What a Teen in a Fedora Taught Me About Business

A Walk to Yoga, and a Mind Full of Noise

Last night was one of those spring evenings in the North Country that reminds you why you live here. The air was crisp but not cold. The river was full and rushing — alive with the kind of sound that hushes your thoughts. I decided to walk to yoga, taking the sidewalk along the Ammonoosuc River from my place. It’s a short walk — maybe ten minutes — but it always feels like a reset.

Life has been really full lately. So many moving parts, so much on my mind. My brain’s been running on overdrive, trying to hold everything at once. I was looking forward to the class — especially the sound bath portion. The crystal bowls always do something powerful to my heart and my mind. They help the noise fade and bring me back to myself. Yoga has become a safe space for me. It’s where I go to feel grounded, and the community there is gentle and healing.

The First Pass

As I walked, I passed a teenager riding his bike toward me. I looked up at him, smiled, and said hello — but he didn’t respond. Earbuds in. Eyes ahead. No acknowledgment. It wasn’t a big deal, but I noticed how it made me feel: like I wasn’t even there. Just another ghost walking by. I kept walking, but the silence sat with me.

The Fedora, and the Moment That Changed Everything

A few minutes later, another teen approached — this time walking. He was probably 14 or 15, dressed sharply in a button-up shirt and wearing a fedora of all things. As he came closer, we made eye contact — not just a glance, but a steady, intentional connection. And then, just as he passed me, he reached up, gently lifted the brim of his hat, gave me a small nod, and smiled.

A real hat tip.

I don’t think I’ve ever received one before.

Instantly, something lit up inside me. My whole body smiled. I felt joy — genuine, surprising, full-body joy. I smiled wide and said, “Hello! How are you?”

He responded without skipping a beat: “I’m well, how are you?”

“Great, thank you!” I said, still smiling.

We kept walking in opposite directions, but I felt like I was floating. My pace quickened. My heart opened. It was like a little beam of sunlight had cracked through. By the time I reached the studio, I couldn’t keep it in — I had to tell someone.

I burst through the door and announced to the class:

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a hat tip before!”

Everyone smiled. Some laughed. It became a little moment of shared joy.

Being Seen Isn’t Just Nice — It’s Transformative

That simple gesture — the lift of a hat, the eye contact, the acknowledgment — did something profound: It reminded me I am seen.

And yes, that might sound dramatic for such a small thing. But if you’ve ever spent parts of your life feeling unseen — and I have — you’ll understand.

It’s been a quiet belief I’ve carried for a long time: I am invisible. That people pass me by, don’t hear me, don’t notice. And beliefs like that? We subconsciously seek evidence to prove them true.

But this moment? It proved it false!

What This Has to Do with Business (Hint: Everything)

It reminded me of what I see every day in my work. In online reputation management, I scroll through social posts and reviews constantly — and what I see isn’t just business strategy.

It’s people here in the North Country — business owners, artists, service providers, tradespeople — all quietly asking:

Do you see me? Does this matter? Am I making a difference?

A like. A comment. A five-star review.

They're not just digital gestures. They’re modern-day hat tips.

Connection Is the Real Currency in the North Country

Especially in a place like Northern New Hampshire, where relationships are your reputation, these small acknowledgments mean everything.

Whether it’s replying to a customer review, reaching out to a fellow business owner, or simply thanking someone for showing up — those little moments are what actually build trust.

They’re what make us feel human in a world that often feels transactional.

The Smallest Gesture Can Be the Greatest Gift

So here’s the invitation:

Look up.

Make eye contact.

Wave to the person across the street.

Reply to that message you’ve been meaning to.

Leave a review for the place that always gets your coffee just right.

Heck, go get yourself a fedora and give someone a genuine hat tip!

Because you never know who’s walking around believing they’re unseen.

And you might be the moment that reminds them they’re not.

Who Can You Acknowledge Today?

When was the last time someone truly saw you?

And who can you acknowledge — really acknowledge — today?

Tip your hat.

You never know the impact you might have.