Show, Don't Tell
Are you going to miss your industry showcase?
We’re HURTING for you. We understand that many of you make choices of which school you go to, the workload you put in, and the debt you acquire based on the industry showcase waiting for you at the end. If it’s not happening for you, we’re BUMMED for you. You’re allowed the rest of the day to be upset. And then...
We still hear these words ringing in our ears:
Things will not be the same, so don’t approach them the same way.
And what if this is for the best? Showcasing is an interesting element of our business. It’s a lot like the NFL combine. I know… SPORTSBALL, but go with me for a second.
The NFL combine is a complicated event designed to determine the best players in the upcoming draft. Elite college players gather and test their 40-yard dashes, vertical jumps, agility, strength, and other fitness trials. They measure a lot of components that go into playing football, but there’s one thing they never do:
Play a real football game.
Famously, Tom Brady, who is widely considered the greatest football player of all time, was terrible at the NFL combine. He’s not fast, strong, or agile. There were 198 players picked before Tom Brady the year he was drafted. But you know what Tom Brady is really good at? Playing real football games.
In our estimation, showcases work the same way. The people that do the best walk out there confidently, belt a high note, kick their face, and say something funny. Many times, these people are also fantastic and deserving performers. Sometimes, they’re just the people who “showcase well”. The people who look good, delight the crowd, and get off the stage before they get in their own way.
And, to this point, showcases can make or break your career. It’s one of those early investments that can change your trajectory quickly. Certain schools get the most eyeballs at their showcase and the people who are best at “showcasing” win the day.
Not this year. This year is for the Tom Brady’s that never would’ve been found otherwise.
If you lost your opportunity to showcase, or never had a proper opportunity to showcase, our challenge to you is simple. Do your thing. Figure out the format that showcases you best. Play the real game.
Don’t put limits on the format.
SHOW the world what you can do, don’t TELL the world what you would’ve done.
If it’s world-class, and we know it will be, people will watch. We love watching people DO THEIR DAMN THING.
DO YOUR DAMN THING. Send it to us. We’ll get as many eyeballs as we can on it.
Peter and Kat