Senator John Pippy (Image via Wikipedia)
I didn’t look like much at the age of 19. My tall, skinny frame sprouted into the floppiest mop I ever wore. Lord knows why I made an appointment with the congressman.
His name was John Pippy, a young politician who had taken out a local incumbent a few months earlier. The Pennsylvania representative took youth and energy to Harrisburg, but he also kept an office in my small hometown. I was a history major, so I stumbled in to check out his operation one day.
The secretary said he wasn’t in that day but could she help me? I told her I didn’t really need anything, just wanted to say hi to, um, Representative Pippy. I think we freaked each other out a bit, but she was paid to be nice to constituents no matter what they looked like.
“Would you like to make an appointment?” she asked.
“Uh, okay,” I asserted.
The following week I peeled myself from a friend’s floor to make my 10:30 a.m. appointment with the congressman.
“You’re going where?” my friend asked.
I told him.
“Why”
“I dunno. To meet him.”
A short time later I sat across from Representative Pippy. “What can I do for you,” he asked.
I was stumped. Man were these guys slick! “Um, I just wanted to say hello.”
He asked if I had any particular concerns or was looking for an internship. I didn’t and wasn’t. I felt awkward and a little stupid. He generously offered a couple free books on government and help in the future for research or whatever. “I have a crack staff in Harrisburg,” he joked.
I drifted out of the office unsure of why I went but interested to learn that people in positions of power were accessible. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, the silent pulse of my wanderings really had been about the search for opportunities.
A few years after my short meeting with John Pippy I snagged work as a consultant for Infinity Broadcasting (CBS Radio now). I served as head writer and editor of the Pittsburgh E Resource, a bi-weekly publication that circulated to a couple hundred thousand people in the region. They paid me as a consultant to write whatever I wanted and work however I liked as long as I hit deadlines. Lots of work. Even more fun.
I created that opportunity after reading the publication one night in a grocery store. The next day, I contacted the top name in that paper and asked them who edited their paper.
“No one,” she said.
“No offense,” I said, “but you can tell.”
Bold move, but they were only interested in selling advertising. I offered to proof each edition of the paper in exchange for them promoting my resume writing business. She agreed. I was given a free booth ($1500 value) at their job fairs in major venues like Heinz Field and PNC Park. I worked with hundreds of job seekers.
Later that year, Infinity promoted the woman who gave me the editing opportunity. They suddenly needed someone to take over the paper. Guess who they asked? I even renegotiated my contract after two weeks.
I was 25 and editing the work of about two dozen writers including exclusive interviews of whatever actor had the biggest movie out that week. The graphic designer and I recreated the publication and made it better than ever. My personal column, eduClaytion, was born.
After New Years 2004, I learned that John Pippy, now a state senator, had just returned from a tour in Iraq. I contacted his office and told them I would do a cover story on him. His chief of staff invited me to a media reception at the senator’s house. My friend and I laughed about how I always ended up in places like that. I arrived with all the city news crews, reintroduced myself, got a good story.
A few weeks later I had taken a position with another publication in the region. My first assignment? Interview John Pippy. We laughed when I sat down with him again.
A few years ago, some other business pursuits of mine were being stalled for weeks by state officials in Harrisburg. I contacted the senator’s office and had a resolution within 15 minutes.
I often joke about being mercenary in my pursuits but the truth is that people can help each other. Positive results often occur when we think about how we can serve more than what we want.
Senator Pippy had apparently nothing to gain from sitting with me when I was a scraggly, college sophomore. Yet I never forgot the kindness he extended, and when I landed a couple jobs writing feature stories, I thought of him. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people–folks who vote–read about his military and community service from an objective but appreciative reporter.
~*~*~*~
Read the follow up companion piece about specific steps you can take to create opportunities, the myth of luck, and the keys to networking.
What opportunities have you created for yourself?
