I’ve thought a lot about how to begin this post, but it’s best to get right to the point (especially in light of the speed of Techcrunch). I’m leaving Yahoo! to pursue another very exciting opportunity: joining the Etsy team as CTO. I’ll save my thoughts on Etsy for later, but for now I will say that Etsy and the community it serves are all-around inspiring and I can’t wait to jump in.
(See the blog post from Etsy).
I really couldn’t be more thankful for my experience at Yahoo and to the people who made it such an amazing journey, or more excited about the next chapter in my career and life. I had an amazing run. Long-time readers of this blog might remember that I literally proclaimed one of my three years at Yahoo! as the best year of my life. In the past, I’ve told people that I’ve had all of the best jobs at Yahoo, and I have: running the Hack program, the Yahoo! Developer Network (where I had the privilege of working with the Pipes and MyBlogLog teams, too), and now Brickhouse, where we shipped both Yahoo! Live and the Fire Eagle beta. It has been an unbelievable experience. Yahoo! is a great company full of incredible people.
In each of those roles, I’ve had a unique opportunity to get to know many people inside and outside of Yahoo! Literally hundreds of people were helpful and supportive of me at Yahoo! so I am reluctant to list names. I spent a few hours on a list of people to thank and realized when I hit 150 that it was too unwieldy — the list included everyone from well-known execs to the groundskeepers who made sure the lawn sprinklers didn’t come on during Open Hack Day. Feeling gratitude to so many people is definitely a high-class problem. It amazes me that so many of the folks at Yahoo! shared their personal talents and gifts with me so profoundly. You know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
In leaving, I’m confident that Brickhouse is in good shape. The product teams (Fire Eagle and Yahoo! Live) are focused and cranking. Brickhouse continues to attract new talent and strong support from Yahoo! management. I’m pleased to be handing the reins over to Mike Folgner, who was CEO of Jumpcut, where he took Jumpcut from idea to product to acquisition by Yahoo! The team won’t miss a beat without me. Tom Coates , Eric Fixler, and the other folks on the team are rock stars.
If you’re familiar with Etsy, you know they are in New York. Brooklyn, to be exact. That means I will be moving to New York. On a personal level, the quiet tug back east has been persistent recently. My mother-in-law passed away in mid-May, my first loss of someone I cared about so deeply. At the same time my mother was battling a terrible illness and spent a few months in the hospital back home in NC, only to be cured by a last-ditch treatment. When miracles happen, it changes your perspective. And how can you go wrong living in New York? To quote John Lennon in the recorded version of his not-quoted-very-often song “New York City,” — “what a bad-ass city!” That pretty much sums it up.
I’ll be in the Bay Area for a few more weeks before heading out to New York. To my Bay Area friends and colleagues, you have given me so much in my time here, I can’t thank you enough. The time I spent out in California this past ten years has literally been life-changing. To my New York friends, I look forward to reconnecting. To quote a famous New Yorker, “today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.”
Chad Dickerson's blog 
Congratulations on the move, Chad. And it’s good to see Mike Folgner getting in there.
Chad,
You are nuthin’ but class. Was a privilege, and an honor to work alongside you. Etsy is nothing but lucky, and I’m sure you’ll do great things there. I’m gonna miss having you close by, but thankfully I get to NYC frequently… All the best Chad. Congrats!
Congrats, Chad! The people at Etsy are lucky to have you.
Congratulations Chad, Etsy looks like a great place to be!
Hi Chad
Best of luck with the move – Etsy are very lucky to have you.
Will look you up for a pint on my next trip via NYC
Best Regards
fergus
Wow – congrats, Chad! You’ll be missed out here.
First off, congrats! (or possibly Sheboygan!)
Sad to hear you’re moving to the other side of the country, but i’m still damn grateful for having the opportunity to work with you. Thank you again, all the best in the new job, and have fun. May your future years make your best year look average.
Hey Chad,
Good luck at Etsy! Yahoo! is sad to see you go. Thanks for the baseball game, that was a blast! Take care.
Manny
Sorry to hear you’re leaving, you’ll be missed – but I’m sure you’ll continue doing good work elsewhere; do let me know if you plan on having Beck play at any of your future company parties. 😉
You made working at Yahoo the “best year” of many people’s lives. Bradley has it right, what a privilege it was to work with you. To paraphrase a wise puppet, you’re a genius freak and it’s time to hack a ______!
Congrats Chad — I’m looking forward to your next chapter as well — and bummed that we weren’t able to work together to throw our own little hack party while you were with Y!… As Bradley and Fergus said — Etsy are lucky to have you.
