“If this is the kind of care you put into a passion project, I need to see what else you can do.”
I sat there, trying my best to disguise my pride as she continued, “You’ll be hearing from me, Pauleanna. Very soon.”
It was the summer of 2019, and through a mutual friend, I’d been introduced to a woman whose reputation truly preceded her. Well sought after by industry leaders, government officials, and local grassroots organizations alike, she needed no introduction. While I was impressed by her lengthy resume, I was equally as inspired by her desire to fulfill a calling that fell just beyond her wheelhouse. Even as widely revered as she was. And that’s where I came in.
While I didn’t have the deeper, more intimate details, I knew just enough to begin carving out what I believed to be the best strategy to get her comfortable pursuing a new endeavor. Before we ever met that July afternoon, I’d researched the work she’d done, the caliber of clients she’d been known to associate with, the industries her work intersected with, and how each vertical played an integral role in the journey she was about to embark on.
But this approach, this level of intention and care I offered her, wasn’t done specifically because of who she was. Over the years, my attention to detail continues to be what my clients expect of me. It’s tightly woven into my decade’s long reputation, and was the very reason I was brought on.
This is what I like to call my “invisible tangibles.”
High-end clients look for patterns and as she looked over the strategy I’d prepared for her, these were all the things that immediately caught her attention. In a single document, I’d been able to set myself apart. I connected the dots, I informed language, and I came up with a path forward, one that sounded and felt true to her, but made it effortless in its inevitable successful execution.
I walked away from that project knowing my work had left an indelible mark. So much so that a few months later, in December of the same year, while I was in Ghana on a volunteer trip, I received a message from her. I reached for my phone and saw two simple words that changed the trajectory of our relationship forever: I’m ready.
Since then, I’ve been her strategic partner on several high stakes, often six and seven figure contracts. Based on her endorsement, I’ve been introduced to those who’ve graciously offered me a seat at tables that continue to play a major role in how industries are shaped. While at those tables, however, I also recognized that what was second nature to me had been the critical and essential patterns executives were on the hunt for in their current and future creative partners. And it’s a strategy I’m happy to share with all of you. The care you put into anything, especially as you build your reputation will always be worth it. My “invisible tangibles” have been key in ensuring that I make first impressions that last, and how I retain and attract new clients. But most of all, it’s the cheatcode you’re looking for to gain the outcomes you’re seeking and the steps that will take your career to the next level.
So, if you’re looking for that extra intentional touch, reach out, and I’m happy to share a glimpse into how I do the same.
A BIT ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Pauleanna Reid. I’m the founder and chief storyteller at WritersBlok where I lead an all-women of color team of celebrity ghostwriters. As a collective, we help industry leaders and doers who are shaping the future turn their personal stories into brand assets so they can stay relevant in a noisy world, communicate to their audience at scale, and turn any conversation into a meaningful and profitable lead. Clients truly trust me with their reputations and their legacies. In fact, when they want to speak up on a hot topic and shake the room, I’m the woman they call. Many of them have me on speed dial, why don’t you?