A Year Later: The Lessons That Last
About a year ago, I wrapped up an event that had its fair share of hiccups. Most were the usual “day-of” surprises that come with the territory, but one stood out—a vendor relationship that ended more awkwardly than I would have liked. At the time, I told myself, that’s business, things don’t always work out. And I moved on.
But as the months passed, I started noticing that vendor’s work again. I’d see their posts on LinkedIn, drop an occasional comment (emojis included), and slowly realized something: even though our collaboration hadn’t ended smoothly, I still respected their expertise. More than that, I found myself wanting to stay connected.
What Time Taught Me
Recently, we reconnected. Sure, we hashed out a few things—but more importantly, we laughed, commiserated, and admitted that we had both learned from the mistakes that contributed to our “not-so-ideal” ending. What struck me most was that things aren’t always as they appear from the outside. Once we had a chance to talk openly, the situation looked very different—and I was grateful I had left the door open.
Why This Matters
Projects will always have bumps. Budgets change, deadlines slip, expectations shift. But people carry on. And those same people often show back up in your professional orbit, sometimes when you least expect them.
That’s why respect, kindness, and professionalism matter, even in tough moments. They keep doors open. They create space for perspective. And they allow for second chances, sometimes even stronger than the first.
The Real Takeaway
A year later, the details of that event are already fuzzy. What lingers is how I handled the relationships around it. My biggest lesson? Your career isn’t defined by the perfect events you execute; rather, it’s defined by the people you meet along the way and how you treat them when things don’t go according to plan.
I’ve written before about the power of connections, and this experience reminded me again: relationships matter. People matter. And how you choose to show up in those moments will always take you further than any single win.
