It’s barely been a month, and there has been a lot of work by a lot of people. The real value of what e426 will be to the world has been seen in how we – volunteers all – have pulled together as a team. This is the new world, folks, where you hope to actually meet someone someday, while you work with them, bond with them, make that magic with them where your skills mesh to make something more than you can do separately.

The virtual environment allows people to come together across the miles. This is not just because many of us ‘worked virtual’ in a previous job and are used to it. It is because we have a common goal, we have common interests and we have good tools at hand. It is really that simple – if you have never worked in a virtual environment, you will be surprised how effective instant messaging, low and no-cost ad hoc conference calls, a teamroom, and even 3D environments can help you execute.

Ancillary to this is the ability to be flexible. Some work, indeed, is 9 – 5, Monday through Friday. However, more and more we see that work can be done when your mind is clear, work can be done from your home, or a coffee shop, or wherever. A world is evolving where it is not how many hours you put in a week, but rather how much you accomplished in a week. This is a major shift in the way we can look at our employees, our businesses, and how we reimburse people.

It is exciting, sitting in the front row at the show when everything changed. We are really going to look back at this time as a pivotal moment in history. I know it can look bleak if you listen to the news, but remember, they are selling soap. This is an exciting time, and all it takes is the same thing it always took – your skills, your effort, your heart, and your vision. We have come back from terrible adversity, we have overcome, we have excelled, and we have drawn together. Our diversity makes us stronger.

e426 is an example of this new world.

I would like to personally thank everyone who has helped make this happen, and I look forward to our future of growth, and the successes we will have facilitating others to make their way. This is what we were talking about when we said we could change the world.