A New Project Takes Shape...

This morning, I had an epiphany about a new project.  I love hearing about other people’s jobs, especially the real nitty gritty of day-to-day responsibilities.  Details that seem mundane to one person can really get me going. Once I got to do a drugstore visit (to check on displays of her line and the competition) with a friend who is in brand management for Trojan.  It took approximately five minutes, yet I’m still talking about it.  For her, it’s routine.

Often, we hear someone’s job title and make assumptions about what they do because we’re too embarrassed to admit we have no idea what that job actually involves.  At least, that’s what I used to do before I realized that asking the follow-up “what does that mean exactly?” can lead to some great conversations. 

This is particularly true for me because I went to an undergrad business school and lots of my friends work in finance.  I used to nod in understanding when words like “fixed income” or “mezzanine debt” would come up, but in reality I would have no clue what they were talking about.  Maybe since we’re farther out from our shared education, or simply because I’m older and have a different perspective (read: I don’t care if I look/sound stupid), I no longer have qualms about admitting I need more information.  And most people are more than eager to share.

Last night, I went to a college alumnae event without high expectations.  I hoped to catch up with a few people, maybe make some new acquaintances.  The women in attendance were very friendly and eager to connect with new people, which always makes this type of event (any party, really) more engaging.  Few people knew each other well beforehand, which was ideal.  It meant people could mingle freely, walking up to unknown groups of guests already in conversation without fear of being snubbed or ignored. 

I approached a group of four women at one point, introduced myself, and simply began asking them one by one about their jobs and backgrounds.  I kind of felt bad about this “job interview” style of conversation, but I wasn’t getting much help from the other people in the circle so I just kept going. 

I came away from the event meeting, among others:

•  A bioengineer who is developing a type of base for corneal tissue regeneration that will help people who might otherwise lose their eyesight.  In the developed world, many people with damaged corneas can get transplants, but in less developed countries without high participation in organ donation, this isn’t an option.  Regrowing the body’s own tissue around this sort of artificial base would represent a vast improvement for these people.
• A young woman with a successful business not just teaching violin but also acting in a concierge capacity for people who are studying violin and/or need their string instruments repaired.  Evidently she noticed that in her area, there are only one or two shops selling/repairing instruments.  They don’t provide a high quality product and they charge exorbitantly for repairs.  She is able to rent out higher quality instruments at a lower cost than buying the subpar instruments and is also able to knowledgably represent the owners in the repair process and negotiate better rates for them.  Fascinating.
• A young architect whose firm is working on the tallest building in the world (in Saudi Arabia), and she’s specifically involved in designing the spire.  (We briefly touched on men’s obsession with claiming the “tallest” spire/building, and the high materials and design cost that boast ultimately requires.)

After meeting so many interesting women, I was struck by a desire to share their stories.  When we go to parties like this, we have these fleeting encounters with people, maybe pass along the highlights to a select few significant others or family members, and then they’re lost into the ether.  This morning I decided I would attempt to share stories like this in a more structured way.  

I’d like to informally interview people in a comfortable, casual setting and share their stories on a website.  Although I plan to interview women about their jobs, I won’t overly focus on work/family balance or “having it all”.  I’d just like to learn and share about their occupations and the quirky, funny, mundane aspects of them.  Let me know if this sounds interesting to you, if you have any suggestions, and if you know any women I should interview.