Visiting the LinkedIn Offices in New York
Aug 27, 2024 - Marcel OdenaOn August 5th, one of my professional dreams came true: visiting the LinkedIn offices in New York, located in the Empire State Building. This was made possible thanks to Madeline Chan, who opened the doors of the office to my family and me.
Madeline didn’t have to do it, but she did. She welcomed us into the office, treated us like royalty, invited us to lunch in the LinkedIn cafeteria (which is amazing), we had coffee, enjoyed the city views from a high floor of the Empire State Building, and had a long, engaging conversation.
Seeing the Empire State Building is impressive, and it certainly impressed me. It’s colossal—nothing like the tall buildings you might see in Barcelona.
That day, I visited the Empire State Building twice. In the morning, I went for the LinkedIn office visit. Then, at night, we returned as tourists with the entire group—we were two families—and we went up to the rooftop to watch the sunset, take in the entire city, and see the buildings light up as the sky gradually darkened. It was incredible.
There’s an energy beyond the tangible that makes things like this happen so effortlessly. There must be a force in the universe orchestrating it all. I feel privileged to have experienced this, grateful for Madeline’s and LinkedIn’s hospitality, and indebted. I hope to contribute in some way or to be a host in Barcelona.
Before meeting Madeline, I looked at her LinkedIn profile, and in one of her posts, I saw a quote that still resonates with me. It said something like, “Trust is built in the margins,” and it struck me because I firmly believe it. You meet someone, spend some time with them, and there are details, gestures that either convey trust or, conversely, create distrust. Trust is built in the margins. That day, I found trust in Madeline in the margins. Thank you for everything, Madeline.
