Our receptionist Mary Haynes contributed her thoughts on what it like to be the first face people see when they walk into NSAI!
Let NSAI Be Your Home Away From Home
“Nashville Songwriters, this is Mary”. I consider my seat at NSAI one of the best in the house. Getting to meet every face that walks through this door is one of the coolest parts of my job. I never know who is going to walk in and no two workdays are alike. I’m learning what delicate creatures songwriters are, and it’s fun and exciting to hear each one of their stories and be a “safe haven” of sorts, for them to come and explore their creativity.
Not only do I get to be the initial person members talk to, but I also get to pair them with mentors and membership representatives. Many times members will read the bio of each mentor, but still be unsure of who would be the best fit for them to meet with. This is where I come in. Getting to know personalities is such an important part of this process, because each of our mentors has a different demeanor and skill set. The same goes for our membership representatives. And since I love getting to know people, this is fun for me too.
NSAI strives to give the best customer service that we can, and this starts with investing in our members. I have been so shocked and moved by the passion that so many of them have for the craft. Some of them make monthly trips, while others literally pack up their lives and move here. They have sacrificed and given up so much to be here, so why shouldn’t we sacrifice and invest back into them? One of our members told me once, “I have no family here in Nashville, and every time I come into NSAI you guys are like my family”. This made my heart so happy! To know that they’ve moved away from home, to pursue a dream that we’re helping make happen, is so incredible.
I have moved several different times in my life. I transferred schools and actually ended up moving to 4 different cities in a year’s time. So, I know what it’s like to pack up and move somewhere you don’t know a soul. I also know how hard that can be. I can remember calling my mother every day and missing my family because I didn’t have a support system. Finding a good group of encouraging people is what it takes to be happy and successful, in my book. That’s exactly what I have found at NSAI. Not only are they encouraging to one another, but also to the members.
Each of our 11 staff members come together with different strengths to help make NSAI the best it can be. One of my strengths is people. Investing in you is what I do every day. So, next time you have a question about a mentor, want help navigating through your membership, or maybe just need an encouraging word, give me a call and I’ll talk you through it. Let me be your home away from home.
