"In other words, for those of you who have experienced going
from an organized, structured, "well-oiled machine" type of RM
environment to one where you were hired to develop an RM program from
scratch, I'd like to hear what you consider to be the greatest joys and
hells associated with this kind of change, including, but not limited to
(1) if given the opportunity, would you ever do it again, and why? and
(2) your best kernels of advice on what to do and what not to do in such
a situation. I'll keep responses confidential and summarize for the
list, if there is enough interest. Thanks very much for your input. "

  Lee,
   
  I would hardly qualify myself as an "experienced" RIMgr--I have much to learn--but I have worked for more traditional companies in the past, and today I am the Records Manager for a start-up company.  It is the most joyous professional experience I have ever had.
   
  Pros:
   
  Marketing.  The sky's the limit.  The perception of the RIM department is entirely up to me and my Director.  We market the benefits of an EDMS like crazy--and there's no precedent for it at Cheniere--only the records management behaviors that colleagues remember in their former jobs.  Adele is poetry in motion when it comes to marketing--she could convince Eskimos to buy ice for the right reasons--and to watch her in marketing action is magical.  I do not mean that in an unflattering way; I mean it sincerely.  She does all the right things for the right reasons--she has 27 years of experience, after all.  She fights for the legitimacy of the Records Department with a PMP slant that is...remarkable to see.  
   
  Imaging.  We did not choose our EDMS product to implement--IT chose it before either of us arrived--but we've been able to make it work as best we can and the scanning operation is one of the hooks that we use to convince our colleagues to drink the Kool-Aid and use the EDMS to store the images.
   
  Excellence.  It's all up to me.  I can make of my experience what I want.  I just posted a narrative to the company's intranet pages (in my own, tongue-in-cheek kind of way) and I got lucky--colleagues at Cheniere liked it.  It could have turned out quite the opposite.  The October 30, 2006 edition of Forbes recently interviewed 10 people of different industries who are highly thought of.  It turns out that, when interviewed, it came to light that all ten surmised that they've spent over ten years of practice getting to where they are today.  I took a couple of quotes from the article that I've placed on the wall in my office.  Whenever I get REALLY tired, I look at those quotes to keep me motivated...and I forget it's not about me.  I do my best to check my ego at the door.  
   
  RRS.  We're implementing it with no legal holds.  We destroyed 150+ boxes a month ago.  As soon as we've imaged and qc'ed records, we destroy the hardcopy in two weeks of the rescans.  We're 95% electronic.
   
  IT.  I love my IT side of the house.  Here's a real opportunity to become equals with the IT lads and lassies whose eyes glaze over with boredom if you whisper the word, "retention".  At a startup, they glaze over momentarily, but you can win them back to the dark side; in a more traditional company, they roll their eyes and stop paying attention.
   
  Teamwork.  At Cheniere, we're all invested in the terminals.  I love the attitude of a startup--I'm quite spoiled.  It feels very special (not in a snobby kind of way--quite the opposite, actually.  Everyone is in the game and even in the corporate foodchain we all feel quite equal.  I call the COO by his first name.)  I have never experienced such a sense of teamwork.  This is the first time I've gotten up in the morning and felt as if I can't wait to go in to work--and I left at ten pm the night before.
   
  Cons:
   
  Schedule.  I left last night at ten pm.  And the night prior.  And the night prior to that.  In fact, Memorial Day weekend was the first time since June of 2006 I took three days off in a row with NOTHING records-related to do.  I think I spent all my time at the movies and I'm pretty sure I slept through Pirates of the Caribbean.  You've got to be willing to get in there, roll up your sleeves, and do your own copying. 
   
  The Corporate Foodchain.  As more money is made, we'll become the "traditional" company.  Hopefully, I got in early enough that I will be considered one of the "oldies but goodies".  Maybe.
   
  Colleagues.  We've grown so fast that I don't know everyone anymore.  I hate that. 
   
  Continuing Education.  It takes extra effort, because as more money comes in, and we become more traditional, I'll need the job skills to stay at the top.  In the last year, I obtained my CRM and CDIA.  I'm working on the CA, PMP, and my Accounting certificate at a local university (so I have something to fall back on if this doesn't pan out).  
   
  EDMS.  My EDMS system requires constant upkeep...it's what you might call a pain.  
   
  This has been a singular experience that I am SO lucky to have had--but with each passing day the glow of the startup slips away to the more traditional company.  *shrug*  That's what happens.  I wouldn't change this experience for the world, though.
   
  Mimi


Mimi Dionne, CRM, CDIA+
Records Manager
Cheniere Energy, Inc.
717 Texas Avenue
Houston, Texas 77002
832.217.2412
       
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