Some opportunities arrive with months of planning.
Others begin with a casual conversation at a ribbon cutting at Cowboy Chicken in Plano.
This week was definitely the second kind.
Tuesday: Helping a Friend
While attending a Plano Chamber ribbon cutting, I learned that my friend, Crystal Dobrenic of A 1 Affordable Garage Door Services, would be unable to attend Friday’s Plano Chamber networking meeting.
Without giving it much thought, I volunteered to deliver her 30-second elevator pitch.
What should have been a simple 30-second elevator pitch would soon involve cardboard, a Slinky, a narrator, two unsuspecting friends, and me dressed as a garage door spring.
Oh, and Home Run Pest & Termite Control and Abracadabra Lawn Pest & Weed Control would become partial sponsors of this theatrical extravaganza.
Since Crystal wasn’t there, I’d combine her 30-second elevator pitch with my own, giving me a luxurious 90 seconds. In the Chamber world, that’s practically a Broadway production.
Wednesday: The Idea Begins
Although my schedule was packed, my brain quietly worked on the problem in the background.
The first idea appeared:
Become a human garage door.
Ridiculous?
Absolutely.
Which usually means I’m headed in the right direction.
Thursday: Building a Garage Door
Thursday was production day.
My first thought was to tape together several cardboard boxes, but that seemed like more work than necessary and probably wouldn’t look very convincing.
Then inspiration struck.
A tri-fold cardboard presentation board.
One extra score line transformed it into a four-panel garage door.
Perfect.
I’m not the kind of artist who can draw realistic objects by hand, so I happily let technology create a beveled garage door panel that I printed twelve times. I carefully aligned each section, doing my best to make it look like an actual garage door.
Meanwhile, the script was already taking shape in my head. I simply refined it with a little help from ChatGPT.
Every production needs a supporting cast.
I texted my friend Cherie Privett from City Missions and asked if she would play along.
Thankfully…
She immediately said yes.
Whew.
Becoming Susie Spring
Now I had another challenge.
If I was going to portray a garage door spring, how exactly does one look like a garage door spring?
Then I remembered.
Somewhere in my closet was a Slinky from a birthday party several years ago. (Thank you, Kathryn Ikle)
Perfect.
At first I balanced it on the brim of a hat.
Meh.
Not quite.
Then I glanced across my living room and noticed a mannequin wearing an Elizabethan collar.
That was it.
I connected the ends of the Slinky together and wore it around my neck like a modern-day Elizabethan collar.
Instantly…
Susie Spring was born.
One More Crazy Idea
As I rehearsed the script, something still felt missing.
A narrator.
Late Thursday evening, I sent my friend Scott Vowinkle from Community Impact a hopeful text asking if he would help.
Rather than waiting for his reply, I went ahead and designed the social media graphic announcing all four of us.
Surely he’ll say yes.
Besides…
By that point it was much too late to change directions. 😉
The Detail Nobody Would Notice
As I admired the finished garage door, I realized something was missing.
The handle.
No one else would probably notice.
I certainly could have skipped it.
I even told myself this was a lesson in letting go of perfection.
Nope.
The garage door needed a handle.
Finding one required far more effort than any reasonable person would invest.
Eventually…
Success.
Now the garage door was complete.
Friday Morning
By 7:20 Friday morning, I arrived at the Plano Chamber carrying a full-size cardboard garage door and wearing a Slinky around my neck.
Cherie enthusiastically embraced the absurdity.
Scott glanced over his narration, and his years in radio immediately elevated the production. He set the tone from the opening line and delivered the perfect closing.
Everything was ready.
At 7:52 a.m…
The show debuted.
Then, at 9:56 a.m., we performed it again for the Chamber’s second networking session.
Thank You
A huge thank you to Crystal Dobrenic of A 1 Affordable Garage Door Services for trusting me to represent your company while you were away.
Thank you to Scott Vowinkle of Community Impact and Cherie Privett of City Missions for enthusiastically jumping into the production.
And thank you to the Plano Chamber of Commerce and its members for creating an environment where business owners genuinely support one another, think creatively, and celebrate each other’s success.
Helping someone else’s business succeed is one of the best parts of Chamber membership.
The Real Story
During the second networking session, our Question of the Day was:
“If you could meet any author, who would it be?”
My answer was immediate.
Dale Carnegie.
The author of How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
I told the group that Dale Carnegie is the only reason I can stand in front of a room full of professionals with a cardboard garage door and a Slinky around my neck without worrying what people think.
Years ago, I never would have done something like this.
Today, I look for opportunities to dramatize ideas, help others succeed, and have a little fun along the way.
Funny enough…
This entire adventure wasn’t really about garage doors.
It was about relationships.
Helping a friend.
Saying yes to an opportunity.
And discovering that sometimes the best way to make an idea memorable is to become the garage door spring.
If you’ve ever wondered what Dale Carnegie is all about, I’d love to tell you more. I’ll even buy you a coffee.
There is a FREE Dale Carnegie Preview Session coming up in September where you’ll experience many of the principles that have changed my life and continue to influence how I build relationships, communicate, and serve others.
👉 Click here to learn more about the free September preview session.
big bertha's adventures 