Thank you for asking…they are all responsible for the serendipitous happenings in their creator’s careers. Stephanie Meyer dreamt about a boy and girl looking longingly at each other in a meadow; she named this boy Edward and Twilight was born from his image. George Lucas didn’t think the Dark Side was sinister enough while shooting Star Wars: A New Hope, so he sacrificed Obi-Wan whose spirit leading the young Luke Skywalker is an immortalized piece of climatic history. Steven Spielberg couldn’t keep the mechanic shark working while filming Jaws. Thus, he decided to show only the shark’s fin, and this sinister use of suspense helped Jaws become the first blockbuster. You can read more about these types of reputation building and career making serendipitous happenings here on FastCompany.com
Serendipity, and the idea of luck in general, is important for social entrepreneurs to keep in mind. There will be hard work, and most likely some hard knocks too, but there will be some unexpected luck as well. Scheduling in some unscheduled time to enjoy a hobby, try a new restaurant or meet a friend is when random luck will find you. Again, this is not to say that luck is the only way you will be successful, but consider this story from recent SEC grad, Jonathan Brody:
“On a Sunday afternoon usually reserved for football at home, a good friend beckoned me to join him at a local restaurant for lunch. While I was truly resisting the invitation, he insisted, and I gave in. At the same time I was becoming very interested in the country of Nicaragua. [Our} requirement to volunteer abroad with [my] Master’s program sparked the new interest. As my friend and I conversed over lunch, I started talking to him about the newfound passion. To my surprise, a lady just a couple chairs over heard the conversation and expressed she had ties to the country. Apparently her ex-husband was an entrepreneur involved in several businesses he started in Nicaragua. She also mentioned his new wife started a foundation called NICA, and I may be able to volunteer with her. I did not think much about the odd encounter, but the lady texted her ex-husband, Chris Marlett, and he introduced me to his wife Terri Marlett to discuss opportunities. After several conversations, a proposal and several months of volunteering, Terri and I launched a venture together in Nicaragua to increase the sustainability of the developing community NICA is working in, El Transito. Lunch with a friend and strange encounter led me to a new purpose in life. One never knows the hidden moments lurking in strange spaces that have the power to change a life forever!”
Jonathan has since moved to Nicaragua and runs the volunteer program for NICA that he and Terri created. While not all of us are looking to take our social enterprises or ventures out of this country, the example of the random luck that occurred one Fall Sunday thanks to an insistent friend that changed Jonathan’s life for the better is inspiring. We can’t really make our luck, but we can take advantage of making ourselves available to let luck find us.
Have you ever had some serendipity come your way? Share it with us in the comments! Inspire us with your story of luck!
Waves of Good 