RE: Stuck in the middle

Spent over three decades in Communication Systems and IT and watched this same shift happen everywhere. The move to XaaS changed everything. We went from owning the problem to managing the relationship with whoever owns the problem now. Different skill set with different frustrations. You're not fixing things anymore. You're chasing vendors and translating between people who don't speak the same language.

The middleman role feels useless sometimes. You know you could solve it faster if it was on premise and you had access. But you don't. So you wait and follow up. Then wait some more. Meanwhile the customer just wants their shit to work.

Here's the upside though. You become the person who knows how all the pieces connect. The vendor only knows their product. The customer only knows their business. You're the one who sees the whole picture. That has value even when it doesn't feel like it.

At least you are still in the game friend.