Tokyo, Japan 2008

Story by Andrea Michaels

Diversity in Los Angeles, the mid-West, Wall Street and Tokyo

I was fascinated with the many speeches at the recent awards ceremonies (Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and more). In addition to concentrating on race, they focused on women.

Being a woman who faced leaping into a man’s world many years ago, this intrigued me. Even in the mid- to late 1970s, being a woman in a man’s world was never much of a problem in Los Angeles. Venturing into Wall Street and financial clients or the Midwest with automotive customers, for instance, was an entirely different story. Slowly I got comfortable dealing with the “good old boys’ network” in the USA, but it took some patience. I was young, so I dressed carefully, drank or partied not at all, and as I didn’t play golf and knew nothing about sports was not immediately embraced. It took time and trust, and of course many more women started entering the events world over the next few years, sometimes even owning their own companies. (Not like today, is it?)

I started my own business in 1988 for producing special events and meetings, and was having success as a woman in business in the USA, and I wanted to expand my marketplace. In about 2008 I ventured out to Tokyo where at first I was treated like I didn’t exist.  

My company was invited by a major construction company in Tokyo (representing one of the largest builders in Asia) to work with them as consultants.  They wanted us to advise them on increasing traffic at their center and developing new attractions. I took two men with me, one a designer, one a production associate. Me? I was the creative director. Better yet, I owned the company. Yet when we sat down with our client the six men at the table only talked to my male associates. (Perhaps the initial inquiry addressed to “Mr. Andrea” should have clued me?) 

I quietly told my gents to smile and say nothing, absolutely nothing. I informed the six clients that I deserved respect since I was senior to all of them as the owner and president of my company, which gave me status over them, and that I was also “senior” to them in age, and therefore worthy of respect. I also informed them that the two men with me were my employees and would not speak unless I allowed them to do so. Therefore, they could talk to me, or we could all go home, having experienced a nice few days in Japan at their expense. I did this softly and politely with a smile. But I was firm. They responded by treating me with the utmost respect from that moment on.

So why tell those stories? Because I fully understand what was said at the awards ceremonies and how far we women all have to go to make a place for ourselves in the business or entertainment world.  We have so many fabulous role models out there; women in power; heads of companies, leaders… young, old, beautiful or not… just wonderful women. But rarely was the welcome mat laid at our feet. We earned our place.

So, ladies of entertainment and media, thank you for calling out that there is still work to be done. You were inspiring.

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