She entered the meeting room, poured herself a delicious cup of coffee and walked over to the window. Emily had joined the board a few years back as a loyal member of the founders of the company. Things have changed though since Jarred sold his share of the family business to an overseas investor who was in the game to make a quick return.
The company used to have a kindergarten and an after-school facility in the basement enabling families to visit their little ones during breaks while feeling at ease at work knowing that their children are being looked after by highly-qualified and kind teams. The founders knew that the better their employees feel at their workspace, the better the results and the higher the profitability of the company. Obviously, this initiative wasn’t in the best interest of the new investor which led him to close down these facilities in a frenzy of cutting costs.
Instead of hearing laughter and looking at children playing on the playground, Emily was staring down on an empty lot poorly decorated with a couple of grey benches and a table that was supposed to attract elderly who like to play chess.
Ten more minutes until the room was filled with those attending. Emily grabbed a chair, sat down and closed her eyes while enjoying the amazing aroma of her first coffee this morning. Memories flooded her conscious mind taking her back to thirty some years ago.
“Mister Bondai is waiting for you. Thank you for coming early.” said one of Mister Bondai’s main secretaries.
Emily walked across the hallway into Mister Bondai’s office accompanied by the friendly secretary who swiftly closed the door behind her.
“So you’re Miss Gordon. Charlie speaks highly of you. I see you’ve been with McNeal’s for the last five years. What brings you to us? Why should I entrust my finances with you?”
“You shouldn’t Mister Bondai. You should never let me or anybody else for that matter, control the financial statement of your company. I want to start my own business in a few years down the line and I thought learning from somebody like you who built an empire would be utterly beneficial.” replied Emily in a confident tone.
“Hm … I like your attitude young lady. Tell me, how would you set up your company when the time is ripe?” Mr. Bondai asked curiously.
“That’s one of the essential ingredients I intend to learn from you Sir.” said Emily.
Emily was in Mr. Bondai’s office for three hours. It was the longest and most warmhearted conversation she ever had with a human being. The business tycoon became her mentor and when he passed away Emily took over the finances of the company. It was Mr. Bondai’s last wish for Emily to continue the business trajectory his dear grandparents established.
A teardrop awakened Emily’s left cheek increasing the sorrow and pain she felt in her heart. Closing those children facilities was the hardest thing she had to do since joining the world of business. Furthermore, blaming the investor for this decision was the wrong approach.
The day had come for her irresistible offer. She felt she owed it to Mr. Bondai and more importantly, to herself. Her mentor prepared her for this day. Working alongside Mr. Bondai, attending business meetings with his executives and ultimately being chosen as a member of the board gave her the opportunity to look behind the curtains. She knew the ins and outs of this empire. She gave up on her own dream to be the creative force behind a unique brand that represented everything she ever stood for.
No more compromises. No more settlements. No more negotiations. Just a few more minutes until she could finally inform everyone that she holds the keys to the empire she always wanted to build.
“Good morning. As of today, we are adding a dream board accessible to all employees who dare to share their dreams with the company. Please enable everyone willing to play along, to add one dream only and explain the main reason why they’re chasing it.
A wise man once told me to never ever give up on the one dream.
Let the hunt begin!”
Creative art: AI-generated images by Daniela S. via Midjourney
