I have been thinking of, meaning to, almost done and so on and so on a Conversations with Friends story for …what? could it be…almost 4 years now.  There have been many (times at least 100) episodes I’ve wanted to share with you.  It makes me regret that I haven’t kept a journal, truly, however…I am sure some of the things that would have been in it would have caused me to burn it…and then I would have had to start a new one …and then a month later ….another new one…I digress.

So, here we are in the middle of a pandemic.  Everyone is writing about it and what they have to say, I am sure, is at the very least just as valid, interesting, meaningful as anything I would or could say, so…

I am going to go back to a time just before this was even a thought…when I was buzzing around Manhattan, frenzied, over-scheduled and blissfully happy.

I had attended The Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center, ran around the whole day with one of my favorite clients (Anthony from Australia), sampling foods from all over the world and listening to really cool “future of food” lectures.  Toward the end of our adventure there, he had to go meet someone he was doing business with and we were set to meet back at a certain spot and a particular time.  Cool.

Left to my own devices, I wanted to see if I could find a candy company from Germany that I remembered liking when I was a child.  You know those fruit candies that come in a tin?  I loved those because it as like having your very own little candy stash, no sharing required!  (I am little sister to a big brother whom I adore, however, the food situation when we were growing up was always a negotiation which I frequently lost.)

Back to the Show, I found the candy (yay!) and they gave out samples (squeal with delight!).  Then I turned to walk away and saw this terrific exhibit from Peru.  They literally had two life-size white Alpacas with dyed hair – one orange, the other blue – set up as a selfie station.  Had to do it!  However, while having trouble getting the camera to work (it was set up in the middle of the back of the Alpaca’s head, that just wasn’t easy), a lovely guy stopped and asked if I needed help. I am still uncertain if he meant with the photo or just in general, as it must have looked pretty strange that I was standing there intently trying to part the hair on the head of this giant stuffed Alpaca – then run back to the spot marked on the floor in time to have the selfie taken. Regardless, he was very kind and we ended up taking photos of each other with the Alpacas, exchanging information and a few months later we reconnected and low and behold, he (his chocolate company) became a V&P client.  Yes, this really happened.

Now here is when the “Conversations with Friends” part really rings true – and how I am so grateful, every day – for the network of wonderful people in my life.  And it directly relates to the “right now” and here is how…

As I was thinking about how to structure the team for the new chocolate client, I wanted to bring in a specialist as, I do for all our clients, that had deep knowledge of that particular category.  I reached out to a few trusted friends. One of those friends, is my dear “lifer” Kimberly.  We go so far back that we have to try hard to think of who actually introduced us (we’ve narrowed it down to two women and roughly what year it was).  When asking her advice, she said, “Oh! Got it! I’ll send out a few emails”.  Within a day, she had connected me to Jennifer (Jen) O’Flanagan of Feast PR. 

Jen and I met in the Fall of 2019.  We really liked each other from the jump.  We didn’t end up working together on the chocolate account – but we did decide we had good energy between us and should stay in touch.  We met again and another time…and by then we were deep into detailed discussions of how we would collaborate.  By early 2020, we were getting our joint materials ready, making our outreach lists and talking about our “announcement” press release and so on…

If you haven’t seen it yet, Jen (of Feast PR) and I just launched our strategic alliance – a bit delayed – but with a great new platform called Consumer Sensitivity Strategy (for both necessary and obvious reasons). And while this is wonderful and we are looking forward to this new chapter, what is even more powerful is that we’ve developed a beautiful balance and a solid, trusting working relationship – now THAT is extremely valuable – and valued.

So while, life isn’t what it was – and while we are not sure how we are going to navigate through the shutdowns, shut-in’s, semi-opens, loss of income, wrestling the SBA, dressing for Zooms, roots going gray, nails becoming un-gelled, eating too many Oreos, missing our family and friends of all statures (nephews, brothers, sisters, girlfriends, work friends, boyfriends, shop-keepers, hair-stylists and the list is so long…) what we do know is our “Conversations with Friends” are so fundamental to our lives, then, now and always.

P.S. – Thank you, Kimberly! (Cheering you with a virtual champagne toast!)