Recently, I had the pleasure of having a business meeting with a freelancer in Hobe Sound, Florida. During my business stay in the U.S.
I was anxious to learn as much as possible about the freelance market there. My new American business acquaintance was kind enough to go through the process with me. In addition, he explained many challenges from a recruitment, payroll and taxation perspective. Moreover, he took great time and effort to provide me with a detailed overview of all aspects of freelancing in the U.S. market.
HIS RELATIVE
At the end of the meeting he suggested we meet a local relative of his. The Lady he introduced me to is in her 90th year and still living an active, energetic life. I asked her about her career, and she said that she worked in Manhattan (including during the Mad Men era) from the 40’s up to the 90’s. The conversation proved to be a wealth of information.
My freelancer friend then asked her “where were you when Pearl Harbour was attacked, and when VJ day was declared?” She answered that she was in High School and Times Square respectively and regaled us with the detail of both those critical points in World History from her perspective. It was like having a living history lesson, a life lesson. Not only did I obtain valuable business insights, but I also gained the opportunity to learn about real life experiences in the process. It’s good to talk business, but always leave time to get to know people, and who they are – you can learn so much more.