by Alyssa Gangaram, VPG Contributor
During a Coffee-hangout with my good friend, Michelle Wu, I was thrilled to learn that she’d be working with Virtual Patent Gateway. I was even more thrilled when she wanted to introduce me to the founder, Ashley Cheung.
Ashley and I met over Zoom and learned about each other’s goals soon after. I found that Virtual Patent Gateway was a stellar company with dedicated team members, a drive to build up those around them, and an alignment with great causes. An unexpected but wonderful design collaboration blossomed from that meeting.
A little about me: I am a 19-year-old Muralist and Digital Illustrator in Albany, New York. I began painting murals 3 years ago. I’m also currently developing a design portfolio for animation while being a full-time student pursuing a B.A. in art. I've been passionate about drawing for as long as I could hold a pencil! More than anything, I love telling visual stories that are meaningful, resonate with others and uplift communities. With Virtual Patent Gateway, these passions are being realized in a whole new way.
The upcoming design projects with VPG and my business, Lys Illustrations, are a true testament to the power of collaboration. Collaboration bridges literal distances—with me being based in New York and Virtual Patent Gateway being in Virginia. Without networking, we would have never had this opportunity.
“Serendipity” describes a meeting that is unexpected but positive and beneficial. Have you ever experienced a serendipitous moment? The best way to come across chance encounters like that is not to be afraid to step out of your comfort zone! Yes, connecting with that one professional you’ve admired for so long may be intimidating, but who knows what that could lead to?
I encourage all professionals to connect with anyone and make friends with everyone regardless of industry, age, or location. There is more overlap than you may expect. Who knows? Maybe that one moment of stepping out would lead to a serendipitous encounter and beautiful collaboration. Collaboration is what connects the world!
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