I FINALLY get to announce the project that I have been working on since the beginning of December. It all started at a dinner at Brunswick and Hunt with Marty Griswold (Publisher for Seattle Met) and Chuck Zimmerman (Principal - Director Client Services, Northwest Polite Society). That evening was the first time that I had a chance to sit down with them both and hear the story of how they met and how they each ended up doing what they do in their careers. Three hours later I was bubbling over feeling so incredibly happy that I got to have dinner with the two of them and just couldn't believe what a great time I had with them both.
Delicious grapes, grapes, grapes the kitchen had made us, paired perfectly with champagne. Are you beginning to see why it might just have been the start of something fabulous?
At the end of the evening, Marty and Chuck gave me a ride home, and my heart was so very filled. I was just hoping that I would have the chance to work with them again in the future. I had gotten to hear their stories of their personal paths and to share all that I had been working on, trying to do things that were true to who I am yet disruptive and beneficial to the businesses I was working with. We talked about our passion for Seattle and the creative community, how we wanted to see it reach the next level. I went to sleep that night with a stomach full of delicious food and bubbling over with dreams for the future of our community.
Fast forward two weeks later, I got an email from Chuck sharing that he had been speaking with Hans Kehl (COO at Northwest Polite Society) and they were wondering if I would be interested in coming in to meet with them, so we could each learn about each other's businesses. I was intrigued and eagerly accepted. Next thing you know I am there and Hans is telling me their idea for the "Esther project" which was the beginning of us brainstorming Cultural Ambassador. We agreed to form a partnership to combine our powers to create experiences and empower influencers on a whole new level. I can't begin to tell you how incredible it was to have someone say we see what you are doing and we want to work with you. It was a massive validation of something I have been working very hard at and invested a lot of my heart, money, time, etc. into. Not to mention to be teaming up with Northwest Polite Society allows our combined strengths to shine. Hans challenges me to articulate business value more succinctly, Chuck knows the clients and is the biggest encourager ever, and the cultural institutions that Northwest Society is connected with could open some really awesome new doors (this just scraping the surface of the power of this partnership!).
In the following days I will be sharing more behind the scenes about the creative process, the people involved and how we see this as an opportunity to take Seattle to the next level. I hope that you will join the journey, because I have a sneaking suspicion it's going to be a good one.
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Top photo by: The fabulous Lindsey Bolling!