Page 22 of The Debt

Levin listened intently, absorbing the look of concern he read in her eyes. “Atlanta’s been our fortress. Moving out means competing with bigger players.”

“We’re not moving out, just expanding our footprint. Remember when you mapped out our first diversification plan? Three warehouses, two trucks… and a prayer?”

“How can I forget, especially since you trusted me with your life savings? Most CEOs wouldn’t have gambled on an unknown newcomer.”

“Most newcomers wouldn’t have helped transform a startup logistics company into a juggernaut within five years. That’s unheard of.”

“I didn’t do it alone. It was a team effort.” Levin straightened. His eyes narrowed in thought. “There’s more to this than meets the eye. What aren’t you telling me, Tats?”

Tatiana wasn’t perturbed by the nickname. Levin had long since surpassed being a mere employee. Today, he was her most valuable business partner and friend. She walked to the window overlooking the vast acreage of marshaling yards and terminals. The view was a constant reminder of everything that was at stake. If her grandfather didn’t back off, however difficult such a decision would be, she’d have no choice other than to move TAP’s head office to New York. Out of sight would hopefully mean out of mind and curb his interference in her life and business.

“The political climate is shifting. I’m afraid our old alliances might start breaking down. If we stay isolated in Atlanta, we’re vulnerable. We need contingency plans.”

“That makes sense.” Levin’s fingers moved across the tablet as his mind shifted to calculating logistics mode. “I suppose you want me to initiate the groundwork?”

Returning to her desk, Tatiana sat down, opened her laptop, and pulled up a map on the screen.

“Since you started working for me, you’ve never let me down, Levin. This time…” She paused and tapped her fingers on the desk. “I’m going to need more from you. We’re going to push an aggressive timeline.”

“I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more than market strategy driving this project.” His intense gaze searched her face.

“I’m being proactive. You know how I operate—full throttle once a decision has been made.”

“Now that much is true.” Levin opened a folder with TAP’s current distribution network. “So, where are we expanding our footprint?”

“New York and Arizona.”

His eyebrows shot up. “You’re targeting routes into Canada and Mexico? That’s not just ambitious, Tats. That’s pushing the envelope… big time. We’d be competing against established giants. Meridian Logistics owns the Northeast corridor, and Southwest Freight has Arizona locked down.”

“Maybe so, but TAP’s reputation is solid across the U.S. We’ll start small with warehouse leases in strategic locations and partner with local cartage firms to handle the ‘last mile’ deliveries in the densely populated urban areas. We need to build trust with regional clients before expanding services.” She opened a spreadsheet.

“Look at these numbers. Conservative estimates show we could capture twelve percent of cross-border shipping within three years. Even if we initially only capture five percent, our revenue will soar.”

Levin studied the projections. “We’d need at least three distribution centers in New York. Buffalo for Canadian routes, Albany for the Northeast corridor, and something near the city for urban distribution.” He typed notes in rapid succession on his tablet. “Arizona is trickier. Phoenix as central operations, Tucson for Mexican trade, and maybe Nogales for specialized cross-border services.”

“Exactly. Phase One establishes domestic presence. We build our occupancy quietly while securing key accounts. Once we are established...” She smiled. “Then we show our full hand with Phase Two, expanding into international logistics.”

“Just how aggressive is this timeline you mentioned?”

“Six months for facility acquisition and licensing. Six for market penetration. Full operations within eighteen months.” She pulled up another document. “We hire locals for warehouse operations. Key management positions will be filled internally since it promotes loyalty and maintains culture. I want our best people leading these hubs.”

Levin whistled low. “That’s beyond aggressive, Tats. That’s fucking insane! To have any chance of achieving success, we’ll need substantial capital investment. New fleet, personnel, licensing...”

“Already arranged. The Bolton account gave us the cushion we needed and because of the sustainable relationship with them over the past five years, they offered to invest into the growth of TAP as a silent, non-participative partner.”

“I know they’re loyal associates, but they’re more tech-focused, aren’t they?”

“In general, yes, but Bolton Enterprises is part of an Angel Investment Company, and they’ve watched our growth since becoming a client of ours five years ago. They’re offering fifty million dollars as silent partners.”

“There has to be a catch.”

“If there is, I can’t see it, and you know how pedantic I am. The agreement is with our lawyers at the moment. I’ve given them strict instructions to look for hidden clauses or loopholes. Bolton’s only requirement is for us to pay back the investment after five years, along with two percent interest that is payable every year. If my projections are accurate, we’ll be able to pay them back within three to four years. They want no shares, no control.”

Levin leaned back with a skeptical expression on his face. “That seems unusually generous.”

“Bolton sees beyond immediate returns. They’re building a network of stable, growing companies across sectors. Our expansion strengthens their supply chain infrastructure.”

He nodded slowly as the big picture was revealed. “You’ve been planning this for quite some time.”

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