Well. I was right.
I was the only one wearing Vans. And brown corduroy pants. And no blazer/jacket/whatever. And comic cards for business cards. See what I’m referring to here.
But I have to admit that I did have a good time. It wasn’t as stuffy as I had imagined, to be honest. However, it did make me realize yet again how different I think.
The rules of business have changed. What works has changed. What gets noticed has changed. It’s all different and it seems to me that very few people realize that. I’m not sure if they are caught up in mimicking what others in the past have done or if they are taking too much direction from today’s leaders. Or something else.
I recognize that I don’t know it all. Nor will I act like I do. But at the same time, I have always been someone that recognizes change before it occurs. I used to work for a company that I saw no future for and I was right. I’ve directed clients who didn’t take my advice for web related things and they haven’t prospered. Does that mean they would have if they took my advice? Maybe. Maybe not.
The one thing that I can tell you for sure is that I’m not the only one preaching the changes in this world. Look around at the top of the marketing or creative industries. These people understand the way the world is going much more than us average people do. They see changes and have been for some time.
One last thought. Blazers are a thing of the past. It doesn’t convey professionalism anymore, not to the average person. It conveys a sense of “I’m better than you so respect me.” Respect isn’t commanded. It’s earned. And I’ll spend my life earning it while wearing Transformer shirts and Vans Off The Wall.