Cheers mate!
Chad, it was great working with you, and you certainly made a huge impact on Yahoo. Best of luck with your new venture!
Congratulations! And good timing to move to NYC, its a really amazing scene developing. (not to mention Etsy cupcake night)
Hey Dude,
was a pleasure, albeit a brief one. looking forward to your future endeavors, the world is small and paths have a habit of crossing from time to time. there is a deep and true reason why i call you “Chad the Man” without pretense or sarcasm. it’s what you are.
Best, Pedro
Congrats on the new role, Chad! Your impact at Yahoo was hugely positive and I can’t wait to watch you have a similar effect at Etsy. To the team who is lucky enough to get to work with Chad, I am jealous. Have fun in NYC!
Aw, totally bummed that you and Nancy are moving. More people to visit in NYC, though!
Best of luck to you. Y! will really really miss you. Etsy will be even more kickass for having you.
Wow, Chad. Great fit. Congratulations.
Congrats Chad! Sounds like a great gig, I hope you’ll enjoy it, and New York.
Congrats Chad. I know Yahoo! is sad to see you go but you have left a great legacy and Etsy is a great company. New adventures are fun! Have a blast in NYC and here’s to the next big thing.
Congrats man… good luck in NYC!
It’s been disappointing to see so many good people leaving. To hear that you’re leaving is absolutely heartbreaking. This place just won’t be the same knowing that you’re not here.
Thank you for making your best year at Y! my best year at Y!.
Chad, great stuff. Congratulations!
Chad — Congrats, you will be missed!!
Congratulations Chad.
Chad == Awesome
Etsy == Awesome
Chad + Etsy == Double Awesome
I’m sure your presence will be sorely missed around brickhouse and across yahoo. Working with you was a pleasure.
awesome news chad – congrat’s…
ping me when you guys settle – then you and nancy need to come have lunch at the tower 🙂
welcome back to your home coast, sweet friend. greg and I can’t wait to see you over here. giant hug to nancy too. this is wonderful news.
You will be sorely missed, my friend. Our shared time on YDN is among my highlights here at Yahoo!. Get ready to enjoy your move to the 2nd-greatest city on Earth. (You know Omaha, of course, still retains its #1 spot.)
Congratulations, and best of luck serving the creative class.
Sounds like a good move for a good guy. And another friend to visit in the big apple. Good luck, Chadster!
Congrats Chad –
Brooklyn represent ! Good luck on the move, sounds very exciting all around.
Transitions are exciting. Enjoy learning to work with a new group in a new city.
Congrats, Chad. Have a good time in New York! Hope you’re going to take a break in between and let the Dickerson beard grow out. 🙂
Congrats Chad! Etsy is very lucky to have you.
Definitely tough to see you go…you’re quite easily the greatest boss I’ll probably ever have. You’ve done so much for Yahoo, and I’m sure you’ll impact Etsy even more profoundly.
NY’s my hometown though…so expect a random visit from your old intern sometime soon! 🙂
congrats on the new gig chad. thanks again for all your support on the yahoo! for teachers project. we sure did appreciate it mucho.
I couldn’t be happier for you Chad. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Y! and for me personally during the short time that I had the pleasure of working for you.
I’m absolutely stoked for you, and the team at Etsy, Chad.
Again, thanks a million for your thoughtful support as an ambassador within Y!’s ranks. We’re gonna miss that, but at we’re looking forward to watching you help take Etsy to the next level. Etsy — and nyc — is lucky to have you.
Best,
-billyb
Ps. I’m in Austin, Tx now (still rockin’ netsquared) — living just behind the Continental Club on SoCo. Ping me next time you’re cruising through town.
We’ll miss you! But a very exciting move for you and Nancy. Good luck. And expect guests in Brooklyn 🙂
Whoa! We didn’t work together for a very long time, but I had a pleasure working with you when we did! (Even if it was “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YAHOO CAN’T PAY FOR MY SXSW TRIP EVEN THOUGH I’M LEAVING YAHOO THE DAY AFTER!”) Etsy sounds like an awesome place to work. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out.
– Ernie
Chad, congratulations on your successful tenure at Y!, your fab new job, and your wonderful family news. I will miss you!
Hey Chad,
It’s great that you have such a good opportunity waiting for you “back East.” Every day of more bad Yahoo news, I wondered, “how much longer can Chad stand it there?” I know your reasons for leaving are long and varied, but I’m happy for you.
