I'll never forget that night at the Frog office in Milan. It was the first time I truly learned something about myself.

Frog (now part of Capgemini) is a global design consultancy I had followed for years. At the time I was desperately looking for work, hungry for any opportunity and determined not to let a single one slip past.

When I saw that Frog Milan would open its doors during Design Week, I was immediately excited. The speakers included senior industrial designers from Frog, as well as Peter Skillman, Design Director at Philips. I could smell an opportunity. This might be one of those rare chances to meet people I had admired for years, so I didn't hesitate, and clicked "Book" straight away.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly, until I realised that seats were limited. The night before the event, an email arrived that began with "Unfortunately…", and I knew at once that this would not be as easy as I had hoped.

Still, I wasn't ready to give up.

I started messaging people at Frog who might be at the event the next day, hoping there would be another way in if things didn't go to plan.

The next day came.

As expected, I was stopped at the entrance because I had no QR code. I must have tried more than ten different explanations. I even asked whether they could contact the people inside whom I had already been in touch with.

It was the first time I realised Italians could be this strict, quite unlike the usual stereotype. I watched other visitors try to get in because they had friends or family working in the building, and without a booking, not one of them got through. Looking back, it was perfectly fair.

Of course, I'm not someone who gives up easily.

I started looking around.

Was this really the only way in?

Then I noticed a woman going in through another gate. I hurried over quietly and called out to her. She didn't speak much English, but somehow she understood what I was trying to do, and kindly led me in through the back entrance.

Finally…

The access gate gave its green beep.

I thought I'd made it.

But just as I was about to celebrate, another member of the building staff appeared. He looked at me with suspicion, exchanged a few words with the woman, and then walked me all the way back to the main entrance, to the very same staff member I had been pleading with before.

Plan failed.

Now things became much harder.

My flight back to London was that evening. The plan had been to catch half of the event and then head to the airport. But after nearly an hour trying to get in, I had to make a decision.

Should I give up and catch my flight?

Or keep trying, even as the odds grew smaller?

I checked the flights and found a cheap one the following morning.

That gave me one last chance.

Maybe luck would finally be on my side.

Instead of looking for another entrance, I began watching the people around me.

Then I noticed several couples.

Some had only managed to get one ticket between them. If one of them couldn't get in, the other often chose not to go in either.

Which made me wonder…

Where does the unused ticket go?

First, I asked the Frog staff whether the name on the ticket mattered.

"No," they said.

"As long as it's a valid ticket."

Suddenly everything became much clearer.

Find the right person.

Get closer.

Wait for the right moment.

I started chatting with one couple. A few minutes later, they decided to leave together.

I asked whether I could use their spare ticket.

The man smiled and said yes.

It was probably the first moment all evening that I felt a flicker of hope.

The Frog staff checked it, and accepted it.

After all that, I finally walked through those doors.

I honestly felt like crying.

I never did get to meet Peter Skillman (he had already left), but I met several designers whose work I had only ever seen online.

Looking back, the attempt itself probably meant more to me than the event.

I completely understand why the Frog team had to run things so strictly. From the organisers' side, it was absolutely the right call.

But that night taught me something I hadn't expected about myself.

I realised how persistent I could be.

And how calm I could stay under pressure.

Like everyone else, I complain about plenty of things in everyday life. But when something truly matters to me, I somehow never stop looking for another way.

That night was the first time I really noticed it.

I felt an energy I had never felt before.

It was almost as if, once I had tried absolutely everything I could, life finally decided to lend me a hand.

I wanted to share this story because sometimes, when you genuinely give everything you have, unexpected kindness appears.

Someone was willing to give their ticket to a complete stranger.

Later that same night, after leaving Frog and heading for the airport, I realised I didn't even have enough cash for the airport bus.

And once again, someone I had never met, a French woman from Dassault Systèmes, kindly stepped in to help.

Whenever I think back on that trip, these are the moments that stay with me, far more than the event itself.

They remind me how lucky I've been, how much kindness there is in the world, and how important it is never to stop trying.