How it all began.

It was early 2008 and I was working at the front desk of The Westin River North. For months, I’d take the Red Line to the State/Lake stop only to backtrack my way up Dearborn with the hopes of bumping into someone outside Leo Burnett who was looking to hire a girl like me.

Then, one unassuming Saturday night in May, I was asked to stay a bit after my shift to cover for my coworker, who was running late. Around 11pm, a tired and unshaven man without a reservation walked in needing a room. Gruffly, he mentioned he worked for Leo Burnett across the river; there must be a corporate rate he could use. I gently noted corporate rates needed to be booked in advance but reassured him we had a nice room available for $342. Disappointed, he gave me his information. As I was entering it into the system, I mentioned I had applied for a few positions at Leo Burnett and no one was calling me back. Interested, he asked, “Oh yeah? What do you want to do?” I said I wanted to work in account, perhaps strategy down the line. He told me he worked on the Kellogg and Nintendo accounts. After handing him his room key and directing him to the elevators, he gave me his business card and asked me to give him a call on Monday; that maybe he could find someone who would call me back.

Monday came. I nervously dialed the number. A woman cheerfully answered the desk phone, “Rick Houghton-Larsen’s office, this is Rosa.” Without much prep, I started, “Hi, Rosa. My name is Rose. I met Rick at the hotel on Saturday night…” taking a beat to swallow, I realized how wrong it sounded. There was no turning back, “…he told me to call on Monday.”

After a short pause, I heard her repeat what I said through the hand-covered mouthpiece, “It’s a girl name Rose. You met her at the hotel on Saturday night? You told her to call you.”

Enthusiastically, Rick took the phone, “Hello, Rose. Here’s what I’m going to do – I’m going to give the phone back to Rosa and she’s going to find some time on my calendar for you to come here and talk to me about what you want to do and why.” And, that was that.

On July 9, I took the train to the State/Lake Red Line stop, except this time I entered the doors to the Leo Burnett Building and made my way up to reception on the 21st floor.

Rosa met me with her kind smile and Rick was in a fine mood. 10-minutes into our conversation, he stopped me mid-sentence to make a phone call. “Hi. Do you have a few minutes? I have a nice girl in my office and you’re a much better judge of character than I. Can you come meet her?”

Ultimately, I started at Leo Burnett five months after that fateful Saturday night at the hotel and coincidentally right before a long hiring freeze.

Luck? Maybe a pinch. But, I like to believe everything happens for a reason.