Best wishes to you as you pack it up for home…and thanks for the explanatory blog post, so we didn’t all have to wonder!
Buck
Good luck, Chad. Etsy should be very happy 🙂 And have a lot of fun in NYC. I enjoyed working with you at Y!
Congrats! Etsy is lucky to have you, and you’ll fit right in to our geek scene here in NYC. 🙂 Glad you’re making the leap, especially as you’ll be right in the heart of real pizza and real bagels, and a damn sight closer to real barbeque.
good luck to you Chad!
Dude — you are truly a class act. I look forward to catching up when you’re in SF and I’m in NYC. Even more opportunity to go to shows together!
Congrats Chad! – It was great working with you.
Congratulations on the new role. Etsy is way cool
Awww. Congrats on the gig, and thanks for all your efforts at Big Purple… but you will be missed.
good luck chad! it was great to work with you.
Congrats, Chad! What a great role for you. It was an absolute honor and pleasure to work with you on so many memorable events at Yahoo!. This place won’t be the same without you. Best of luck – we’ll miss you tons.
Congrats, Chad! Brooklyn rocks! You’ll be great, and will be missed here at Yahoo!
Congrats Chad! Sounds like a fantastic opportunity! It was a lot of fun to work with you and learn from you – Etsy is lucky to have you! All the best in NYC!
Chris
Congratulations!.. though, you may find it more difficult to roast a pig in Brooklyn?! 😉
Best of luck @ Etsy.
Good luck with your new endeavors at Etsy.Godspeed.
Been following you since InfoWorld. My wife (an Etsy seller) sent me the news of a new CTO and I immediately thought of your name. Obviously, I’m glad they thought of your name too.
I’m excited both for you and Etsy.
Looks like I’m gonna have to get started opening up the east coast chapter of the “I love Chad” fan club. Of course, I will always be the president. Gonna miss you during the Y! Live townhall broadcast! Etsy is a lucky ducky to have you
Chad – I’ve really enjoyed fighting the good fight together and learning from working with you. Congrats and best of luck at Etsy.
Congrats Chad — it was an honor to work with you. Wishing you the best at Etsy and in NYC.
Chad,
You were such a bright spot during my time at Y! I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have worked together. I wish you the best of luck. Etsy is very lucky to have you on board.
Sorry to hear you’re leaving Yahoo!, but real happy for you and Etsy! I always welcomed our meet ups sharing cool ideas, successes and lamentations.
Say hi to my home town – I’m sure you’ll make a great Newyawka. Good luck!
Chad–I am floored and thrilled! I love Etsy and I think Beth and Maria are both outstanding–I am so glad you are joining such super people. I assume this means a move as well? All best to you.
Congrats Chad! We’ll miss you in Berkeley. Enjoy NYC!
Etsy is such a great site – congratulations on the move!
Congrats on new gig Chad! Look forward to seeing you at the CTO Club.
Wow, congrats. Big move, but Etsy is certainly an amazing place to be. It’s one of my top 5 dream job companies. They’re doing everything right and I’m sure you’ll have a blast working there.
If they need a CMO or someone to empty the trash cans at night, drop me a line 🙂
Etsy needs someone who knows WTF they are doing, so I’m taking this as good news. The Etsy Community needs someone to fire the toxic and dead weight and turn the tech area is not a productive machine that doesn’t talk down to it’s users requesting fixes and suggesting ideas.
Reading EtsyBitch might be a good research tool for ya on what needs work.
Good luck! Thank you so much for the past support from you and Yahoo Developer Network and Brickhouse. Thanks for putting the Yahoo Hack Day for all the developers. We could have used the “outdoor” shower that we requested for overnighters and campers.
Contact us if you have exciting news for the web community at Etsy.
Working with you has been truly phenomenal, and I’m so sad to hear that you’re leaving. Etsy is truly lucky to have you on board, and I know they’ll outperform their best hopes with you there.
Good luck with your move and new job! And please visit often- you’ll always be a part of the Brickhouse family. 🙂
Chad – Good luck in your new adventures!
Wow – Congrats on the new gig with Etsy! You’ll have to stop in for a McManus night out when you’re back, or just find some decent BBQ in NYC and I’ll visit.
You’ll be missed on the west coast, and valued in NYC.
So, when’s the big ass party???
Chad – Lovely post.
I’m sure the boys’ll miss you at Brickhouse. Selfishly, I’m glad to hear you’re coming out East! I look forward to seeing you out here.
I have a lot of friends at Etsy and they are all really excited about the new addition. Congrats!
Congrats and all the very best.
