Whether you’re at work, mingling with friends, at church, or at some conference or gathering, you’ll get this question: “What do you do?” “What is a Vincentian?” This is the perfect opportunity to make people want to know more about our way of serving the poor. In the business world, if someone is looking for a job, one of the first tasks on their to-do list should be crafting an ideal “elevator pitch”: a 30-second speech that summarizes who you are and what you do. You’re supposed to be ready to deliver your elevator pitch at any time, from an accidental meeting with someone of influence to a cocktail party conversation with someone who might be able to help you land a position. For us, an elevator pitch is like an ice breaker that will hopefully lead into a deeper dialogue. It can even serve as an aid to fundraising (evidently St. Vincent de Paul himself was charming and persuasive in this way, since he could coax financial support from people of means). You sometimes have just a few minutes to leave an exciting, impactful and meaningful impression with people you happen to come in contact with. For some ideas, see Vincentian Spirituality in 5 Slides. For further resources, see this list: Resources Tagged “Vincentian Spirituality”.