagues and leveraging existing relationships to achieve professional goals. I want to thank everyone at Intuit for welcoming me back with open arms. Let's continue to power prosperity together and make a difference in the lives of millions! In the picture is Scott Cook, Intuit's founder, whom I had the pleasure of meeting 7 years ago when I joined the company first time. #CareerGrowth #IntuitCareer

🌟 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭! 🌟 It's hard to believe it's already been a month since I joined Intuit. Before making the switch, I sought insights from many who were already part of the Intuit family, and everyone handed out positive reviews. Fast forward to today, I'm a testament to the incredible work culture here. Here are a few highlights of my experience so far: 1. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩: The support and motivation from everyone around here is truly inspiring. Whether it’s a quick question or a complex problem, colleagues are always ready to lend a hand. It goes a long way in fostering a sense of belonging and assurance that there are people to help you out if you ever get stuck. 2. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬: There's a well-defined process for everything, ensuring efficiency and clarity in our work. From project management to daily tasks to queries about how a particular process works, the structured approach helps in achieving goals effectively without unnecessary hurdles. 3. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲: At Intuit, we are encouraged to ask questions and voice our thoughts freely. No matter your role, your ideas are valued, and you’re expected to speak up, be brave, and offer your perspective in a discussion. You are not expected to blindly follow any set of instructions handed out to you. 4. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬: Intuit offers a lot of perks beyond just a paycheck, to take care of its employees’ well-being. Benefits include work-from-home product ordering, comprehensive wellness plans, free health consulting, and more, ensuring that we feel supported both professionally and personally. 5. 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝: And of course, who doesn't love free food? It’s not just a perk but a delightful part of our daily routine, that makes the workday even better. 😃 Looking forward to many more amazing months ahead! ✨ #Intuit #WorkCulture #OneMonthMilestone #CareerJourney #EmployeeBenefits #SoftwareEngineer

Today is a difficult day for many at Intuit. Friends and peers are going to be learning news about their employment, and then they will have to share that news with friends, co-workers, and family. I wanted to share some thoughts regardless of which camp you may be in. Friends or family - The departure may not have anything to do with the employee's performance. Sometimes decisions are made, and it's impossible to have all of the information - even if it's important to the decision. Assume the best and be a listening ear. - Even if the departure had nothing to do with the employee's performance, they may feel shame, embarrassment, loss, anger, frustration or they may feel relief. Regardless of their emotion, acknowledge it and don't tell them how to feel or when to be done feeling it. - Wait to ask the question, "what are you going to do?" or "what type of job do you want to pursue?" They don't know - they most likely wanted the job they had or they at least wanted the choice to leave the job they had. - Refrain from "everything happens for a reason" or "something better is around the corner" - they are platitudes meant to make you less uncomfortable. Be in the discomfort - it's okay. (Check out Lauren Daigle's You're Gonna Be Okay) If you're leaving Intuit.... - What was true about you as a person yesterday is still true today. A job doesn't define you or your core values. In the days ahead, as you reflect, document what is true about you, so that in the moments where you feel beaten up by the message delivered or disagree with the decision, you can rest on what is true and durable. - You don't have to rush to the next job - I know that fear may motivate you to do that, but set a timeline to give yourself the space to process and logically think through the next steps. It's not often in life that you can pause and truly decide where you want to go next - take the moment. - Spend a day, weekend, week, month - but recharge mentally and physically and be with those you love. In an effort to support anyone in the journey at Intuit or the Accounting Industry, I would love to support you whether it's a brainstorming/coaching conversation, a listening ear, or a connection that I may have. Please let me know.