I really enjoyed this piece, Clay…
I started my first community newsletter when I was 13, and opened a candy store at 16. During my internship for Broadcast Journalism, I was privileged to cover Prince Charles’ and Princess Diana’s visit to Ottawa in 1983. As the Promotion Co-Chair for our local Women’s Conference, I was instrumental in convincing a big publisher to bring an author from Austin, Texas, to speak to 400 delegates at our conference in Saint John, New Brunswick. When I was the editor of my third community newsletter, I got to interview the first black RCMP officer in Canada…we still keep in touch by e-mail, and he stops in to see me whenever he’s in town. As co-owner of our bookstore, I sent a letter to the host of a national radio show who was coming to town for a performance and invited him to visit our store: he didn’t make it that time, but sent an apologetic e-mail. Two years later, I heard he was coming back, so invited him again…he came (and bought a book)! My latest coup was scoring free tickets to see the Goo Goo Dolls by talking to the drummer when he came into our store (at the time, I had no idea who he was!)…http://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/talking-to-strangers-for-fun-and-profit/
Wendy
I remember the Goo Goo Dolls piece. They put the Goo in good. Establishing those newsletter is a great way to create opportunities. Always nice to hear from go-getters. Or goo-getters.
You inspired me to write this piece today, Clay: http://writerwoman61.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/cousin-george-building-a-door-for-opportunity-to-knock-on/
Cool! I read the piece. What a great guy.
I once made and sold friendship bracelets. I called it, “Jessie’s Strings and Things.” I also co-ran my fifth grade self-published newsletter. And this one time, I helped my sister create the best NSYNC e-Zine in fanhood.
I think, I mean, if this were a competition, that I win.
But seriously, folks, great post, points, and advice.
You are so becoming one of my favorite commenters.
I’m really looking forward to your next post Clay. This was a great one. The most profound thing I ever did was assemble 13 diversity organizations of campus to host a full week of peaceful events that covered topics of diversity and the climax of the week was a peace rally in riverfront park where I was one of the key speakers talking about why the event was organized. I did it because a group of anti-muslim people were coming to our campus to spread hate speech. We had protesting signs ready, but thought the more proactive approach would be to give students an alternative event to attend, and one that encouraged dialogue. I got PR from the local news stations and was on TV twice. I made some amazing friends in the Muslim student association and all the events were well received. I felt and still feel really good about that connecting.
In hindsight, I have so many ideas about how I could’ve created opportunities in college. You just feel so productive when you hatch an idea and complete the thing AND it works!
I recently joined a local writer’s group not just for the feed-back on my writing but because I thought it would be a good place to maybe network with other writers (who were published) and get some tips on publishing (I’m clueless). After going to the meetings for a couple months, the organizer asked me if I would be interested in editing slush for the on-line division of the magazine he is the senior editor for. Gee, let me see? YES! It’s an unpaid position, but he said it would lead to paid opportunities in the print mag and book division of the same publishing house.
This definitely taught me that I need to put myself out there more.
That’s great Amy. Sometimes those unpaid positions can be key stepping stones to something else. Do good work for a few weeks and you’ll be in print. I’ve found lots of opportunities that way.
Some people just don’t get the concept of Karma, what goes around…, etc. And you know what, even if you don’t get anything out of it, you’re no worse off than you were before you decided to be nice to someone. I’m relatively new to the writing community, and I’m constantly blown away by how nice people are in this group. Writers Rock. Oh yeah, nice blog Clay.
No doubt. The reason I am so much more into Twitter than many of my friends because of the community of writers. Just good people.
My current ministry is sort of a result of me making an opportunity for myself. Winter of my freshman year of college I called up a youth pastor I had met a couple of times and asked him if he needed an intern for the following summer. He said yes. During that summer I met another youth pastor, who ended up bringing me on that entire school year to work with his group. Two summers after that, he called me up from his new church in SC to see if I wanted to intern there that summer. March of the next school year (my senior year), they called and offerred me the position full time. I’m still going strong 5 years later.
That’s fantastic Joe. I am going to talk about opportunities for college students in my post next week. I might have to reference this experience of yours.
