Today is the big 20th Anniversary Party over at eBay HQ and, as discussed, I had to turn down eBay’s very kind invite to attend because of a prior commitment. There was no way to make it happen and I just sort of sat there going, “GAH!” for many long minutes before I had to decline because I knew it was absolutely one of those once in a lifetime type events and I hated to miss it.

Now, what I already had going on is pretty darn awesome so, please, don’t cry on my account. It’s just one of those moments when you wish you could be in two places at once. As someone who’s been part of the whole eBay thing for a majority of those 20 years (I signed up in March 1997… yeah, I was 17), it’s weird not to be there to celebrate at the heart of it all. (Especially since I’ve been at meetings for eBay in CA… but never actually in the HQ building itself!) I’ve also made so many great friends from eBay events both online and off who are assuming I’ll be there with everyone else and I find myself having to apologize again and again for missing out on the fun.

I really wanted to write a real love letter to eBay spanning my 18.5 years on the platform to say all the things I would have said at the event, but I’m frantically trying to get ready for that pesky conflict that’s keeping me from the party so I’ll have to save it for another day.

For now, let me just say a heartfelt Happy Birthday and thank you to eBay! While I may complain about you often enough, there’s no denying you have had a profound effect on my life and career to where I literally wouldn’t doing half of what I do now if it hadn’t been for the selling training wheels you provided me at such a formative age and the freedoms and opportunities your platform offered me as my career grew and changed.

Thank you, eBay. I am one of hundreds of sellers whose future was forever changed by one little website and the two decades of innovation you brought about.

Beyond the changes eBay brought to the world at large, they have also been very supportive of me on a personal level, including me in panels, events, regularly having me on eBay Radio and other opportunities not every seller gets and, for that, I am incredibly grateful. So while I won’t be there to raise a literal glass with you all, know that I am giving an appreciative nod in your direction all the same!

Here’s to twenty wonderful years! Now let’s have twenty more that are even better!