A farewell note to Depop
After an epic 2.5 years at Depop that has seen explosive growth, expansion of the team from 85 to over 400 and a global pandemic, I’m sad to be leaving the business following a decision to restructure the management team. However I am grateful to have the chance to now dedicate my time to the vaccination programme for the foreseeable future, to have had the chance to work with so many wonderful people that I now call my friends and to have learnt so much about myself, leadership, teams, the power of community to drive change and the responsibilities of technology platforms to create a safe and inclusive internet for all.
I’m going to publish some of my reflections and learnings in the hope that might be helpful to some. First up is my farewell note to the team with some thoughts on the year we have just had…
Dear All,
It’s been over 850 days, 15,000 e mails and 50,000 slack messages since I first joined Depop and as I enter my final week I wanted to send my final all@ with some musings, reflections and thank yous.
Whilst those 2.5 years feel like no time at all, both Depop and the wider world have changed immensely and together those experiences have changed me — as a leader, as a father and a citizen.
Over that time Depop has grown to a truly global phenomenon transforming the fashion industry and creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for all of us, powered by a passionate, dynamic and diverse community of young people. Great things come to businesses driven by conviction, guided by values, with a maniacal focus on those communities that they serve and with an inclusive team bound together with high levels of trust and respect. I truly believe that this is just the beginning for Depop — I will be cheering from the sidelines, and helping however and wherever I can.
More broadly, the world has seen seismic changes, upheavals and challenges, not seen for a generation. We have all been impacted, some acutely, by the social, political and health challenges of recent times and my thoughts are with those who have been touched by tragedy. Whilst there is much we want to forget about 2020, I believe that there is much that we should remember. This has been a chance to zoom out, and remind ourselves of what is really important. Communities came together to care for each other, to make the world better and brighter in whatever way they could, to demand the social, cultural and political change that was long overdue; with young people around the world often being the driving force and demonstrating that our similarities always outweigh our differences. Whilst times remain tough, hope is on the horizon and with the triumph of science, democracy, decency and inclusivity, I am excited about what the future will bring.
Looking back on my time at Depop there are too many highlights for me to list but I’ll make just one exception. In March last year we were confronted with a new and unknown threat rapidly enveloping every element of our lives. In these moments of crisis it’s common to turn inwards, and look after ourselves. Instead, everyone in our team turned outwards, going above and beyond to help each other and the wider Depop community, and pulling together with generosity, kindness and common-cause in a way that I will never forget. Those three months of “peak crisis” were, for me, Depop at its absolute best — kind, community focussed, trusting, passionate, agile and versatile. That experience was, and I am sure will remain, the highlight of my career. I was inspired and humbled every day and hope the spirit of those difficult days will live on into brighter times.
As for thank yous, I will say just one. A huge thank you to each and every one of you for letting me be a part of this journey. I’ve learnt something from everyone I have had the chance to work with and come away with a huge energy for the power of great teams and communities to make a difference.
What’s next? I’m taking the opportunity of this time off to support my wife in running the UK’s first mental health festival for kids, schools & teachers next week (shameless plug) before turning my hand (literally) to supporting the vaccination efforts as a volunteer vaccinator. I’m now fully trained & qualified with St John Ambulance and planning to focus here full time for a couple of months at least whilst exploring opportunities in mission driven, community focussed tech businesses, where I am especially interested in how the internet is governed as we all strive to create a safe and inclusive online environment for all.
I’m sad not to be able to say farewell in person but I will be returning to the Horse & Groom for a final drink as and when we are allowed, and you never know, next time you see me I might be jabbing something in your arm ;)
Please do stay in touch, and if there is ever anything I can do to help, just let me know.