May I just say I love how at 19 you made an appointment with your congressman.
And I love the idea of the post even more. Hearing about the success other people have had taking risks spurs me on.
Someone told me yesterday I’d been really lucky this year. Maybe. But I don’t fully buy into luck. It’s too passive. I think people, like you and the commenters above, often create opportunities (or at the very least grab them). It’s easy to call that luck, but it’s a small portion of the reality.
Anyway, I posted a wee bit about how blogging has encouraged me to take risks. It’s on “my other blog”: http://wordbitches.com/2011/01/31/platform-building/
Now I’m babbling. I’ll stop. For now.
I’m getting more encouraged too by hearing these stories. Sneak peek at key quote for next week: “Luck is the residue of design.”
I like the word “residue.”
Did you see the Problogger guest post this morning? It covers a bit of the same idea (risk taking), but in regards to Twitter. Here’s the link: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2011/04/15/how-a-few-tweets-led-to-a-370-increase-in-my-traffic/
I also love that you made that appointment, Clay — you’re an interesting fella.
I’m trying to think about any opportunities I’ve created (I know there must be some) but the first thing that comes to mind is a lonely lemonade stand…hmmm….
Looking forward to the next part of this post.
As simple as it sounds, I actually appreciate being called interesting. People who know me agree that my life may be a lot of things but never boring. Thanks. You should write about your lemonade stand sometime since everything you describe is interesting.
Also, when life gives me lemons I punch it in the face and take all it’s money.
Great post, Clay, and good for you for making that appointment. It’s so true that we never know which connections will lead to opportunities, but there are very few opportunities that arise without have made a connection first.
I created an opportunity my first year of law school by founding the Student Trial Lawyers Assoc. Newsletter at the University of Colorado. I asked one of my professors, Richard B. Collins, to contribute to the first publication. He wrote a lovely article, and I, being a first year law student and therefore completely full of myself, edited the crap out of it. He was taken aback, to say the least. I mean, he’d been writing Supreme Court briefs for forty years. He hardly needed some upstart 1L to tell him his business. He challenged me on every point, but in the end, he signed off on all of them. Two years later, he called me into his office and invited me to co-author a law paper with him, an opportunity rarely offered to students. It’s called A People Without Law, and it’s published in the Jan 2007 volume of The Indiginous Law Journal. It was the highlight of my legal career for me.
Looking forward to your next installment.
Now THAT is brazen! Thanks for telling me that one. When opportunities come through they carry so much energy with them. Very exciting, especially after the grind of letdowns and failure. It’s all part of the experience.
I wish I had time to write more but I just wanted to share that I love love love this post.
Thanks Megan! I really appreciate that.
Really terrific post and it cut me to the quick, which is what good topical writing is supposed to do.
I’m a really late bloomer when it comes to networking and advocacy; only now, in my 30s, am I starting to realize the power of connection. Now that I do, I want to be as much an advocate and a voice for AS as I possibly can.
Thanks for an inspiring post, Clay.
I’m really glad you like. Many thanks.
Love this. The idea that positive results come from thinking about ways to serve, rather than thinking about what we want is so true. It’s about reaching out, making connections, and not being afraid to ask.
Really great post.
That’s the point of it all Annie. Tx for reading.
My mom taught me an important, if crassly put, lesson:
It’s not who you know, it’s how you use them.
http://collegereadywriting.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-my-mother-taught-me.html
I think sometimes that I perhaps haven’t grabbed opportunities or even worked hard enough to create them for myself. I think that this post is the kick in the ass I need.
Right on Lee. Go to it.
I look forward to the next post. I suck at networking.
I bet you are pretty good with people.
wow, what a great story! I’ve always heard of this advice to think about how you can help others more than try to create gain for yourself, but it’s great to hear of a real world example. even though it sounds like an easy concept, i think it’s counterintuitive for most people, unfortunately, and hard to do… for myself included. buddhism has taught the same concept for 2,000 years and people still don’t “get it”! thanks for sharing!