I am so excited for you… and so, so sad to lose our Berkeley dinner partners. Congratulations friend-
Jen
Damn! We never did get out and do the Berkeley hills loop on the mountain bike together. Have a great time in New York. Be sure to catch the Yo Le Tango Hanukkah shows at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. They are legendary!
Congratulations! Etsy is cool… and so is New York.
Sorry to see you leave Yahoo! and the Bay Area — I wish we had more of a chance to work together.
Congrats Chad. It was good speaking with you the other day. I guess I wasn’t so far off when I questioned whether you’d be there next year! Good luck!
Grats Chad!
Etsy?! I love Etsy! That’s a fantastic new gig for you. You’re one in a million and you certainly left your mark on the ‘hoo!. And I can honestly say I think of you every time I listen to Beck. That was one helluva night. I wish you a smooth move to the Big Apple. Ride your bike across the Brooklyn Bridge for me.
Good Luck Chad
Your departure is certainly going to be a loss for the troops.
I’m glad Mike will be taking the helm. Yahoo! and Brick house will survive, we’ll just be missing another important leader.
Congratulations Chad!
Anytime you want to wear a leprechaun hat/beard, call me, I’d be honored to video tape it. Thanks for bringing me back to Yahoo! as a video producer. I owe you and Matt McAlister.
congrats, chad. it was a pleasure working with you these last few months in hack. etsy is crazy lucky to land you, they should count their blessings and yarn needles. good luck and enjoy!
Sad to hear you’re leaving Yahoo! before we ever met, but I’m sure you’ll do big things at Etsy. Etsy’s got a lot of potential, excited to see what the team does there! Best of luck.
NYC is lucky to get such a talented CTO, much congrats. When you miss the bay area, know you have good friends and colleaugues here in the East. See you at the cto club!
Thanks for everything, Chad, especially the paper-wrapped fish & chips at Camden Lock, that time we did that thing with those guys. 🙂
Hey Chad! Congratulations on your next great adventure.
Time for that book? Will you be at Web 2.0 in NY in Sept.?
Good luck with the move and stay in touch.
Mary
Congrats on the move Chad. Enjoy the east coast and keep brewing. Etsy is a great place with a great mission. Love it. 🙂
chad! what great news from you and sad news for us. thanks for all of your university hack days guidance. we will miss you tons here but will look forward to following your new york adventures.
Chad–I was excited to join your team and I am sad to see you go. I am in your debt. As you head off on your next great life adventure, I have but one request and one piece of advice: keep in touch.
Congratulations on your move to the right coast, Chad! I don’t think we’ve run into each other since McManus’ 40th when you were a brand new newlywed. Best of luck in NY & Etsy.
Congratulations Chad and good luck on the next phase!
Congrats Chad! Sad to see you go… I was looking forward to visiting you at Brickhouse again without a waiting cab. 🙂 I’m working for YAP at Sunnyvale now. It was a pleasure talking to you last month and hopefully I’ll see you again soon.
Hot damn. Congratulations, Chad! You’ll definitely be missed, but Etsy is awesome.
Congratulations Chad, Hack, Yahoo! and I will miss you. Etsy is my Wife’s favorite site, keep making it kick ass.
Congrats Chad! Very Happy For you! Hope you still hack a b*tch up in the new etsy suite! 😉
it was a pleasure working with you. best of luck to you with your adventures back east!
Keep being awesome Chad. As I’ve said before it was great working with you and I appreciate everything you did for Yahoo. I hope we’ll get to work together again in the future.
Etsy…very nice! Congrats Chad!
Congrats, and best of luck on both moves! I’ll be sure to ping you to grab a drink next time I’m in NYC.
Congrats Chad, sounds like a great move and they are certainly luck to have you!
Welcome to Brooklyn, and congrats on the awesome gig! I hear you’ll be hanging out at the NY CTO Club–looking forward to meeting you there.
From an etsyian… just heard the news, glad you made the decision to come over and play with us for a while!
http://www.littlebitwired.etsy.com
Nancy
Welcome to Etsy, Chad! I’ve been selling on Etsy for several years and have been totally frustrated by many things on the site … the poor search capability, too many bells & whistles (all that flash crap), misuse of tags, and (just now) trying to leave feedback and having to hit the submit button for EACH feedback, rather than once after I’ve written a bunch of feedbacks.
I hope you can turn Etsy around … there are a LOT of us that are equally fed up with what we’d hoped would be a wonderful site.
Again, welcome and I look forward to MANY technological improvements on Etsy!!!