Pink

Published On: June 27th, 201320.7 min readBy 11 CommentsCategories: Business, Life, Life Purpose, Meaning of Life, PitchRate, PR, Public Relations, Serbia, Travel

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“It sounds too pink.”

I had no clue what she was talking about. And it seemed completely out of context for what I was trying to communicate. What did the color pink have to do with my commitment to empower the youth of the world? Or my observation that Eastern Europe’s youth were so talented that if you paired them with a spark of entrepreneurial spirit, they could change the world?

It was not only this comment that made the whole scene surreal, it was the whole experience.

I was sitting in an office that couldn’t have been staged better by Hollywood for the making of a movie set in 1970 communist Yugoslavia, drinking what tasted like a powered cappuccino and having a conversation with the equivalent of the mayor, Robert, and his wife, Isabella. She had her two small children at home (where I was) to translate our conversation into English.

Will and I were hanging out in Stara Moravica, a small village in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia; a charming village where the past collides with the present and your chances of seeing a horse-drawn carriage are as likely as seeing a car. We were staying in a farmhouse. Andrea, who was managing the house for the British owner at that point, had connected me with the Robert when I expressed how great I thought the youth were and how this would be such an amazing place to open an office.

(What we were doing in rural Serbia is a whole other story.)

So there I sat with Robert, Isabella, their children, and a portrait of a dignified man who was obviously very significant to the history of the village. As I talked about how great I thought of the village and how I felt there was a real opportunity here, they were both kind of… blank. They said it would be good if the village had something that would attract tourists; something like a spa or thermal waters…

It was clear that we were looking at the village with different glasses on.

As you may know by now, my glasses tend to lean toward rose-colored, where everything is possible. For me, the most appealing thing about the village is the opportunity to step off the hamster wheel and get back to a simpler world – a world where watching a workman deliver wood in a cart pulled by horses is as exciting as the latest episode of my favorite reality show; the kind of place where you can buy freshly baked bread from your next-door neighbor, and eggs from your neighbor on the other side. This is the magic. This is what people are hungry for – a way to get back to our roots; to be a part of the earth and see it through the eyes of people who are never disconnected from the land.

Robert and Isabella didn’t see it this way and they weren’t buying into what I was trying to sell. They also didn’t understand why I would want to empower the youth. Just wanting to make a difference didn’t translate.

But, to be honest, this often doesn’t communicate in the U.S. either. We sent out an invitation recently to our PitchRate community for a free call where Michelle and I would answer any PR-related questions they had. I was surprised when we got a response from someone wanting to know, basically, what was the catch?

Isabella, at least, was straightforward about her skepticism. “It sounds too pink,” she said.

Me: “Too pink?”

“You know, too communistic,” she said.

Then it all made sense.

I know that when you’re committed to making a difference in the world, you might encounter some skepticism along the way. Others may not see the charming village; they see life the way it is and probably the way it’s always going to be.

It’s up to you. Are going to buy into their view? Or are you going to keep sharing your “pink” views until they see the world through your rose-colored glasses?

author

About the Author:

Drew Gerber

For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. As the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., lauded by the likes of PR Week and Good Morning America, he sparks "aha" conversations that lead to personal and business success. His PR firm is known for landing clients on Dr. Phil, Oprah, Anderson Cooper, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Entrepreneur, and other top media outlets. Wasabi Publicity lives to launch conversations that make a difference and change the world.

Comments

  1. Charity Kountz June 27, 2013 at 10:42 am - Reply

    Very interesting article and I agree with you. It is very hard to enact change in a world that seems rooted against it. Steve Jobs learned this the hard way and realized he just needed to forge ahead and do it anyway because it’s what he believed in. Being a visionary isn’t easy, for sure. But it’s usually worth it. 🙂

    • Drew Gerber June 27, 2013 at 11:14 am - Reply

      Charity, thanks for reading and you are so right. This is a great quote:

      “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful – that’s what matters to me.” ~ Steve Jobs

      Drew

    • Barbara Colby June 27, 2013 at 3:35 pm - Reply

      Hi Drew…
      These are the stories you need to put in a book. Since your tail seems to need a push….I’ll be your pusher. You’re a good writer. Don’t waste it on us for free. Write the book damn it! These articles can become your journal. When you’re done wityh your journal your book is half there!

      I still want to read what you write. After it’s written, Michelle will do the rest with the media. There isn’t a talk show that wouldn’t want to hear you.
      Barbara

      • Drew Gerber June 27, 2013 at 3:45 pm - Reply

        Thanks so much, Barbara. I’ve actually finished writing my book; it’ll be published soon!

  2. Tina Nies June 27, 2013 at 11:36 am - Reply

    Love it, Drew!

    Once a woman screamed in my face, “I wish I could see the world through your rosy colored glasses” as she continued a rant about the evils of the world.

    My only reply was a hug and love and invitation to practice love. I love seeing the good, seeing the possibilities that exist within people and places.

    Looking forward to hear what you do next in your Serbian adventure!

    hugs,
    Tina

    • Drew Gerber June 27, 2013 at 11:41 am - Reply

      Hi Tina! Oh no; rose-colored glasses really are best 🙂

      Thanks for following my adventures!

      Drew

  3. Kay June 27, 2013 at 1:25 pm - Reply

    Sadly, our world is quite jaded nowadays, but if you keep plugging wearing your rose-colored glasses, Drew, it may catch on in the world., and others will look forward to jumping on your bandwagon. You are definitely on the right track. We need to return to our roots, and also share more positive thinking with each other.

    • Drew Gerber June 27, 2013 at 2:37 pm - Reply

      Thanks, Kay. I completely agree.

  4. Kate Kindle June 27, 2013 at 2:13 pm - Reply

    Not surprised, considering the bombings and destruction of cities and attempted decimation of Christianity in Serbia with the complicity of the U.S. government whose main goal there is to preserve the Muslims. Serbians have been through a great deal in the past twenty years. Many Christian churches have been destroyed, many thousands of Serbians have had homes taken away and they live as refugees. It would probably be hard to spark a fire in them under these circumstances, when the basic ingredients that add up to passion for them (ie. home and church) have been taken away. The mayor’s wife thought your idea sounded ‘pink’. In other words, I’m afraid to say, misleading or phony. We are a Christ-based nation. And, under Bill Clinton, many bombings and rapes occurred as the Muslims made inroads using our bombs as cover, destroying a culture similar to ours. You know, I call that policy ‘pink’. Contrary to the others here, I’m afraid I understand their mistrust all too well. You were experiencing a lack of trust.

    • Drew Gerber July 1, 2013 at 9:57 am - Reply

      Hi Kate – thanks for your comment. Even though the region has had a troubled past, I am inspired by the hope and optimism I am experiencing here.

  5. Kate KIndle July 1, 2013 at 2:43 pm - Reply

    Yes, Those from that area who come here are also very up and doing. Give them a chance and they’ll run with it!

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About Drew

For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. As the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, lauded by the likes of PR Week and Good Morning America, he sparks “aha” conversations that lead to personal and business success. His PR firm is known for landing clients on Dr. Phil, Oprah, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Entrepreneur, and other top media outlets. Wasabi Publicity lives to launch conversations that make a difference and change the world.

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