To all the incredible individuals recently laid off at Intuit, remember this: your worth and talent are not defined by this moment. You are not underperformers; you are talented, skilled, and capable professionals who have contributed immensely to the success of a great company. This unexpected change, while painful and challenging, is not the end of your story but rather a powerful beginning to a new chapter in your career. Reflect on the wealth of experience and knowledge you've gained at Intuit. Each project you tackled, each problem you solved, and each collaboration you engaged in has equipped you with invaluable skills and insights. Be grateful for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped you into the professionals you are today. The journey at Intuit has prepared you for even greater achievements ahead. Take this time to step back and reassess your goals and aspirations. Use this moment as an opportunity to reinvent yourself, to dream bigger, and to pursue passions that may have been on the back burner. Consider this a moment to pivot towards new opportunities that excite and inspire you. The knowledge and experience you've amassed at Intuit are not just valuable; they are stepping stones to your next great endeavour. Despite the way the layoff has happened and the immediate emotional toll it may take, view this as a catalyst for growth. Embrace the uncertainty with resilience and determination. Believe in your ability to rise above this and to carve out a path that leads to even greater success and fulfillment. Surround yourself with supportive peers and mentors who can offer guidance and encouragement. Seek out new learning opportunities, and don't hesitate to step out of your comfort zone. The world is full of possibilities, and your unique talents and experiences make you a valuable asset to any team or project you choose to pursue. Remember, this is not the end but a new beginning. Your future is bright, and the best is yet to come. Embrace this transition with optimism and confidence, knowing that you have the strength, skills, and potential to achieve amazing things. The experiences and lessons from your time at Intuit will continue to propel you forward to bigger and better opportunities. Keep your head high, your spirit strong, and your heart open to the remarkable journey ahead.

Over 358,900 employees have been laid off since September 2022. Just last week, Intuit laid off more than 1,000 employees. Here are a few important takeaways you should adhere to:  ➡️Continuous Learning: Never stop upgrading your skills. The job market is constantly evolving, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies will keep you competitive and ready for new opportunities.  ➡️Create Dependency: Make yourself indispensable in your role. By becoming the go-to person for specific tasks or projects, you increase your value to the company, making it less likely for you to be laid off.  ➡️Be Interview-Ready: Always be prepared for new opportunities. Keep your resume updated, practice your interview skills, and stay active on professional networks. You never know when a great opportunity might come your way. Life is unpredictable and can change in an instant. Being prepared during tough times can make all the difference. Stay resilient and proactive! 💪

There Intuit, I fixed it for you. Most people have heard that Intuit has decided to lay off 1800 people. "It is never easy to say goodbye to our colleagues and friends and we are committed to treating everyone who has been impacted by these changes with the compassion and respect they deserve." OK, this makes sense. But then.... "We’ve significantly raised the bar on our expectations of employee performance, resulting in approximately 1,050 employees leaving the company who are not meeting expectations and who we believe will be more successful outside of Intuit." But my honest question that came that came from Ron Shevlin's post was why sneak this little passive aggressive comment into the post? There was absolutely no need to add that additional nugget. It added no context or value other than to say "we're laying off a ton of people but actually for some of them...it's their fault not ours so it's not so bad" Talk about walking into a trap of your own design. How does this get through marketing/legal/executive team without someone saying "maybe this isn't the smartest idea when dealing with people's livelihoods?" I mean how does this even get past a spouse or family member without someone bringing this up. And are we going to just gloss over the fact that they are moving the goal post mid-game so they can justify laying off more individuals to fix their balance sheet? How do company executives continually fail in their responsibilities yet somehow continually blame their employees for those failures? *sigh* the way brands continue to shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to laying off their people is just mind boggling to me.

I have never been so proud to have left a company as I am now. I took a risk taking a pay cut but found it necessary for my mental health and self esteem. I had a gaslighting manager who cared about administrative throughput rather than developer productivity. Seriously, if you made individual Jira tickets for clicking little switches on a config site and closed them out, you got more kudos than the engineer that made and setup the switches under a single ticket. There was a culture of productivity at all costs, championed by managers, reflected by menial metric collection. The resentment towards upper management was always there. It was kept at bay by some of my mentors; people who I admire and respect that taught me how to navigate corporate culture and keep my head down and work. I hope they are still there or are in a better company and position in their life; one where their freedom to speak their minds isn’t hampered by a looming work visa keeping them on their toes. Now, three companies later, I am on a core algorithm team writing some of the best code of my life. People that know me know I don’t like denigrating old employers and rarely do; even Intuit, despite what this post implies. Don’t get me wrong; I had good and fun times at Intuit. Those memories I’ll always hold dear and the skills I’ve learned are invaluable to my career. I have been laid off in a company before, but that was never as emotionally impacting as I’m seeing now. Now, I am the happiest I’ve been in my career thus far with a company that sets me and my coworkers up for success and discusses ideas, not people. Shame on you, Intuit. “We care and give back”, my ass.

