Did I meet Gobinath sir?

Hey Beyonder!

Last week, I went to Salem for a leadership conclave.

Stayed at Radisson. Met incredible women entrepreneurs - the founder of Indus Valley Cookware, Zoho's Kuppulakshmi, hotel and hospital owners.

But honestly I was excited to meet this one person: Gobinath sir from Neeya Naana.

The Two-Day Wait

Here's what happened.

Day 1: I checked into the hotel. Saw his room number. Didn't knock. I didn't want to disturb him - maybe I'd get a proper chance to meet him later.

Day 2: He sat literally 10 cm away from me. My mom even took photos. I still didn't approach him. I figured there would be a better moment.

Everyone at the conclave appreciated him. When he came down, people rushed for photos. I stayed back. I wanted to talk properly, not just take a quick selfie.

That evening, I heard he was leaving.

I thought I'd lost my chance.

When Everything Changed

The next day, I went to a college to speak about storytelling.

After that, Vignesh (a very nice friend I met in Salem) took me to the Salem Aerospace Factory. This place was insane. I saw Boeing defense equipment. Real defense manufacturing happening right here in Tamil Nadu.

I had lunch there, completely amazed.

Then I headed to the airport.

And guess what?

Gobinath sir was there.

He hadn't left yesterday after all.

The Delayed Flight That Changed Everything

My flight to Chennai got delayed. I had 30-60 minutes.

This was it. My actual chance to have a proper conversation.

I walked up to him. Introduced myself.

He didn't recognize me immediately. But when I explained who I was, he said, "Oh yes, I've seen your podcasts!"

We sat together. Talked about life, business, storytelling.

It was exactly the kind of conversation I'd been hoping for.

What I Realized About Timing

Sometimes what feels like a missed opportunity is just timing that hasn't happened yet.

I could have approached him on Day 1 or Day 2. But those moments felt rushed. People were crowding around him. It didn't feel right.

The airport? A delayed flight? Nobody else around?

That was the right moment.

And here's the thing - if I'd forced it earlier, I wouldn't have had those 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted conversation. I would've gotten a quick photo and that's it.

A Question for You

Is there someone you've been wanting to connect with properly?

Not just a quick "hi" or a selfie. But an actual conversation.

Maybe you're waiting for the "right moment." Maybe you think you've already missed your chance.

But what if the right moment just hasn't happened yet?

Quick Update: Back to Reality

After Salem, I came back to Chennai with pending work. Meetings I'd pushed. Videos to create. Calls to finish.

Spent the entire weekend catching up. Today, things are finally settling down.

But those two days in Salem was worth every bit of the chaos that followed.

Sometimes the best experiences come when you're patient enough to wait for the right moment - and bold enough to take it when it arrives.

Over to You, Beyonders

Hit reply and tell me your story. I read every email.

See you next Wednesday!

Cheers,

Epaphra

P.S. - I used to hate delays. Now I'm grateful for them. Funny how perspectives change.

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