New York, what dreams are made of
From the moment I landed, my heart started to sing. I've been to New York more than 100 times, yet it still has me hooked. No matter what airport you land, you know that the drive to your hotel or wherever you are staying is going to make you come alive in a way that no other city in the world is able to do.
As a marketer, it's a dream. I cannot stop looking at every sign I see, the buildings, art galleries, people... it's all there.
New York is not a classically beautiful city, but it is the city 'where dreams are made' and every person comes alive. If you are not careful, it can eat you alive, or it can literally make you. There is so much opportunity. My friend lives in the apartment building that Jennifer Lawrence lives in, and her visitors are without doubt, the who's who of Hollywood. But that means nothing. No-one cares, least of all me. What I care about is how imaginative the city is, and the creative spaces it has. The fact that artist are everywhere, and nature is right at the centre. From glamour to grunge, to downright dirty - it's here in abundance.
It never sleeps and nor will you. Whether you live there permanently or visit like I do, sleeping is not an option. I put my head on the pillow one night at midnight, only to find that I woke up two hours later with a bunch of business ideas, that I had to write down. Then one idea turned into two and three. It kept going. I watched the sun come up and didn't feel an ounce of jetlag. I couldn't wait to see my friends to tell them all about these amazing ideas that I had been thinking about all night.
The next day, I woke up and had breakfast with an entrepreneur friend of mine. She is one of the most talented people I know. We talked and talked about life and business, things we would like to do, and places we would like to go.
Hours later I was sitting in a typical New York apartment, eating garden fresh cuisine at an Inc writers home talking about media and public speaking along with a tonne of business ideas.
He pulled me up when I said that it doesn't take a lot to run a marketing company that is successful, and I don't know why so many go bust. "Yes it does! Don't sell yourself short. You work hard, know your stuff and keep innovating," he said. I suppose he is right. Standing still sends you backwards and I always choose to go forwards.
New York is a place where I won't ever call "home" because I would 'never sleep' and would eventually burn out. However, it is a place that I love to visit and spend time expanding my mind, talking to people, looking at window displays and thinking about ways I could market better. It challenges me like no other city and the people call you out - which I also love. I am pressured to step up and not just be a bystander. Instead, I have to bring myself to the table and make sure that through authenticity I differentiate myself from the person standing beside me.
I make connections; some for business, some for life.
New York. I really do love you.
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comments ( 6 )
Megan
09 Jul 2018You really do sell yourself short, the simple fact that after 15 years of owning your own company you're still staying up all hours of the night brainstorming business ideas that you are so passionate about is exactly what I aspire to be like. Your friend is on the money.
ReplyTom D
09 Jul 2018An interesting concept that a location can influence an individual so deeply as to make them feel alive. New York is well known for this phenomenon, a place of great inspiration. Again, parallels can be drawn to a smaller environment, the workplace culture, to which should be as energetic as a city like New York to inspire those within its limits. Also, I'm a big fan of the LCD Soundsystem reference.
ReplyTom
06 Jul 2018This article is interesting in that a city which is so different yet similar to Sydney has such an influence on how you can feel and think. It makes me wonder how a workplace could be set up to give employees a similar effect to being in New York to increase creativity and innovative thinking.
ReplyMinh Nguyen
06 Jul 2018Travelling is one of the best ways that a marketer can open their mind about many perspectives of the world. Ideas will come when your brain is activated in a dynamic environment.
ReplyRachel
05 Jul 2018Lots of American drama show how attractive and beauty New York is, if people have not been to New York, they would still feel how energetic New York is. Having been to New York for once, I felt that New York is a 24 hours city. lots of business are still operate in late night, energy never burnt out. I strongly suggest that try to see how far you can go when you are still young, travel more, see more and feel more.
ReplyCherry
05 Jul 2018Being a marketer need to go everywhere and new places to learn and explore something new. When I go to a new place, I would also leave some time to explore the city and learn the culture there.
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