In the 40 years since the development of the digital map, what a map is (and isn’t) has greatly evolved. This presentation describes Joe Berry’s personal journey in geotechnology as a student, professor, consultant, software developer and entrepreneur. The insight is as relevant for the next generation of GIS’ers as it is to GIS cohorts who moved beyond mapping to “thinking with maps” and the boundless opportunities for integrating the new spatial paradigm into science, workplaces and daily lives.