People are People too

I had the unique opportunity to meet Nancy Vonk and Janet Kestin the other day, two of the best creatives out there. They are the managing CDs at Ogilvy in Toronto and have written a fabulous book called Pick Me. They have produced campaigns such as "Dove Evolution" and "Diamond Shreddies" both of which have won numerous awards. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out that I got to pick up and drop off Nancy and Janet from the airport. Basically being able to hold them hostage for a total of 40 mins to talk with them and pick their brains. Now I was nerves, two big CDs and little me in a car for 40 mins. What if they hate me, what if I have nothing to say, what if they look at me like a lesser b/c I am in school etc... However, all of my fears where put to rest the moment I introduced myself to them. They were by far the nicest and most friendly CDs I have met to date. They both quickly welcomed me as a colleague and never treated me any differently then that. When I asked if I could pick their brains they were thrilled to help me out. We spent the whole car ride talking about my questions about advertising, books, new media and life in general as a creative. The answers they gave were more than helpful and very clear. They put everything in very simple and understandable terms and they were both 100% on the same page with their advice to the point that they finished each others sentences a couple of times. I also sat in on their lecture that day and it was equally as interesting and concise. When I dropped them off there were laughs, a few hugs and an exchange of e-mails that came with a sincere offer to stay in contact.

So my point with this little story is this. No matter who someone is or how big they seam they are all just people. If you allow yourself to realize that it will make networking and talking to strangers (mom was wrong) a whole lot easier. And in the end you will be rewarded for your efforts and for breaking out of your shell and opening up.