They say it's who you know...not so fast!

Ok..so here's the quandary...
I've heard from practically everyone trying to scratch their way up the ladder of success, that you gotta  know someone in the industry if you want to get that foot in the door.. Well,  it just so happens that I do know someone who is very high up in the music publishing world, and today  I decide to just buck up and humbly ask this person if I can have a meeting. I even have a direct email address. So  I write a nice brief letter, and what I get back is a detailed explanation of how my request creates a serious conflict of interest, and puts my respected friend in a very awkward situation. Apparently priority one  is to be of service to the songwriters who have been or currently are signed to the company in question,  and that accepting a meeting with me would somehow be irresponsible to them. It seems that I am in a long line of personal relationships who have asked similar indulgences, and that if an exception was made for me, then all those other folks would have to be granted the same privilege.   The bottom line being, that  if my request for a meeting is granted, the boundary between my friend's professional and personal life becomes unclear.
    Now, I completely understand this.. and have every respect  for this..however, my question becomes:  if you don't know someone in the industry, and as a result, can't get a meeting, and now it seems that  even if you do know someone in the industry, you still can't get a meeting.. how Does one get a meeting??
   And all this is before any songs have been presented.. For all any of us know..we Sugars could be the next Beatles..and I would feel very bad to see all that success go to someone other than my lovely friend whom I truly respect and admire.
I  recall a quote  that I am very fond of,  that I believe to be from the late Margaret Thatcher (regardless of what I think of her work..as that's another matter).
When she lost the election she shook her head and said: "It's a funny old world."
I couldn't agree more Maggie.

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