Day 3: The Indomitable Nancy Lyons

Bella and I would have been far more nervous for our first interview if it weren't with the gentlest, kindest woman on the face of the planet: Nancy Lyons. Otherwise known as Katie Mandovis' rockin mom. Bella and I see our portfolio focusing on masculinity, femininity, and the roles of men and women in different industries, though it is nearly impossible to tell with one interview under our belt, and several days of writing and interviewing to pass until we reach Savannah. It is for this reason that we reached out to Nancy Lyons, a prominent businesswoman in the Cleveland area, and the country. After arriving at the Lyons household, we set up our recording system. So far it looks like I've got the hang of the program we're using, but I also refuse to quit the application because I'm so scared we will lose the audio. So. We shall see. Bella took the lead, which relieved me since she has more experience in the interviewing department. I was actually really impressed with her active listening and intimate but appropriate questions (Bella, if you're reading this, I am complimenting you. Enjoy it while it lasts.) She also took handwritten notes which I am sure will come in handy in our creative process. The interview itself was great. Nancy was open about the struggles of pursuing a business career. She moved from the food industry to the gift and jewelry business, which she found to be much kinder to the female sex. We discussed the prejudices women face on a local level versus a corporate level, and how best to combat those challenges in our modern world. She asserted that women need to 'play' the game to a certain extent, an incredibly topical idea considering the recent fame of Sheryl Sandberg and her book, Lean In. She did concede that our generation is more open than her own and the ones between us, so, go Gen Y. And Gen X. And Gen Z though that doesn't exist yet. She gave usa great amount of material that we will be shaping into a piece tomorrow. Onward!