Because "Life is What Happens..."

Around 26 years ago I was a seventeen year old girl on a flight to Los Angeles with my parents. We had to connect in Dallas to get to LAX and we were flying non-rev on my sister's tickets. They couldn't seat us all together on that leg of the flight so my parents sent me off to sit by myself and I sat next to a young business man on the very last row.

Image borrowed from Jacob Morgan

I don't remember how we struck up a conversation but we talked the entire flight. We talked and we laughed until someone on one of the rows in front of us shushed us, which of course made us giggle even more. He was the perfect flight companion and you're probably wondering if he asked me for my number or if we ever saw one another again. The problem was I was 17 and he was probably around 27 or 30 and no, he was never inappropriate in any way. And yes he was very handsome.

I was telling my sisters and my dad this story last weekend and there was a funny part to the story that I don't remember that often. We talked about me speaking, reading and writing Spanish fluently and also that I was studying it in school. I was taking Spanish IV my senior year. He asked me if I could translate a business brochure for him. It was just a small 8.5 x 11 tri-fold about some optical equipment. I can't remember if he gave it to me then or if he mailed it to me, but the point is that I did. I translated it for him and then had my Spanish teacher proof it for me. In the age before fax machines and email I put it in the mail and sent it back to him. He then mailed me a check for $50 or $100. I can't remember the exact amount.

The funny part of this story is what I was doing at such a young age. I was selling my services while striking up a rapport with this guy. I wish I could remember his name just to send him a note saying hello. All I remember is that he had something to do with the optical business and that he lived in Arlington, TX. I should have known then that I had a future in sales. "Life is what happens," and apparently it's what's been happening since I was 17.

This was just the first step in many other interesting twists and turns that my life would take. From choosing Waltrip High School IB instead of HSPVA for creative writing when I was in 8th grade, to taking 3 more years of Spanish in high school and one year of French. Later switching from wanting to be a journalist to selling advertising when I was a freshman in college, to presenting the new product we were selling called La Voz the year I was an intern at the Chronicle, on to my many many experiences that have led up to who I am now. Every decision I made added more to my experience.

The past two weeks have been extremely interesting and full of serendipity. I never imagined that all I had to do was say that I was open for business and that this many people would reach out to me. I realize it's still early in the game, and not all the calls will turn into business, but it's nice to know that the possibility is there.

I have a feeling that when I'm ready to give Casares Communications my 100% I will be successful. I've spent the last twenty years selling someone else's product and I know that if I can sell them I can sell me, the product I know and trust the most.

For now I'm sticking to my plan to stay free this summer. I'm taking only a few select projects so I can have the time to spend with my kids, my dad and my house. But come August I will be in business full time so watch out!