There’s an adage that says, “you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” If you’ve  never heard that before, the basic premise is  simple –if you don’t  try, you’ll never have opportunities.

And that was the underlying thought I had during this entire interview with Garvin Reid. Not only does Garvin take an opportunity, he’s especially keen on leveraging it to help him find his next one. And so if I had to pick a theme for this episode, it’s the power of building a network and being flexible, so you’re ready for that opportunity when it shows up. 

Garvin is a career coach, photographer, and college administrator currently living in the UAE. He provides career advice to talented students at NYU Abu Dhabi and helps them land jobs and internships throughout the world.  He is also a photographer and content creator with Black Lovers Abroad, a travel blog he launched with his wife to showcase – just that – a Black couple travel internationally. 

In this episode,  Garvin shares how being laid off during an economic downturn and later on a job firing, changed the course of his professional career. He discusses how some key individuals within his circle proved to be pivotal in his eventual move to Abu Dhabi and  how his own cross-cultural competency has adapted to a Middle Eastern  context. And he definitely drops why he and his wife decide to put their own twist in the Black travel space.

Garvin’s story is definitely a ride and I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it.