Paige Powell’s first job was teaching chimpanzees sign language at what is now the Oregon Zoo. In 1980, she moved from Portland to New York City with more artistic aspirations in mind, determined to work for either Andy Warhol or Woody Allen. She landed offers from not just one but both men, and took an advertising position at Warhol’s Interview after knocking on the bulletproof glass doors of the magazine’s office. Her in-person cold call involved regaling the staff with anecdotes from her time at the zoo, including her success at selling Zoo Doo—elephant dung repurposed as fertilizer—“by the truckload.”For...

Source: Wall Street Journal April 16, 2019 12:57 UTC