A Tribute to Rob

I often feel like we recognize people for their great achievements rather than for the struggles, challenges and journey that got them to their point of greatness.

In an effort to step aside from this all-too-common happening, I’d like to write a sincere tribute to our Lead Programmer/Web Extraordinaire: Robin Arenson.  No, I’m not doing this to get the man to work harder.  In reality, four hours of sleep a night, relentless determination, an obsession for programming and a love for adventure have combined to make Rob a perfect storm (i.e. I don’t think he could possibly work harder).

Over the past six months, Rob has been the backbone of this company.  As a paperless and building-less business, our website is our entire product and service; the website is our brick and mortar. Rob is the man who has spent endless hours, through countless days and nights, building a beautiful and perfected website. He is building the foundation on which we all stand and on and which the entire adventure industry will soon stand.

Furthermore, I often feel that Rob deserves a medal for working with me because we are constantly morphing, adapting and innovating our systems to best suit the businesses we are partnered. This is all because we are devoted to what I like to call, “sponge innovation,” which I will describe in my next post.

After four years of innovating, we have only picked up the pace on this bike trip. Meeting with over 50 of the best outfitters and guides in the West, we have listened day-in and day-out to additions and modifications they would like to see in SWAE’s systems.  Of course, constant innovation means unprecedented levels of work on the programming side of the company, which is all directed by Rob.

Nightly I get on the phone with Rob at 7 p.m. and we go over everything from the day passed.  Typically these conversations line Rob up with about 10 more hours of work immediately after we hang up the phone.  Then, at around 6 a.m. I will get an email recap of the work he completed throughout the night and what he hopes to get done the next day.

Rob is devoted, relentlessly, to innovating our systems, to perfecting our website, and to making damn certain that without a doubt swaesports.com will be the most innovative, well designed, functional and secure online interface for Adventure in the world… and the man is so brilliant that I have no doubt it will be.

When I describe Rob to others, the words “genius,” “creative brilliance,” “intensely logical,” and “driven” always come to mind.  In short, it is humbling to have a Lead Programmer as a core member of this team, the cornerstone of the company, and to have him care deeply about the purpose of SWAE.  Most notably, now that Rob and I have worked so intensely side by side, I am proud to say that a true friendship has burgeoned.

To me, it is a real sign of our ability to work in the most stressful of times and still have a great time doing it. Staying up until dawn together, insisting on perfection together, and always reaching for the stars together… it has been a beautiful experience working with Rob. I assure you all, in just a few short days, when SWAE officially launches, the unprecedented natures of Rob’s work will leave you staggered.

Rob, thank you for it all. This tribute is only an infinitesimal representation of my appreciation for you, your brilliant work, and your dedication to SWAE.