Why San Diego: Morning swims + connected community
Aug 15, 2019 - Mel Bartow
In light of our #WhySanDiego contest (that ends TODAY August 15!), SDLC Ambassador Mel Bartow reflected on her own San Diego journey. Enjoy it below, but fair warning: you will likely experience all the feels.
I stand at my desk on the 10th floor of our downtown San Diego office. I glance to my left and see Mexico, to my right Point Loma, and in front all of downtown including the Padres Stadium, and in the distance lies Coronado and the world famous Hotel Del. I look down at my feet and see sand I didn’t perfectly shower off after my ocean swim before biking to work.
My alarm rings, it’s time for our team’s weekly meeting. There are many of us spread across North America and one in London. We use a video call so we are able to see everyone’s smiles across the globe. We strategize how to create success for our clients this week, month, and year. We catch up about the rain in Seattle, the crazy apartment rents in New York, and how they all wish they could be in San Diego with us.
I take a deep breath after our meeting, it’s Monday and reflect WHY SAN DIEGO.
It’s easy to say the morning ocean swims or summer sunsets with friends, but those moments make up a small percentage of my day compared to the hours I spend growing my career. I like to say San Diego is the perfect backdrop to create both a life and a living.
My life in San Diego started almost exactly 9 years ago. UC San Diego first brought me to this amazing city, where I captained the women’s water polo team and studied biology. I had never been to San Diego before and was debating San Diego vs. Davis…looking back at it now how was that even a question!?
But after soaking in every second as a Triton I took my diploma up to Silicon Valley because I thought if I wanted to break into tech that was the answer. It did not take long for the underdog spirit I epitomized as an athlete to come alive in my career, I dreamed to learn what it was like to build a company. I knocked on doors in hope to open new opportunities in the Silicon Valley, but they were challenging to open.
So after testing my career and putting the majority of my paychecks in San Francisco to rent, I took a leap of faith and I moved (back) to San Diego to jumpstart my tech career.
I have now been back in San Diego for 3 and a half years and the ways I have grown professionally and personally seem only possible in this amazing city.
Measurabl was founded by a fellow UC San Diego water polo alumni (Matt Ellis) who identified the need to simplify how companies measure, manage, and report on environmental, social, and governance data. Our software empowers companies from local coffee shops to global organizations to make the world a better place and our leaders empower us employees to make our own life “a better place”.
Since I joined Measurabl, we have grown 10 to 70+ employees globally, raised our Series A and B, created success for 100+ customers, and positively impacted many lives of our clients and employees.
TLDR; my #WhySanDiego? I wake up in a breathtaking city and am inspired to make my own LIFE (career and personal life) breathtaking.
My #WhySanDiego top #9 for my 9 years in San Diego.
- Growing and established Technology and Life Science companies
- Connected community – I have found anyone is open for a chat
- World renowned universities
- 2 International Airports – 30 minutes or less from downtown
- Ocean swims
- Running and biking outside year round
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Beaches, tacos, and craft beer
- People value working hard and enjoying life!