People I’d cross paths with often became afraid to say my name, and I was always able to tell when they were avoiding an awkward conversation around it. It got to the point where I began to strategically introduce myself as Zee immediately, foregoing the script on this nametag altogether. Because collaborators don’t want to call you back for work if they can’t pronounce and remember your name!

On the other hand, the people I’ve met who either searched out how to correctly pronounce my name or were persistent in asking me for the pronunciation, are some of my closest friends in the industry now. Because they made those small gestures, we’re able to have a closer relationship than friends who aren’t on a first-name basis. So yeah, you can call me Zee, but try and learn my full name eventually! And be patient with those who mispronounce your name, and hold firm when correcting them.