Big thanks to our partners at Intuit for inviting me to their Mountain View campus this week for a 1:1 meeting with their CEO, Sasan Goodarzi. Here were my takeaways from our time together: 🔹 Learn From Peers – Calling Sasan my 'peer' is way beyond a stretch... frankly, it's absurd. But as "fellow" CEOs, we talked about what the role requires in terms of vision, leadership, and change management. The scale of those responsibilities at a company like Intuit versus a small firm like Acuity Accounting differs drastically, but the importance is the same. The point is this: never turn down a chance to connect with and learn from others in your role (regardless of how much bigger their job might be). 🔹 Leaders Listen & Ask Questions – Toward the end of almost an hour together, I realized that I had talked for almost 50 of those minutes. (Kind of embarrassing! 🤦♂️) He was a talented conversationalist and we covered a ton of topics. He assured that my experiences had been helpful. In reflection, our time together felt like an easy conversion with a curious colleague who honestly wanted to learn more about me and Acuity Accounting. I left the meeting feeling empowered and helpful. I'm going to remember this feeling when I'm meeting with our team – I suspect I do too much of the talking, instead of prompting good conversation that makes others know they're valued. 🔹 Always Make Time For Customers - Intuit is worth $180B. They serve approximately 100M customers. ❗ Those are staggering numbers. It would be easy for a leader to claim they lack the time to meet with individual customers. As we've scaled and grown Acuity Accounting, I've sometimes caught myself feeling disconnected from our customers, and we're not anywhere close to the size of Intuit. This lesson was personal – the fact that this leader made time in his incredibly busy schedule (during a very intense week at Intuit) gave an hour of time to meet with me is proof that you can always make time for your customers, no matter how big you get. As an Intuit partner and customer, a huge THANK YOU! 🙏 #strongertogether #customerobsession

So let me get this straight. Intuit is eliminating the roles of 10% of their workforce and nearly 60% of those laid off Intuit is publicly calling "Underperformers"? Where do I begin? So Intuit is admitting that: 6% of their global workforce are underperformers so instead of dealing with them on an individual basis and coaching them up or leading them out you decided to handle it through a mass public execution? You made it INCREDIBLY clear that 60% of these folks who are dumped into the marketplace to pursue other roles are UNDERPERFORMERS. How do you think that's going to help them "be more successful outside of Intuit”? You think Meta, Google or any other Bay area company are going to be excited about interviewing them? You then go on to state that you are going to hire 1800 NEW employees in FY25. How excited do you think candidates are to join Intuit after you have publicly humiliated the previous 1800 employees they would be replacing? It is absolutely clear what management guru Tom Peters said decades ago “Forget loyalty. Or at least loyalty to one’s corporation. Try loyalty to your network instead.”

**I got fired from my first company** Again, another story which is true. I was fired. Had no job, and no idea what I was supposed to do. With Intuit laying off 1800 people and going on a hiring spree simultaneously, one thing which everyone must realise, is that your dream job is not safe. Nobody’s is. My first company wasn’t wrong in laying off 500+ people(even those that were hired 2 weeks ago), because that was best for business at the time. Intuit isn’t wrong either. May be what happened was best for their business. But we, as jobseekers have to pay the price for it. All I can say is, never stay loyal to your company, because no company will stay loyal to it’s employees. Have a backup, or multiple backups, always. My heart goes out to the ones affected. Anyone who has been laid off of Intuit, I will be accepting your connection requests. If you can find a job ID on Walmart or Microsoft ‘s career pages. Please dm it to me. I will get you referred. Any guidance you seek as well, I am open to give Good luck, Ps. If I miss your request, just comment on this post and I will accept.