The best meetings are the ones you didn't plan

A women came into my office today enquiring about a website. She was an older women, I would have guessed around 55. Turns out she was 70! I’m sure she would be pleased with that assessment. She was quirky, intelligent and arty and reminded me very much of my creative Auntie – Kate. I liked her instantly.

Her initial queries resulted in a full blown meeting. This isn’t a normal occurrence as all meetings typically need to be booked in advance, however, for whatever reason, I wanted to hear what she had to say.

 I took her to the meeting room and loaded up the 70” screen with a bunch of reference material. As with all creatives, she really wanted to show me her work. Admittedly, I was very eager to see what she can do.

Her work was very unique, she uses landscape photography as a base for her artwork and turns it into kaleidoscopic art using photoshop. It was very psychedelic, and merged her love of photography, art (and probably) LSD & Marijhuana from her heyday. Again, I liked her instantly.

During the meeting we discussed, a range of topics intermittently with her website/brand related inquiries. While her website requirements were somewhat rudimentary she had a unique style that I could totally run with to develop some very effective strategic marketing. 

It’s interesting to me that most of my main friend circle encompasses some of the most sensible and successful people I know, and yet here I am always somewhat drawn to this type of person. While I have met similar people, this woman was still different to everyone else I’ve come across and definitely shared the creative gene. I do think that this “creative gene” is a gift and provides a  unique bond to some degree. I don’t think non-creatives experience this but I may be wrong…

I’d really enjoy working with this woman in the future and since it is still fresh, perhaps we will. At least at the time of writing.

One main impression she did leave with me with was her immediate and constant comments on how valuable and engaging the meeting was. “You should be teaching business” “You are born to teach”… These comments are always humbling as she was getting so much value from a free consultation as well as enjoying a fellow creative’s company… Imagine what paid services would be like right!? 😀

Her main problem is that she is too scared to put her work out to the public. The fear of being ridiculed, judged and also having her work plagiarized and illegally distributed have been overbearing for her so far.  I’ve been there, this isn’t a problem. Just put it out there! As Oscar Wilde once said “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken”. 

While writing this I have been at home working in solidarity with a very interesting soundtrack for the past few hours.

It’s super abstract. A bit weird. It’s definitely not for everyone but (to me) It’s like the earth’s beauty and chaos joined in spiritual symphony. 

I’m not exactly sure what you do with your time at home, but when you’re just chilling, possibly working, doing chores, whatever… you should just have this album on in the background. It’s like going to the theatre and just getting what you’re given. It’s also awesome to work too when you’re over everything else. 

Each track is so different yet similar. Fuck, it actually makes me want to do LSD and listen to it while I carry out my activities. (Note: I haven’t had LSD before but if I did, it would be to this soundtrack).

For reference this album is IGORR – Spirituality and distortion.

Standout tracks: Camel Dancefloor, Lost in introspection and Overweight Posey.

Be high. Be sober. Be drunk; doesn’t matter. It does have some Death metal elements (Track “Parpaing” for example ) which you might skip… I did skip this one initially but see if you can get through it. There may be some tracks that scare you. Tracks that amaze you. If you don’t listen to any form of rock or metal at all it might be too much but give it a chance – for creative sake. 

I’ve never seen drum and bass, dubstep, Opera, Classical, Black Metal and Death Metal meld so seamlessly into one. Maybe it’s just because I have studio reference speakers on this computer. Either way; Fuck I’m digging it and I hope you do too.

Circling back to the point of this story, this woman not only has problems I can solve but she opened my eyes as to a skill set that I had not previously recognised wholly.

Part of my business enables me to meet unique and interesting people which I find super enjoyable. It reinvigorates, excites and awakens.

It’s always the smallest, most unique encounters that make the most impact. This goes both ways. There really isn’t a substitute for this. You never know what will come into your life so enjoy every aspect of it and roll with the experiences – good and bad. 

Looking back at my life and especially all of the business interactions and successes I have enjoyed… It’s a minor introduction, a twist of fate, a circle of events that lead you to prosperity… or at the very least a minor difference in your own life that provides a path to an alternative route for what’s to come.