In Relentless Pursuit of a Selfie
About a month ago, I found myself at a Chick-Fil-A on a warm late evening in Orlando the night before the One21 Conference began. My room wasn’t as close to the conference center as I was expecting so after I unpacked my bags I wandered down the street for an unwinding walk and to see what was within walking distance. I found a Walgreens for snacks and supplements and Chick-fil-A for a hot dinner. I normally don’t drink powerade but thought the electrolytes were a good choice after a long travel day. And I don’t remember why, but they gave me a free chocolate chip cookie.
At this point, I’d been with Century 21 North Homes Realty for barely a year. I’ve seen photos and messages from Century 21 professionals all over the place. So here I am walking around Chick-fil-A and I see a man alone at a table that I immediately thought looked like Century 21’s CEO Mike Miedler. In this moment, I was in a state of sleep deprivation, impatience with my slow real estate career start, and hunger. Moreover, most of me was looking for inspiration and motivation, not to make a name for myself networking. So I didn’t feel too inspired to ask this guy if he worked for Century 21. I had also convinced myself there was no way the President of a multi-million dollar global real estate powerhouse was eating dinner alone at a fast food joint the night before his annual conference started. It made more sense that I, the tattooed girl with a cutoff T shirt and cloud of chaos about her, was eating a spicy chicken sandwich in the dark. I walked by him a couple times to grab napkins and mustard. I sat down to eat outside and when I looked back inside, he was gone.
The next day was the “Pre conference learning” day and I enrolled in the Military Relocation Professionals training (which was awesome) so I had to wait until Saturday to see just how many people turned up for One21. Hundreds of thousands. At the opening live event, I saw Mike Meidler present on stage and immediately thought “Well he does have the same haircut as that guy…” and amusingly thought I’d run into him after the event and ask him. No such luck.
Sunday, the second and middle day of the 3-day One21 Conference, after all the learning labs (my brain was FULL) and expo, I was on my way to dinner at the main restaurant of the resort, A Land Remembered, with my Washington colleagues from Century 21 North Homes. On my way out of the small bathroom by the market and pool, I swung open the door to see Mike walk directly in front of me. We made eye contact and smiled and I walked on. I realized now was my chance to ask him if he was the Chick-fil-A guy, but I did NOT want to wait outside the bathroom like a creep. In this moment, Will from Build A Sign walked by. I had just come from the expo where I met Will and entered to win a gift certificate raffle from his company for free signs and had a good chat with him maybe an hour prior. I briefly explained my situation and if I should stick around or not. Mind you, maybe 15 seconds had gone by. He said “Go for it.” And Will walked away. I checked my pocket for my phone. It wasn’t in the usual spot so I dropped my bag and began looking for it. By the time I found my phone, I looked up to see Mike walking into the lobby I was standing in. As I was putting on my backpack, I asked “Hey, I have a weird question. Did you have dinner at Chick-fil-A the other night?” To my immense surprise, he said “Yes, were you there? Do you have tattoos?” And I pulled up my sleeves to confirm. We both had a “Wow that was you!” moment. We chatted about late night meals, my first One21 Experience, and how much he loves the company I’m with at North Homes. I walked into dinner with my teammates that night somewhat elated, and mainly wishing I’d have had the bravery to ask him that night at Chick-fil-A. But thinking at least this makes a good story. By the way, dinner was amazing (try the steak!)
The next and final day of the conference, the closing seminar was a Listing Lab with the Harrelson Group and I was deeply motivated by Greg Harrelson’s philosophy and presentation. Mike Meidler also showed up to say a few words. By the end, after Q&A and the room was emptying, for whatever reason I decided “I’m going to get a selfie with these two. Look, they’re right next to each other. May as well.” Self challenge accepted. I walked up to Greg first, listened to how he answered the questions of the few before me, and when his attention turned to me I told him, “This seminar is going to change my life because I’m going to let it.” He asked me where I’m from and we talked about mountains to climb in the Pacific Northwest for a minute, then I asked him for a selfie. And I got it. My friend Michelle (who I met in the MRP class and kept seeing her everywhere at the conference, I mean multiple times each day) asked if I wanted a picture of us taken. After she snapped one of Greg and I, she shouted “Relentless!” and I smiled and skipped off stage in the direction of Mike Meidler… who started walking out of the room and away from me at the very second I started walking toward him. “I’ll get one later,” I thought. And felt rather deflated. But when was “later” and hadn’t I already learned that chances are missed in the moments of self doubt?
So I changed my mind after a minute or so, and began walking hastily down the hall after him. When I caught up to him, I noticed his attention was fully on the advisors he was speaking with. I did not want to interrupt, especially to ask for something as silly as a selfie. We got to an escalator and I stepped on with them several feet in front of me. In the stillness of the slow ascent, with their attention so fully in their conversation, I realized: “Sarah. You are relentless. But you are not a stalker. Let it go.” A the top of the escalator, I walked left as they went right. Accepting that not all self challenges are fruitful.
That evening, we all gathered in the ballroom (because the pool deck party got rained out - boo). I arrived alone and stood in line, somewhat nervous. I turned around to see none other than Mike Meidler, also walking alone, turn to face me not 10 feet away. I silently pointed at him and he smiled. I asked “Can I get a selfie with you?” - no longer feeling the self doubt OR the stalker alert I’m apparently so capable of. He said absolutely. And I got it. Right before someone else pulled away his attention, he looked at me and asked “Chick-fil-A date next time?” Absolutely, Mike.
The best part of this story is that Will ended up texting me that night that I won the gift certificate! I used the money toward new Open House and For Sale signs. This relentless pursuit of a somewhat trivial goal ended in such an unexpected, fun, human way. I got my selfies and an even better story. And a fast food date with the president! If you’re reading this and have goals of your own, big or small, remember to have fun and be patient. Just yesterday, the day before posting this blog, did I use my new signs in the yard of my first listing. Orlando was a ‘land to remember’ indeed. The universe works in mysterious ways.
