Dear Bazaarvoice, the love of a founder never dies

To: The Bazaarvoice team, both past and present

Dear Friends (for I consider each of you to be just that),

My most sincere thanks to each of you for some of the most memorable, fascinating, and uplifting days of my life over the course of the last decade.

As my time on the Bazaarvoice Board of Directors draws to a close today, I look back on what we achieved together since this company was created over nine years ago with a combination of pride and humility. Pride because together, we built something from the ground up that revolutionized how transparently commerce would be conducted. And we did it incredibly well, expanding all over the world and winning the trust of thousands of clients and many partners. Humility because I will never take for granted the great privilege it has been to lead, to serve, to learn from all of you, and to be part of our outstanding culture.

In life and in one’s career, there are periods that shine for one reason or another and for me, the most transformational period has been my Bazaarvoice years. And that’s because of all of you. What we created together is one of a kind. The effort and skill it took amazes me. The devotion and care you brought to your work, the spirit of inspiration I saw thriving around me, and the eagerness to take a big risk on a new idea will inspire me for the rest of my life. I mean that with all of my heart.

One has to look forward as well as back though, and as deeply as I have loved my time serving with you, I have confidence that Bazaarvoice has many great days that lie ahead. The same spirit of ingenuity that drove us at the beginning still churns today. The excellence of our team is unquestionable. The soul of Bazaarvoice is very much intact and the heart beats strong.

I plan to continue watching, applauding, and taking great pride in your successes as one of our largest shareholders and a most loyal fan. But most of all, I will remain grateful to all of you, every day of my life. The love of a founder never dies.

Sincerely,
Brett