Page 7 of Without Apology

“In that case, call me George.” He ushered me in. He was a big man with a bona fide Texas handlebar moustache. A silver belt buckle the size of a plate held up jeans that boasted creases which had obviously been pressed with care.

I immediately wanted to like him. This wasn’t typical. Normally, I didn’t have feelings one way or another about the people involved with the companies we bought. In my job, there were no personal ties as I couldn’t afford to let anything like that get in the way of a deal.

I offered up the bottle of champagne, and he took it gracefully. Now, after meeting the man, I guessed he would’ve preferred a bottle of whiskey.

“Thank you. Hope you’re a steak eater. I’m grilling up some nice rib eyes.”

“I am, indeed.”

He led me out to the patio where he had the steaks on the grill. A woman who was around his age was setting the table on a beautifully decorated outdoor patio space that overlooked the pool just beyond it. Once again, the sheer amount of land was impressive.

“Good. This is my wife, Carol. Carol, this is Simon Granger.”

She greeted me with a kind smile. “Hello, Simon. Nice to meet you. Do you want me to take your suit jacket?”

I was overdressed. That much was evident as she was also wearing jeans. “No, but thank you.”

“We don’t stand on much ceremony here in Dallas, which is why I love this state and this city. Sorry, I should’ve told you to arrive casual,” George offered.

Ironically, I felt the most comfortable in a suit, maybe because I spent most of my time in one. “It’s quite all right. I probably should’ve brought whiskey instead of champagne.”

“No, no. It’s fine. So, your boss says you’re an expert in the art of acquisitions. Considering the man isn’t generous with compliments, it’s quite a feat to garner one.”

I worked for Phillip Stone, billionaire and investor in over fifty companies and the owner of the Stone Group LLP. I’d been there for the last seven years and helped him buy over half of those companies. Sometimes he’d keep them; other times he’d turn around and sell the pieces. It was my job to advise what would make the most profit. Although Phillip wasn’t free with his compliments, as George pointed out, we’d struck a good balance. He trusted me enough with his money to find the best deals, and I turned over every rock to ensure we made good decisions.

“I appreciate his faith in me.” I watched as George flipped the steaks with practiced ease.

“Well earned, I hear. However, before selling my company, I want to be very clear about two things.”

Something told me this man honestly meant whatever he was about to say. Most owners were simply out to make money, but George seemed different. “All right.”

“One. I understand you want to interview all of the employees at Maddox Consulting to make a determination about who will fit into the new business. It’s basically a fancy way of saying you want to get rid of people you think won’t cut it.”

In a word, yes. Sometimes there were people in a company who’d been in the same position a lot of years who became complacent. “We simply want the type of people who are committed to the long term, which will include a lot of change. Not all employees want a new financial system, new policies and procedures. The interview process is integral to ensure everyone is on board.”

He sighed. “I get it. But you have to understand I care about these people. So in that vein of thought, I want to offer packages. I have some employees nearing retirement. I want to give them the option of an early retirement package. For everyone else, if you choose not to keep them, I’d like to give them a generous termination package.”

Although most owners didn’t particularly care to do this since it dipped into their profit from the sale, his suggestion wasn’t unheard of. “I’m certain we can accommodate your request. And what’s the second condition?”

“You let me be the one to tell my people. A lot of them have been with me a number of years. I want to be sure they understand my reasons. Also, you should be aware my director of accounting is the key to getting ninety percent of the information you need. She’s been acting CFO since Jerry retired. Hands down, she’s my biggest asset in the back office.”

I made a mental note. The first course of business was discovery. Having a key person to assist us with the audit and interviews expedited things greatly. “Of course you can tell them however you choose once the sale is final. And we can certainly use a point person on the inside for the audit, so it’s good to hear you have someone capable for us.”

Oftentimes, after examining the books and a company’s finances, the result was no deal at all and us walking away. One thing I never did was waste my boss’s money. Simply put: if he didn’t make money, then I didn’t make money.

“Why don’t you walk me through your process for audit, and I’ll answer any questions you may have?”

“Happy to.” It’s what I was here for. I might like George, but my loyalty would always reside with my boss and with my job.

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