Lonely Planet TV and Dine.TO for giving me a chance to contribute; a chance to re-enter the workforce; a chance to regain my dignity.
A little history first.
Working at The Score for ten years gave me a strong foundation of what it's like to work for a deadline-oriented, results-driven environment. A television network does that. I couldn't have asked for a better first job coming out of University. A television network is usually full of ego and full of energy that's tough to bottle up. There is so much creativity and talent around every corner that if you can't keep up with it and contribute some of your own, you may feel left out. Relatively speaking, The Score did a great job bringing everyone into the fold and making even the new guys and girls feel part of the team.
But as it were, after spending ten years at The Score and doing everything from Live Sportscasting, to Interviewing Olympians and getting paid to watch Live sporting events, I had to move on. It was time for a real change and a step I had to take.
Unfortunately, months of instability, stress and a shitty economic situation was negatively affecting my sanity and my ability to make ends meet...much less eat. Money was tough to come by.
So like anyone in this situation of depleted savings, I hustled to find a job. After being told I'm over-qualified from several places, I thought about it.
I love traveling. I love food. First the travel thing.
In October 2008, Lonely Planet TV finally answered my hundreds of emails. A glimmer. A beacon of light in what seemed to be an endless, depressing desert....not to get overly dramatic or anything. But it's kinda true.
I would be given a chance to Direct, Produce, Write and Host a Travel Doc about Toronto, for the Lonely Planet.
A dream come true. Lonely Planet! The worldwide leader in travel.
3 months later, Freezing Your Rocks Off, in Toronto was born.
One year later, Painting the Nuit Blanche, in Toronto was also released.
I have plenty more ideas, some have been pitched to Lonely Planet TV. They are pending review. Regardless, the opportunity to reach out and connect with LPTV, across 15 time zones and have them trust me to conceive, develop and complete 2 travel docs, is almost surreal. I thank LPTV for the chance to show my skills and contribute to their archive.
Now onto Dine.TO. The food thing.
I wrote the editor of this online-based Marketing and Hospitality company a sample restaurant review with the hopes that she would like it and invite me to be part of the food critic team. It worked. I got the interview and got the job. Now it didn't pay much but I didn't complain. Eating for free and writing about it. Not a bad gig.
Then in the summer of 2009, things started getting very interesting. I had never met the big boss of Dine.TO until August, more than 3 months after I started working for him.
I introduce myself and he's happy to meet me. After a few minutes of small talk, he explains that his brother, who owns a restaurant in Florida and whom he recently visited, mentioned my name in conversation. I'm taken aback. I had never met his brother and as I mentioned, I hadn't met my new boss until today.
How does my name come up in conversation between 2 guys I had never met?
Turns out my family, who live in Florida, frequent the restaurant his brother owns. In fact, they eat there every time they're in Orlando. It's gotten to the point they're there so much they've developed a personal relationship with the Restaurateur/brother. My uncle mentions that he has a nephew who recently became a restaurant Writer in Toronto. I assume the Restaurateur mentions that his brother owns a restaurant review/hospitality company in Toronto. Put them both together and word travels fast. The culmination being that day in August.
Amazing how small the world can be sometimes. Just amazing. What are the odds of that?
A few months have passed since and a new year has begun. 2010 brought a renewed sense of trust, belonging and motivation. Dine.TO is trusts me to manage accounts and Direct/Produce/Host Chef Profile videos featuring top Chefs from around Toronto. The first Chef Vid is set to be released in the coming days. Stay tuned.
I thank both Lonely Planet TV and Dine.TO for trusting me. For allowing me to regain my confidence and continue to ignite my creative spirit. Both have allowed me to illustrate my skills and renewed my motivation to keep doing well.
Most importantly, both have given me a chance... to contribute.
