Lunch Meetings At Their Office
Need the advice of an expert? Someone with experience you don’t have? Don’t just ask them for their advice…their time is very valuable.
Offer to come to their office, at a time convenient for them (during their lunch break) and offer to bring lunch (maybe a bento or sandwich and drink) and chocolates of course!
That will let them know you value them and are willing to invest something into it, you are serious enough to accommodate working with their schedule, and you will respect their time by limiting it to their lunch break.
Give them 5 minutes at the start of their lunch break to go to the restroom aka lunge at them with rapid fire questions and allow 5-10 minutes at the end so they have time to wash up and do whatever they need.
Come prepared with your questions and be ready to thank them at the end, leaving them with one more sweet little surprise like a “Mahalo Box” (Choco le`a chocolates). Plus if you bring them the chocolates and their drink in a beautiful rose gold cooler bag, they have something they can keep beyond your lunch!
And if they don’t want to meet at their office, consider offering to meet them at the nearest park or shaded outdoor spot within walking distance from their work.
Another option of course is to take them out to lunch, but this requires an additional 1-2 hour commitment for commute etc.
I personally do this when I need to pick the brains of others and I believe one of the reasons why we are successful today, is because I have so many mentors in the world of law, finances, HR, and other areas that I need guidance in.
For suggestions where to pick up quick lunches, see my “food page” for a few like Sprout Sandwich Shop, Dell’s Kitchen & Bakery, Fukuya, and more!
erin’s tip
Show respect by valuing others’ time and letting them know they are worth it. Don’t show up empty handed or unprepared. And here’s a weird one: Offer to talk with your mouth full of food so they don’t feel rude shoving their face with food and talking during their precious lunch break.
