Chloe asks over the dessert course, strawberries and yogurt, “How do you know what they want from you in these pitch meetings?”
Mentor Funa calms her anxiety, “Don’t go into it as if they’re ready to say no. Be confident.”
Chloe remains unsure, “But how do I know they actually like what I’m pitching?”
Jeremy wipes his mouth before speaking, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions: Is this the type of show your company is interested in? What projects are you looking for?”
Chloe looks down into her now empty plate, “I just get so nervous.”
I add my two cents, “Remember, they want to meet you. Don’t be afraid to be authentically yourself. I go in as the cringiest version of me, I start by asking everyone, ‘What’s your zodiac sign?’ And if they think I’m weird then they aren’t for me. Usually they love it!” She nods at this, taking it all in. A realization stirs inside me. Part of what I offer as a mentor is myself. How I’m unyieldingly me: southern, emotional, quiet and then loudly passionate. That’s the best thing any of us bring to the table, ourselves.
We transition over to the villa living room. I announce to the group that I have my tarot cards if they want to meet with me for a one on one reading. Someone brought back Lays Classiche flavor from in town. We munch on chips and sip white wine. The nights are the best at residency. The daytime is about focus. Not necessarily gunning for words to come, but allowing creativity to flow naturally. At night, we play together. Before the game of Mafia begins, both the fellows and mentors alike come to me in various spots of the villa—by the fire, the living room sofa, the green chairs downstairs. Whether you trust the cards or not, it is nice to speak intimately with someone.
Unknowingly, they ask similar questions while touching the deck. What does the future hold? Where will I be in one year? Ten? Tarot is not a fortune teller, but a reflection. I shuffle. They tell me when to stop. The cards remind them that they’ve made lasting connections and have support. That they will be successful, so long as they define success for themselves. I’m offering them something else as a mentor. The insight that imposter syndrome doesn’t go neatly away, but your belief in yourself grows stronger. It must. All of us needed that word. I end each session with a tight hug. Jeremy calls down, “Are the readings done? We’re about to play!”
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