Sometimes life gives you weirdly unique opportunities. I wrote about my experience being in a beer commercial recently on LinkedIn (cheekily, in "Linkedinfluencer" style), which I've reproduced below ...
Recently, I had the unique opportunity to appear in a commercial for GarageBeer, featuring Jason Kelce and Beau Allen (of NFL fame). The commercial, titled "Brewmite", is a loving parody of the martial arts classic "Bloodsport," and thanks to my training in Iaido, I was perfectly positioned to seize this epic moment when they were looking for extras. (If you squint at exactly 4 minutes and 2 seconds, and ignore Jason's performance, you'll clearly see my Oscar-worthy background appearance.)
This got me thinking: isn't engineering management exactly like appearing as an extra in a beer commercial? Hear me out. In management, just as in my 5 seconds of commercial glory, you have to:
Always be ready. Opportunities rarely come with advance notice. Being prepared positions you perfectly to step up when the moment arrives; whether it’s helping your team take on a new project, or wielding a katana behind an NFL superstar.
Support others' success. Great managers are like great extras: they know how to set the stage for others to shine. Sure, Jason Kelce executed that kata beautifully (after a sweet training montage), but I'd like to think my precise form and stoic expression set the tone for his success.
Find joy in every experience. Not every professional moment needs to be a serious lesson. Sometimes, it’s just about appreciating the surreal humor of life and career.
So here's my "professional advice": always say yes to unexpected opportunities; they might just land you behind an NFL player, swinging swords, in a beer commercial. Watch and enjoy my brief but legendary appearance here: