Jacob Wells: I reached out to the post-production supervisor and did the gatekeeper approach. She said that she's not hiring external editors, but will give my name to her colleague, and to send her a portfolio.

• Use the gatekeeper approach intentionally to start relationships, and recognize every response is pushing you toward either “keep in mind” or “please keep in touch.”
• Always give exactly what they ask for first, then subtly steer the conversation by adding focused value that makes their work and story feel genuinely seen.
• Find something personal either in the work that they’re associated with, or it could even be about their own journey.
• Focus on building the relationship rather than completing a transaction.
• Start a conversation on similarities on your journey. Pivot from gatekeeper approach to expert approach, potentially leading to mentor approach.

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