This week marks the end of an era for me. I’m officially leaving Stuller and will be moving to New Orleans to work for NAKEDpizza as a Design Technologist (which means anything involving design and execution within the franchise). I’ll be working directly with Robbie Vitrano (Co-founder of Trumpet) and indirectly with Valerie Casey (Design Accord, formerly Pentagram) so there is great deal of work ahead for me regarding the brand experience and how it relates to franchising.

First it was an honor to work for Stuller, Inc. the last 4 years, being one of the largest jewelry manufacturers in the world, I learned much about the industry and an ability to market on a grand scale. Saying farewell to co-workers this week is never easy but the feeling ends with the reward that you may have made some impact however subtle during your tenure.

Moving forward the idea to work with a company as progressive as NAKEDpizza is definitely a shift in gears and contrast to Stuller’s very conservative approach to technology and social media. The capacity to evolve in this area was important in my decision to move on.

Living healthy and diet are becoming more important issues as our longevity increases and thus the quality of life depends on the food we eat. I was hesitant at first at the idea of working for a pizza franchise but quickly understood that I was working for a communication company that happens to sell pizza and building a culture of a healthier lifestyle. The opportunity to be involved in the investments of Mark Cuban and the Kraft Group (think New England Patriots not cheese) provide much optimism for this venture forward.