Andrew Ginn

Trust the phone will ring

Finding Your Crew

Power of Intention

Rise Above The Work and See Longer Time Horizons

I wrote Solutions Seekers between October and December 2023.

At that point, I considered myself a “semi-retired” event producer. Back in 2021 I was burned out from events. I needed a break.

I pared down to just my Music Curator role at the W Hotel, and booked bands for a couple of summer events. But I stopped all other event production work.

Nearly 2 years out of the game, I began writing a book on how to build a thriving freelance life. As I wrote, the pesky imposter syndrome began rearing it’s head.

Do I even know what I’m talking about, or am I completely full of shit?

Seemed hypocritical writing a book to help others build a freelance career when I was on the tail end of my own.

At the same time, as I was deep in the writing process, I started getting the itch to hop back into game. Perhaps the flickering flame got turned back up as I reflected on the career I had experienced. Or maybe it was just time.

Two years was a good break to reset. I truly do enjoy the energy of being on show site and everything it entails. It brings purpose to my life - an environment where I can express my dharma.

After sitting with this feeling for a month or so, I decided I was ready to come back.

Here’s a story of what transpired, highlighting a few concepts from Solution Seekers:

A few days before Christmas, I called a good friend, JT, who I’ve worked with for nearly 10 years. Almost every major production I’ve been a part of over the year was with him.

During my hiatus, we stayed in touch from time to time. He had moved from one event company to another, and his major client from the former eventually followed him to his new digs.

Work was rolling in hot and he was doing his best to keep up. Respecting my decision to leave the business, he never guilted or shamed me. So it came as a pleasant surprise when I mentioned my interest to jump back into the madness.

“Say no more,” he said.

He was actively establishing a core team to handle all the work filling the calendar.

“You are on the very shortlist. I don’t have anything coming up soon, but mark out October. And you know how this client is. There’ll likely be something that comes up before then.”

Find Your Crew

Fucking stoked! All it took was one phone call to a dear friend, who I stood with side by side in the trenches for years, to get plugged back in.

While the call did not produce an immediate result, the seed was planted. And I know how this business works. Something would eventually pop up in the meantime. Just had to be patient.

Trust The Phone Will Ring

A couple of weeks later, I started feeling I needed to make a bunch of money. Like, now. I didn’t know why this feeling came over me (the meaning presented itself later. A story for another time), but it was consuming my consciousness. I needed a large chunk of change to come in soon.

Just as I started having these thoughts, JT gave me a call.

“I have this project coming up. We are probably over-staffed. But I’m looking at the list and just feel like we need one more person. Someone with a Swiss-Army Knife skillset like yourself.”

“I’m not sure if you are interested. The gig is next month…”

I didn’t care what the project was. I was already in.

“… in Abu Dhabi.”

https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/2Xsg28iHv3xtsRD7fsDYas/t4ieDd9Y9eSq2GVWwMHfUy

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

What?!

“Take a couple of days to think it over. If you’re interested, I’ll see if I can get approval for you to tag along.”

“Dude, I’m in!”

Let’s go!!

My first gig back in 2 years and I was headed to the Middle East for 12 days.

We flew direct from Seattle to Dubai on Emirates, and business class nonetheless.

The rate was the highest I’ve ever been paid.

And my role as Production Assistant allowed me to show up how I like - no real tangible responsibilities. Instead I was mainly there as the glue, a security measure to take care of anything if they came up. But more importantly, help keep people calm and feeling cared for.

JT was seeking reassurance he had a core squad around him he could trust. And from all our years together, I was one of them.

In the early days of full-time freelancing, when the calendar was not consistently full, worry crept in. Money running out and no work on the books.

Just as things were looking grim, the phone would ring. Sometimes multiple times in the same day. This cycle kept happening.

Eventually, I learned to accept the process and trust the work would present itself when I needed it.

And that’s exactly what happened this time. Money concerns started to hit, and the same day JT calls with a dream project to reignite my production life.

Power of Intention

Over the years, I’ve worn many hats. Often a number of them on the same project. As time went on, and I began walking down a path of spirituality, I started recognizing the true reason people hired me.

It wasn’t necessarily for my physical skills (though that certainly was a factor) but my calm, healing energy. I have a way of helping people feel safe and cared for.

Many times I’ve heard,

“When you are around, I know things are going to be ok.”

Something about my presence has a calming effect on others. I decided to lean into this and set my intentions to be hired as a space holder for teams.

JT was the first person I said this to back in 2018. He laughed and said, “Yeah… we are all going to be working, while you just sit in the corner meditating.”

A couple of months later he called.

“I have a project coming up. I don’t have a specific role for you. I just need you there.”

Uh huh.

While it wasn’t explicitly said, I knew what was happening.

From then on, he and his teammates started calling me their "Production Guru."

Typically my official title was Production Assistant, but my purpose was to hold space. Even if they were not consciously aware of it, that’s I how I showed up.

This was my role in Abu Dhabi. I hadn’t worked with most people on this team before. Some couldn’t figure out what I was doing there.

But others did.

One said, “Oh I get it. You’re JT’s security blanket.”

Ha! It was said in jest, but also carried some truth.

My responsibilities were low on that gig. I felt like I did very little. It basically turned into getting paid for an all-expense paid vacation in 5-star hotels.

I was not mad about that at all.

Since then I’ve filled my calendar into 2025 with projects for this client, and others this company has. Do I expect every gig to be this cushy moving forward? Of course not. I’ll get put to work at some point. But as I walked around the Abu Dhabi Ritz Carlton, I kept repeating to myself, “Yes, please. More gigs like this,” to remind my subconscious the type of work I want to manifest.

All this - from a single phone call.

Circling back to the beginning of today’s email.

The concepts in Solution Seekers, do they actually work? Yes!

A career built on cultivating relationships, by providing value to others, works!

I may be an N of 1 experiment, but the principles covered in this book have benefited my freelance life in ways I could have never imagined when I started out.

Embrace this approach and I know they can benefit yours as well.

https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/2Xsg28iHv3xtsRD7fsDYas/s8yfZBn4eEVzGQAr4wMeXH

Homeboy says, "Mark your calendar!"

Solution Seekers releases August 15th on Amazon with a special launch week price of $9.99. Make sure to grab your copy before the price goes up!

With gratitude,