Last month, I travelled to New York.
A revisit to the city - this time as a business trip - has been on my list for ages. So in spite of the craziness that’s unraveling in the US, I still decided to travel. New York feels in many ways as a bubble, not at all like what we see on daily television. I was visiting with a clear non-political focus: how’s life as a creative professional in the Big Apple?
Now that I’m back home, I feel eager to share the things that I saw, felt and noticed. In this newsletter, I’ll describe scenes and snippets from the (mental) notebook I kept there. Travel along with me.
1 | A vibrating energy
When you’re in New York, the city itself holds a certain contagious energy, but so are the people. The way New Yorkers look at their job, at their ideas and at each other is different. Everything happens faster. People try out, fail, try something else and go forward. When visiting the city, you tangiblely feel this specific energy.
2 | One single train ride
The way people show up in daily life reflects a feeling of freedom. At the same time, you notice an enormous diversity in society. It’s fascinating to observe people of so many cultures and such different lives during a single subway ride. I wish I could put New York’s energy in a bottle and take it home. Instead I’m considering this newsletter as that bottle, and I gladly share.
3 | Opportunities, never without others
Opportunities almost always arise through others. Networking isn’t just a bonus, it’s the very foundation of everything.
4 | The Writer
Hélène Potier-Drummond told me she would’ve never become a writer if she wouldn’t live in New York. Not because of lack of talent, but because of the encouraging environment. In Europe you get Are you sure you want to do this? In New York you’re fueled by a Go for it! vibe.
5 | A rough start
Stylist and graphic designer Thibault Goossens experienced a rough first year in New York with loneliness, homesickness and lack of a social network. One encounter with one person (who also became his partner) changed his life, convinced him to follow his dreams instead of walking the classic career path in economics and introduced him to contacts in the fashion industry.
6 | After you choose
Thibaults story not only confirms the importance of getting to know the right people, it’s also about daring to choose, and then to focus on a clear direction and to work hard. His yearly plan is a true compass for him: “You know where you’re heading, but you’re flexible enough along the road for detours, new ideas, new projects.”
7 | Transactional connections
Connecting with people sometimes feels transactional in New York, says Thibault. With a ‘what’s in it for me’ vibe. That’s why he got a lot of last minute meeting cancellations during that first year.
8 | Inspirational advice
I attended an artist talk at the International Studio & Curatorial Program. The insights I was fed, I could instantly pass on to a coachee: dare to think bigger, consider residences, be open to opporunities outside your current scope.
9 | The spontaneity
I walked into a gallery in Williamsburgh, unplanned. There, I had a long conversation with Awita, who then invited me to a vernissage a couple of days later. Stuff like that seems to happen all the time, because people are constantly on the move.
10 | The toll
The contagious, fast, raving energy is also quite intense. Life is expensive, plans are uncertain, it’s not easy to keep the balance. It’s not a magical place where everything unfolds just like that. It takes a lot. Consciously taking moments of rest are mandatory to stay sane.
11 | The New York effect
I notice a different drive in myself since coming back and I hope to keep that as long as possible. The way I work, the way I act towards others, it has changed. I feel highly confident. Pitching comes easier and more natural. And more than ever I feel the urge to connect people: you two should meet, you could mean a lot to each other!
So maybe this is the one I want to end my travel diary with: when we help others grow, it strengthens and inspires everyone involved. We should do that, make connection, push one another forward. We should support each other openly and fiercely. In whatever segment, with whatever idea.