Networking 2.3

I had the pleasure of meeting with Edgar Dobie yesterday. He is the new Managing Director of Arena Stage and the producer of 9 to 5. I wrote him and said I would like to meet with him with no set agenda and I think it was a great first meeting. He commented more than once on my card and how thoughtful it was.

I got to ask him questions about how he got started and hear some interesting stories about his career path. He also asked about mine and what I thought about certain things. I was impressed with how much he had done in so little time. He has not only been the head of several regional theatres but produced many commercial Broadway productions. He also was the president of the Really Useful Theatre Company for the first six years of its life. I was setting there think he should right write a book.

Why I am talking about this meeting. Well, it goes back to networking. I reached out and took a chance of meeting a producer and guess what it worked. I have sent out many cards like that and only a few get responses but even if I get one response and meeting like I had yesterday it would be worth it. I hope to meet with him again and find a way for me to learn from him. Take a chance and reach out to someone who could expand your network. You never know what might happen.