Serendipity?

Looking back, I was probably suffering from depression a little, I woke up that morning, and I just didn’t have the drive to get out of bed. Finally, I did. I got myself cleaned up and into a suit and tie (we still wore those back then) and headed to another networking event where maybe, probably, most likely, nothing would happen. This day would turn out very different, life changing I could argue. I stumbled into an inflection point and one of my first Inflectors. If you didn’t read my first post, I explain what an Inflector is here:

Just weeks before, I had rolled into Seattle, a new city with no friends, relatives, contacts, job prospects, literally nothing but a bit of savings and experience from an internship. A fresh diploma and a shiny new CPA Certificate were not exactly opening doors for me the way I’d been led to believe. It was 1993 and my first recession and I was about to learn one my most powerful life lessons. There’s no such thing as free work.

I had made a smart move in the last year of my undergrad, joining a CPA Society. Most states have them, and they are a good place to meet people in the industry, network, look for a job, take training, etc. I had actually gotten my internship, I believe, because I met the managing partner at another firm at a networking event and apparently left a good impression. The internship didn’t become a job. In fact, as I got to know people in the office, even the regular employees seemed pretty nervous. It was tax season and they just weren’t busy like they should have been. BTW, don’t stop reading because you aren’t a CPA, there are similar organizations that offer opportunities to anyone. There’s one out there for you.

One day I showed up at that CPA Society office to see what they had to offer. Turns out they had a committee for people interested in all things international. (That was definitely me!) I joined. At the first meeting, we went around and introduced ourselves, I was the youngest person, by at least a decade. I was looking for a job, but, I didn’t want to be seen as just that guy just looking for a job. I wanted to add value and I wanted to find something to belong to.

The discussion turned to what responsibilities interested each member. Shockingly, among a group of accountants, no one wanted to write for the monthly journal. I volunteered. I’d always felt a little weak in that area. What better way to practice than this? Now, I just needed some topics.

And that takes me back to that day when I dragged myself out of bed and off to an event. It turns out, the speaker was Dr. Gerhard Mueller also known as the Father of International Accounting. Serendipity? I chased down a notepad and pen so I could take notes, grabbed any materials laying about, met the speaker and, it’s been so long, I either got his email or his actual physical address. I told him I was going to write an article about the talk and asked if I could contact him if I needed more info. He was very gracious.

I wrote what I thought was a pretty good article and sent it off to him to review before it was published and went back to my business of searching for a job. Back in the day, cell phones weren't ubiquitous, we had answering machines with those little microcassettes. I returned home to see a flashing light on the answering machine. I’d always play the messages as soon as I got home, hoping it was about a job.

It wasn’t, but, it was so much more. Dr. Mueller had received the article and left me a really great message telling me how much he loved it, saying he wouldn’t change a thing. He also asked me to send my resume. He passed it on to the CFO of Microsoft. I didn’t lead anywhere but the fact that he was willing to do so, it meant a lot. That message though. Somewhere packed in a box, I still have that tiny cassette with his message. It took me about 6 months of searching to land that first professional job and when the job search was getting me down, I’d pull that tape out and replay it. It kept me going in tough times.

You can never predict where a single action will lead. That one article, well, it was well received and I got a lot of positive feedback (which again, lifted my spirits when I needed it most). I kept writing. Soon, I had an article in nearly every journal of the CPA society, then, I landed a column in a small business journal, then an article in a large business journal and reprintings in other business journals in the region and ultimately, selling freelance articles to a publisher. That single action definitely helped me land my first professional job in a really bad job market. Seven years later it helped me earn an income while I took a year off to travel the world. I’m sure it was one of the things that helped me get a scholarship for my MBA.

Dr Meuller was an Inflector. One of the things I’ve discovered about Inflectors is they talk people up and inspire them. They always have something positive to say. I wish I could thank him but extensive internet searches hasn’t led to any recent mentions. He was born in 1930, at 93, I’m guessing my opportunity to thank him has passed. If someone reads this, knows him and he’s still with us, please connect us. I’d love to thank him properly!

I’m not just writing these to reminisce, though to be honest, thinking of some of these things is bringing up strong emotions, there are lessons here.

1. Think of networking as a way to add value. Each person you meet, the thought should not be, how can you help me, can you give me a job, but, how can I help you?
2. Think long term. Get involved, find a need and fill it, don’t expect anything in return, just have fun. I promise you, benefits will come, I just can’t tell you what the form will be.
3. If you are looking for a job, stop completing job applications that are filling a black hole for a few hours, and do a bit of searching on organizations you could join and how you could add value.

I’ll have future posts on some of the benefits I’ve received through volunteering in these organization, and I guarantee you, there’s one out there for you that can literally change your life…and they are full of Inflectors, maybe even your Max.