Definitely counterintuitive. Thanks for reading and I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
My favorite “created opportunity” story is one of my dad’s, so I’ll share it here verbatim (source: email).
We had just opened Louisiana Network in the fall of 1974. [Edwin W.] Edwards was the governor, so Rhett and Anita McMahon and I made an appointment to go to the 4th floor of the Capitol (the Governor’s office) and introduce ourselves. We wanted to let Edwards know that the Louisiana Network was in business, that we would be originating newscasts 13 times a day to stations throughout the state. At the time we had 12 stations spread across Louisiana. Also at that time there was no other statewide audio news service, although several stations in the major cities had an agreement to swap news stories among themselves.
Governor Edwards was very courteous. He had a good firm handshake and his photographer made the photos and sent us copies when the film was developed. Anita McMahon also made some photos, so you may have one from either source.
We talked about 5 minutes. I remember Rhett made the general presentation on what Louisiana Network was and what we hoped it would be come. Edwards asked several questions and wished us luck with the new venture. As we got up to leave he asked “that all?” We said yes, thanked him for his time, and we left.
Later the three of us thought about that last comment. We concluded that most people who asked for an appointment with the Governor did it because they had some agenda, some project that needed funding, or some other political favor. When all we wanted was to meet the Governor and tell him about our new venture.
That’s a cool story. Public officials are supposed to be available to us, but most folks just don’t think of them that way. Thanks for sharing.
Great, great, great advice. Very rarely do opportunities just fall into our laps, but still we wait for them to come to us. It took me years to get into this habit, but now I just ask and ask and ask. If I’m not a fit for an opportunity, I always think of people I can recommend and those people think of me when they see an opportunity for me in the future.
That’s a great point about thinking of networking as a potential to connect other people. I end up doing that as well sometimes and you get a couple of people who are pleased with you. That’s a win too.
Great story, Clay. I am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason.
My husband was laid off twice in the last 3 years. We decided, despite the dire financial situation, that we need a vacation. We cashed in the last of the frequent flyer miles and have rented a villa with another couple in the Caribbean for a week in May. In email exchanges between my husband and the owner, he discovered that the owner is president of a company he was familiar with from the 1st company that laid him off. In a moment of “what the heck,” my husband emailed the guy his resume on the off chance that he’d have a position for him. Hello, new job! Is that fate or creating an opportunity? Not sure. It’s just funny, as with your encounters with Senator Pippy, how things turn out sometimes.
First of all, congratulations. I’m sure that’s a lot of pressure off you both. Those “what the heck” moments can change lives. And my simple story with Senator Pippy is just one of a bunch. I appreciate you reading and sharing your experience.
I’ve been hesitant to comment on this, for fear the Professor will throw me into the entitled Gen Y. Because, honestly, I do wait- far too often- for opportunity to come to me.
But it’s not so much about entitlement as it is about fear. If I reach out, I can be rejected; if I try, I can fail. Guess it’s time to grow up, huh?
Actually, screw all that. I’m going to stick with waiting for it to fall in my lap– it’s working pretty well.
This afternoon, I sent a link to my latest post to the HuffPo blogger and author John Shore because I did the same for the original post (today’s was a follow-up), which he loved and shared with his Twitter & Facebook followers. Then tonight he shared the new post and then wrote to me with some pretty sweet praise.
I know, that’s not a job offer, but it’s not bad windfall for just sending a little link. Maybe the old Professor is on to something after all…
Sweet! See what you did there you go-getter you? A bunch of my students are Gen Y or Millennials. I try to point out how their generation might not be the most motivated right off the bat. What better time to step out and lead the pack? I liked your post too. You should tell all of your other friends that I said that. They’ll be impressed. Don’t be thrown off when they say “Clay who?”
You did throw me into Gen Y! I knew it!
Dastardly scoundrel.
Na-uh, I already gave you Gen X status. You just like to call me names. Although those two are kind of fun to be called.
It’s fascinating how things work out when you are willing to take risks. Good words.
Thanks Matt.