people

A chance encounter with Stedman Graham

By Peter Legge /

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I had just stepped off a plane in Vancouver after coming home from Winnipeg and I was walking up the jet way when my cell phone rang.


It was my assistant calling to ask, “Could you go downtown for 10:30 to meet Stedman ?” She went on to explain how Candace Newton, who runs an organization called Unlocking Secrets for Women, had phoned out of the blue. She had Stedman Graham in town for an event, and she woke up that morning and thought, “Who do I want Stedman to meet while he is here?” The answer that popped into her head was, “Peter Legge, of course.” So that’s how it happened.

Talking on the phone with my assistant, I have to admit that I had no idea who Stedman Graham was, so I told her, “No, I have things to do and I need to go to the office.” But that wasn’t nearly the end of it. She phoned me again in the car a short time later and said, “I’ve set up a lunch for you and Stedman today,” and in the background I could hear my two daughters yelling, “Dad, dad, dad, do you have any idea who this is….? It’s Oprah’s significant other and you’ve got to have lunch with him and we want to come.”

I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that I didn’t go to my lunch meeting with Stedman alone. Along with my daughters, Samantha and Rebecca, I was duly impressed when halfway through the lunch he started talking about one of his books, The Nine Steps, and I discovered that Stedman is quite an author and a speaker. Just then I came up with a brilliant idea and I asked him right there on the spot, “What are you doing on June 25th?” I invited him to be the keynote speaker at the annual BCBusiness Top 100 Luncheon. Stedman graciously accepted. His speech is called “You Can Make It Happen” and he’s the nicest guy you could ever meet.

It’s amazing what can come out of these impromptu meetings. A lot of my ideas, contacts and connections have come from the people that I have lunch with. I didn’t know when I woke up that morning that I was going to sign someone I had never met to be the keynote speaker at the BCBusiness Top 100 Luncheon – but the incident does reinforce two important points.

The first point is that you need to build your network and get to know the people in your community. There are a lot of people whom Candace Newton could have chosen to introduce to Stedman Graham. I’m happy that she chose me. The second is never to have lunch alone. I’m thankful my assistant was persistent in booking the lunch despite the fact that I didn’t know who Stedman was. If she hadn’t, I would have missed out on a great opportunity.

What chance encounters have turned into great opportunities in your life?

Are you taking the time to make the most of the opportunities that come your way every day?