#FYI: In Miami, the word “pro” does not reference a “business professional”
Getting back on the mojo train, I had a series of meetings yesterday evening, and one of the ways to avoid the traps of traffic and rush hour is to “stack” them. I basically park myself in a general area (or sometimes same building), and pack my schedule with approximately one hour each meeting, with a 30 minute buffer that I use to either send a thank you note, or make whatever calls I need to make. It’s great, and I used to do it all the time in LA. (Hence how you are able to get so much done in a single day and not sit in bullshit traffic.)
I went to this very posh establishment that I had frequented the week before. Breathtakingly beautiful property. Sincerely.
Meeting one is awesome. Great guy. Older gentleman. We were both meeting people for dinner, and when he stood up to leave, he warned me saying, “be careful here. They are pros.”
What do you mean? I asked in a very naive manner.
Jen, I know I’m an attractive guy and all, but when women keep staring and staring at me they are very clearly giving me a sign that they are “available.” They are testing to see if you can “close.”
Are we talking about prostitutes? I whispered.
Bingo! Welcome to South Florida, he said laughing. You’re a pretty girl, and that’s not always a good thing.
He then left, and I stayed to finish my glass of wine. I chose to embrace the situation rather than run.
About 5 minutes later I had a call with an ad agency. When I’m “in the zone” I can literally block everything out. All I wanted to do was take this call, ask my questions, answer his - and if we like each other schedule a face to face.
Great call, but when I was done I noticed the two girls that were sitting across the way were now on either side of me. Not talking to each other, it was an attempt to talk to me.
20 uncomfortable, “you’re in my personal space” seconds later, my buddy A texted me. He works in PR and was having (to say the least) a very bad day. A highly regarded newspaper “exposed” some internal flaws in their processing of an equally high profile celebrity.
Bad news bears.
He asked for my opinion, and advice, and as we were texting back and forth the women very blatantly were trying to read my screen. Fortunately, it is cracked, but still.
I then turned down the brightness making it even harder for them to view, and called my buddy as a signal to these broads that this was legit business, and I was not a threat to their, uh, “business.”
A and I talked for 15- 20 minutes, and during that time both of the women were joined by men. I don’t know how to describe it other than they weren’t “coupley.” The girls still had their body language facing me, and the guys had theirs in the opposite direction (even though their shoulders were touching).
The woman on my left then said something in Spanish to the guy with her, and then a moment later said, “no she’s not.”
By the time I hung up the phone, the couples had left, and I went upstairs to to have dinner.
You’re not going to believe what just happened, I said ...
(This is going to be a fun summer in Miami!)
